Short 458 Winchester

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Super Scout

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CONCEPT: Want to build a Scout Rifle based on the 458 Winchester Magnum.
Of course it has to be build on a proven short action. For this I've chosen the Remington 700. First of all I have a 458 Mag but it's to heavy to take hiking in the Yukon with the family for a few weeks. I want to rely on a cartridge capable of stopping a grizzly. I load for my rifle now and am very familiar with how the cartridge performs. I want it to meet all parameters of the "Scout " concept. For this the case will be trimmed down to 2.014" firing a 350gr projectile. Max cart. length to be 2.810" (yes it's the same size as a .308) My problem is this - Bolt face on a short action is designed for a .473 base. The 458 is .532. My question is this.
Do I buy a long bolt and have it made shorter or can one be welded to the short action? Any idea who is capable of this type of work. If you have other options, suggestions accepted.
 
Back in the early 70's Remington produced the 700 in a .350 Remington Magnum. I bought one removed the barrel and installed a .458 Shilen barrel which I chambered for the .458 x 2. No action/magazine alteration was required.

Try and find a .350 Rem. Mag and convert it if money is of no concern...

or simply build it on a long action Magnum 700... it isn't much heavier...

But I agree with the above posts... you would be better off with factory ammo...
 
Sounds almost identical to a 458 X 2 inch American, a wildcat cartridge, or 450 Marlin. Do a search here on old posts, or Google both on-line for details.
Both of these cartridges are in the 2 inch range, for empty cartridge length.
Refering to bolt face, a large ring K98 Mauser action could be opened up very easily by a good gunsmith, he would have to open up the magazine walls to for the fatter H&H magnum cases as well.

Any Remington 700 would have to use a different bolt face if using a non-magnum action, much more expensive proposition.

That is why so many Mausers were converted to custom calibres, cheap, available & easier platform to modify.

I personally have a 458 American in an FN Mauser action which I like, but I also have RCBS reforming dies ($$) for modifiing any H&H magnum cases.

It takes time and patience to do this...plus there is no over counter ammo available, which could pose a problem someday.
 
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The .458 X 2"/.450 Marlin are great cartridges but I agree with those above on the Marlin 45/70. These slick lever guns will be much better for getting off second and third shots if necessary, at wounded game. You would struggle, in comparison, when using a bolt gun, for close in work, I'd take the levergun.
 
........ or you could just buy a used 458Win, cut the bbl back to 20" and set it up with a Lyman all steel reciever sight. Load some 350gr bullets and go.




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Thanks guys. I now have some more thinking to do. I have a lever action but not fussy about using it. Quick second shot is nice BUT I have a thing for bolts.
I like Blargon's idea of a Rem M7 in 350 Rem Mag. Re barrel that to a 450 Marlin.
Scouts are built on short actions so that just wont work for me. Should be able to p/u 450 dies at RCBS. More research I guess, THANKS for your help,
 
I have something like that. A real beater, but a good shooter - Mauser action, 22" barrel, in 458 Win Mag.

458x2_1_Gun.jpg
 
Super Scout, you just go ahead and do what you want, have fun.

Frank DeHaas came up with a very similar cartridge to be used as a subsonic sniper dureing the Viet Nam war. It was very accurate and served the intended purpose very well.

Range was limited but the results were spectacular.

There should be a writeup on it in "Cartridges of the World". I believe it's called the 458x1 1/2. There should be some load data as well, though it would be pretty tough to overload, even with the fast powders required.

bearhunter
 
What weight do you want the rifle to end up with? You might find that the 3 kilo limit that was determined as the optimum weight for the original "scout rifle" concept would be a bit light for a .458. The .458 is anemic enough without going to the short version, so just stick with the M-700 long action length. It won't effect the overall length or the weight of the rifle by a great deal. My Brno 602 has a magnum length action that is both longer and heavier than the 700, yet this rifle at 40" is shorter than my 20" 590 Mossberg by 7/16", and exceeds the original "scout" concept length of 1 meter by only 1". With the factory wood stock this rifle weighed about 7 pounds, but switching to the McMillan stock when the wood failed pushed the weight up to 9 pounds. I carry this thing all over the place (the color has worn off the stock to prove it) and the weight doesn't trouble me. My pal Pounder has a 602 in .458 (rechambered to the Lott). His rifle was shortened to 20" and is similar in weight to my .375. If we can keep our 602's under 10 pounds it shouldn't be difficult to keep a 700 under 8. But I believe 8 pounds should be your target weight for the loaded, scoped, sling equipped rifle in .458. Sounds like a fun project.
 
I was having a gunsmith build a 358 Winchester Scout for me on a 700 action and 19" #1 contour SS Pacnor Match barrel. Unfortunately his business practices forced him to declare bankruptcy. I got the stock finally through Corlane and hopefully the barrel from his lawyer this week. The action I was buying off him - well that's lost and cant be found. Anyway - weighed out including the bases and unloaded 5lbs 6oz. I'm thinking with a Remington M7 which has a shorter action than the 700, I could increase the barrel contour for the .450 Marlin. I have no qualms as what my 458 WM can do on a griz. A 358 is a different story. A 350 Rem Mag is a little better but from what I could find on the 450 Marlin this baby looks like a 45-70 +P or am I wrong. I have a feeling if it came down to my family or a griz the 450 Marlin would defiantly let the animal know when its time to stop and lay down.
 
pick up a new 700 in a short mag cartridge for a rebarrel...I did one from a 300 SAUM to 350 Mag,....the 458x2 or the 450 Marlin will feed in these actions,...bolt face requires nothing...

but I'd also get a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 or 450 Marlin and call it good....
 
Super Scout said:
I was having a gunsmith build a 358 Winchester Scout for me on a 700 action and 19" #1 contour SS Pacnor Match barrel. Unfortunately his business practices forced him to declare bankruptcy. I got the stock finally through Corlane and hopefully the barrel from his lawyer this week.
Click to expand...

If you already have the stock for a 700, go with the 700. The model 7 action won't fit.

BTW, I'm sure the 350 mag would be an awesome close range hammer on a grizz!;)
 
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