If You Were Building A .458 Win.....

Moose Masher

Moose Masher

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....what action and parts would you use?

I'm considering putting together something much like Phil Shoemaker's "Ole Ugly".
Looks don't matter at all, only handling and function.
20" or so barrel, peep sight only, laminate or composite stock.

Military mausers are out for me, I'd want something that already has a mag bolt face and a hinged floor.
If I can't find something suitable in .458 Win, what's a good action that can be made to feed well without too much fuss?

What's a good peep sight or "almost ghost ring", without too large of an aperature?

Thoughts, ideas?

Cheers,
MM
 
Try a good old P-14 or P-17,the strongest action that can be made into any Magnum ! You can find a butcher'd military for $150 to 300 no trouble, if you need one give me a PM, can help you out, cheers Dale Z!
 
i'd go with a savage action .

get bored of the rifle as a 458 , it is very easy to swap out the barrel and bolt head and go to something else .

then if you want to go back to 458 , just swap in the old parts and your good to go .
 
I would try a new Winchester and cut the barrel and install a peep on the rear scope base. I guess it would be cheaper than building from scratch. Sell the stock and buy a synthetic or lam. The CZ would work too but will be heavier.
 
1519d672.jpg
 
You can get a Zastava Magnum and rebarrel it. Minimal work for the feed ramp and here (yugo!).
 
I'm working on putting together a compact .458 Win for fun shooting
as well as bear thumping. I'm going with the Savage/Stevens action
for the reasons stated by burnt servo.
Hard to beat a Savage for adaptability. Lots of aftermarket goodies out there
for 'em.
:canadaFlag:
 
Model 70! Exactly as Toebako said, get the Safari Express, get the barrel cut and the front site moved back, put the peep where the rear base would go and glass bed in a Boyd's pepper laminate.
 
Another vote for Zastava. Or find a Brno 602, cut/crown and throw whatever stock you want on it.

There are still some Remington 798s (same as Zastava) kicking around already chambered in .458 - the stock would certainly have to go on those, imo.
 
another vote for a m77 Alaskan 416 in a McMillan. Not much will shrug off a 400gr @ 2400 fps, and a 350gr TTSX @ 2600 fps will reach out much further than any load from a 458wm.
 
The first one I had was a Ruger M-77 that I sold and shouldn't have. In the last two or so years I've had two more. A Brno 602 and a model 70 Winchester Super Express, kept the model 70. Shoots well and seems to be finished off a little better. On the model 70 I've mounted a Leupold Vari X-II, using Weaver pivot mounts.

Model70Winchester458WM.jpg


458WMtestresults.jpg
 
Moose Masher said:
....what action and parts would you use?

I'm considering putting together something much like Phil Shoemaker's "Ole Ugly".
Looks don't matter at all, only handling and function.
20" or so barrel, peep sight only, laminate or composite stock.

Military mausers are out for me, I'd want something that already has a mag bolt face and a hinged floor.
If I can't find something suitable in .458 Win, what's a good action that can be made to feed well without too much fuss?

What's a good peep sight or "almost ghost ring", without too large of an aperature?

Thoughts, ideas?

Cheers,
MM
Click to expand...
Why no military Mauser? The 458 will fit easily. The bolt face will open up. Get the trigger done. Add a hinged FP and you set. The safety is perfect for a reciever sight.

I'd find an all steel Lyman reciever sight to fit a Mauser. Add a Boyds laminated. Put the front swivel stud on the bbl and a good ramp from NECG.

.
 
Unless you are set on a 458wm as was mentioned earlier the Ruger Alaskan in 416 Ruger sounds like almost what you want.

Building is always fun but it will likely be more expensive if done properly than the Ruger Alaskan.
 
I'm a big Ruger fan, and I like the .416 Alaskan, but I've heard there have been feeding issues with quite a few of them. I'm not ruling it out however.

I will have to get a .458 eventually though, just because of the nature of my disease, probably a .416 of some kind too at some point.

I have absolutely no real world use for a .458, or a .416, It will be strictly for sh!ts and giggles.
I'll hunt with it, and take it on backcountry trips, but there is no "need".

I've had a few mediums, and currently have a .375 ruger (#1), and 2 9.3x62's, but have spent most of my shooting time messing with small bores (up to 8mm).
I just feel the need to get some experience with something a little bigger than .375.

I like the idea of a "beater" too, not pretty and not meant to be.

Of coarse there are a number of ways to skin this cat, just looking for some ideas and different points of view.

Thanks
 
Moose Masher said:
I'm a big Ruger fan, and I like the .416 Alaskan, but I've heard there have been feeding issues with quite a few of them. I'm not ruling it out however.

I will have to get a .458 eventually though, just because of the nature of my disease, probably a .416 of some kind too at some point.

I have absolutely no real world use for a .458, or a .416, It will be strictly for sh!ts and giggles.
I'll hunt with it, and take it on backcountry trips, but there is no "need".I've had a few mediums, and currently have a .375 ruger (#1), and 2 9.3x62's, but have spent most of my shooting time messing with small bores (up to 8mm).
I just feel the need to get some experience with something a little bigger than .375.

I like the idea of a "beater" too, not pretty and not meant to be.

Of coarse there are a number of ways to skin this cat, just looking for some ideas and different points of view.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Your assessment brings back memories :p. When I got my first 458WM my wife asked 'What are you going to use that for"? You have rainy day big game guns, sunny day guns, close range guns, long range guns plus, what are you going to do with a 458WM?? I told her, if we started a homested, I could use it for clearing land and stump removal. ;)Best I could come up with at the spur of the moment:p
 
I have read Phil Shoemaker's article from Rifle magazine on the 375 Ruger many times. A caption on one of the photos makes the point that the 375 with a regular Ruger synthetic stock, as opposed to the horrid Hogue stock, is almost identical to his 458 and if it had been around for purchase when he built his 458, "Old Ugly" may never have been made. Also, the peep sights from NECG are excellent. I just wish Ruger put a proper stock on the Alaskan. Thier black synthetic which comes on their all weather rifles would be a big improvment.
 
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