458 Express - Biggest in Bolt!

.458 Calibers in use

The range of .458 Calibers are not restricted to the straight wall designs only. In fact more .458's are designed currently with a shouldered case than the classic .458 Winchester Magnum. The .458 Winchester Magnum was surely the "mother" of all designs, and soon the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum case became a very interesting prospect.

My first love has always been the straight walls but no article will be complete without mentioning the other very popular .458 Calibers The "biggest in bolt" will be the .458 Express for a long time! Choosing a order or category for the range of calibers is not prescribed and we can choose to arrange our order as we please:

Let us name them and then we can talk more about the calibers;

No Date Type Parent case

Name

 Straight wall Case Length
* 1912 Rimless, Belted, Necked original .375 Holland & Holland no 2.85''
1 1950 Rimless, Belted, Straight .375 H&H .450 Watts yes 2.85''
2 1956 Rimless, Belted, Straight .375 H&H .458 Winchester Magnum yes 2.50''
3 *1960's Rimless, Belted, Straight .375 H&H .458 2'' yes 2.00''
4 *1960's Rimless, Belted, Straight .375 H&H .458 1.5'' yes 1.50''
5 1971 Rimless, Belted, Straight .375 H&H .458 Lott yes 2.80''
6 1975 Rimless, Belted, Straight .375 H&H .450 Ackley yes 2.85''
7 1997 Rimless, Belted, Straight .375 H&H .458 Express yes 2.99''
             
8 1898 Rimmed Straight original .450 Nitro Express, 3.25'' yes 3.25''
9 1998 Rimmed, Straight original 458 Stewart yes 3.00''
10 2008 Rimmed, Straight .450 NE .458 Express Rimmed yes 2.99''
             
11 1965 Rimless, Necked .404 Jeffery .460 G&A Special no 2.78
12 1995 Rimless, Necked .416 Rigby .450 Rigby (rimless) no 2.89''
13 1997 Rimless, Necked .404 Jeffery 450 Vincent Long no 2.80''
14 2000 Rimless, Necked .404 Jeffery .458 African no 2.65''
15 *2000's Rimless, Necked .500 Jeffery .458 Sabi no 2.67''
16 2009 Rimless, Necked .404 Jeffery .460 Bauer no 2.85''
             
16 1957 Rimless, Belted, Necked original .460 Weatherby Magnum no 2.91''
17 1974 Rimless, Belted, Necked .460 Weatherby Mag .460 A-Square no 2.50''
18 1995 Rimless, Belted, Necked .416 Rigby .450 Majoor no ?
19 1996 Rimless, Belted, Necked .416 Rigby .458 Dubula no ?
             
20 *2000's *??? *??? .458 Venter ? ?

As mentioned earlier in this book we need to be cognizant of the fact that a design or "dream" does not constitute a caliber! Take a look at some design criteria before you want to claim a caliber.

Other odd dimensions of some calibers in the market place.

 

 

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