I think a lot of the problems over there were probably due to cone head rich guys that weren't sure which end of the gun went bang. If I ever went to Africa I'd be packin a CRF something just because i do here too. I do like WBYs though. Nothin like stuffin a couple of 378s in the bottom and dropping one in the top. Just shy of 20,000 ft/lbs in the mag. Hehehe Everything better keep it's head down.
.458 Lott
- Thread starter .264 Win Mag
- Start date
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
My PH was certainly speaking first hand, I have no doubt a Weatherby could be made to work in Africa, but they are certainly not an advisable choice. Lower pressure, non-braked, less finnicky actions are the order of the day for Africa. I'd also suspect Roy Weatherby himself took the best tuned Weatherby's in the world over. The average guns my friend has seen, a frank guy not prone to falling for hype without seeing a reason for it (in Zimbabwe, they'll try anything), have been absolutely terrible and have sullied many trips for his clients. That's a pretty dead straight statement on the gun for use in Africa, and it certainly doesn't go recommended by the African hunting community at large.
Come on, you know better than that. The first Weatherby rifles were commercial FN and Brevex magnum mauser actions. The .378 Wby first came out in a Schultz & Larsen. Those are all great actions/rifles.
In fact, I'd bet you wouldn't scorn a Brevex Magnum Mauser chambered in .375 Wby, would you?
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Come on, you know better than that. The first Weatherby rifles were commercial FN and Brevex magnum mauser actions. The .378 Wby first came out in a Schultz & Larsen. Those are all great actions/rifles.
In fact, I'd bet you wouldn't scorn a Brevex Magnum Mauser chambered in .375 Wby, would you?
This is true, though I still would, reasoning to follow. Should qualify my statements more, but I would definitely scorn the chambering. I'm not into taking a cartridge I see as less appealing and screwing with the loads to make it, in the end, a .375 H&H that I'd prefer anyhow. And it would burn more powder downloaded to 'be' a .375 H&H, due to the larger case, and I'm not into the marketing gimmic radius shoulder, or the lack of magazine capacity. Taking a good bore size and ruining it.
Yeah but that's a salesman pumping his product. I'm sure he went to great pains to keep everything clean and babied his product. I'll take the word of someone who's not vested in any particular brand and uses his tools the way they would in real world conditions day in day out.
- Location
- Calgary, AB
Come on, you know better than that. The first Weatherby rifles were commercial FN and Brevex magnum mauser actions. The .378 Wby first came out in a Schultz & Larsen. Those are all great actions/rifles.
In fact, I'd bet you wouldn't scorn a Brevex Magnum Mauser chambered in .375 Wby, would you?
I guess my Brno 602 in .375 Wby and my Winchester M70 in .300Wby must be useless too
- Location
- Calgary, AB
Yes. Pure junk. Just like this:
Wait a second....that's me....and a .257 Wby.... and a *gag* Mk.V....
How many times did it jam and fail to feed...
How many times did it jam and fail to feed...
None - because I kept it meticulously clean and in a gun case while I road hunted, only removing it once I saw the deer and turned off the truck's engine!
Not to mention locking up after the shot due to heinous over-pressures.
It was a bit colder than Africa....plus my handloads, while warm, were certainly not over-the-top.
As Ardent pointed out they seem to be fine in North America, and while I have almost exactly zero experience in Africa, I too have read and heard, almost exclusively negative things about Weatherby cartridges and Mk. Vs in Africa. Since I have no experience I am not about to argue with folks who see more action in 2 months than most of us will in a lifetime. The PH doesn't have an interest, other than safety, in rifle/cartridge choice. There are many against Weatherby and I have yet to see a single independent article/comment singing the Weatherby's praises.
Same goes for the .416 RM - and I owned one of those too!
mike shickele
Regular
I'm amazed that no one has thought to neck up the 375RUM as of yet. It even has a respectable ammount of body taper to ensure proper feeding............though it has that nasty rebated rim. It would have more than adequate shoulder, and probably give a bit more velocity than a 458 Lott.......or even better, the same velocity at lower pressure so that one didn't run into problems in the heat of Africa.
Mike
Mike
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Sure, neck it up to .423 and call it the .404 Jeffery. That'll work.
And 1899, very admirable post there. Wish I was able to make more of the same, where you note the limitations of a product you like. It's hard for a lot of guys to do, myself especially included. So, thanks for the refreshing post!
Sure, neck it up to .423 and call it the .404 Jeffery. That'll work.
You are absolutely correct, the 404 works and most admirably so....
And 1899, very admirable post there. Wish I was able to make more of the same, where you note the limitations of a product you like. It's hard for a lot of guys to do, myself especially included. So, thanks for the refreshing post!
Hey, I can take anything...except praise!
I'm not a huge Weatherby fan; their rifles are too heavy for me and I don't really like the stock design. Having said that I've owned and hunted with the .257 Wby and the .300 Wby - a Fibermark and a Mark V Deluxe, respectively. I don't mind giving different products a shot (no pun intended), and I can honestly say they both shot well, never jammed and I never had a problem with them. I bought them both brand new at firesale prices, so I had nothing to lose.
I don't own one now and I certainly wouldn't get one if I was going to Africa. There are just too many "better" choices.
mike shickele
Regular
Sure, neck it up to .423 and call it the .404 Jeffery. That'll work.
Hey, I'm all about tried, and reliable cartridges, but if someone had the itch for something different, that would scratch it.........and probably dent their shoulder to boot.
Mike
The rebate of the RUM case is hardly significant...the 425WR or the 500jeff....now there is serious rebate yet they made plenty of good rifles in those calibers.
The 460G&A (404/458) came out in the late 60's to early 70's if IIRC. The Ultra necked to 458 is the same thing...Very close to 460Wby performance, but does have a small shoulder (if that is a concern to you).
For those of you that haven't shot one of these big 458's recoil really is at a whole new level...Nothing like a sissy 375 or 416.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
.458 Lott isn't much different than .416 Rigby, actually they seem directly comparable. .460 Weatherby, well I've yet to see one without a muzzle brake, so those ones can't be worse than a standard non-braked Lott. Likely even less with the brake, and the game, not a drop more dead curiously enough.
