doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT Browning high grade rifle in 458

How about hollowing out the stock and filling it with a mercury slushee?

I bought my Grade V Model 12 about three years ago. I wondered what was under the pad so I took it off to see. Inside the stock was a 4" X 3/4" mercury suppressor spaced out to the pad with crushed reloading wads. Probably the results of a blond gunsmith.

Mike- Before you rule out the for Alaskan hunting, I'd suggest you toddle on over to 24hourcampfire. In the "Ask the Gunwriters" forum, post your concerns and ask for Phil Shoemaker (sp) for his opinion. Phil's an Alaskan guide and a champion of the .458 for use on big bears. As an aside, when I began hunting in Alaska (1984) I was enamoured of the .300 Win. When I left in 1993, I had become a huge fan of the .375.

Your rifle is built on an FN Mauser action- in my opinion, the best turnbolt ever made.

Cary Nelson

Mike-

Nice rifle.

If it fits you properly it shouldn't be a challenge to shoot.
Hot .338 loads have a lot more slap than .458 loads (whiz-bang recoil calculators be dammned!).
My .458 is somewhat similar, but with a classic brit sporting stock, no monte carlo treatment, no scope mounts, and it weighs a little more than what you have there.
I shoot mine a lot. My hunting load is a 350gr hornady SNRN at 2450fps. Recoil is somewhat brisk, still either this load or 500gr at 2100fps doesn't bother me a bit.
My rifle is very accurate too, and every properly sorted .458 I've come across has been accurate.

If you got a good deal on it, keep it for a while and run it a bit before you decide to jump on the 'big bad scary .458' bandwagon.
Write me if you'd like some load data advice.
We can cover that via email or on the phone.
The cartridge isn't the ultimate punisher that many people say it is, especially if you're shooting it in a rifle that fits.
Just don't treat it like a bench rest rig or long range sniper system. Shoot it from hunting positions, do your load development at a standing rest, practice with it when you can.

Set up right, a good .458 Mauser is a wonderful thing and definitely has a place in the North American Hunter's toolkit.
I took mine out on a Black Bear hunt this winter, and have been feeding my family bear meat since!


--Tinker

Pete

the reason I'm not going to use it on the bear hunt isn't because of the recoil, it's because on Kodiak it's either raining or about to. It would be a shame to ruin the stock or have it change the zero. I like the 375 also. I shoot my 45-120 with some hotter smokeless loads and the 577. The reason I'm probably going to sell it is that I think it's worth more to someone else than to me to use as a shooter.

Got it Mike-

Having seen some of the deals you've been able to turn, you likely stand to make a couple grand selling that thing anyway.
That's a couple of grand you can help fund the bear hunt with!


--Tinker

Tinker since I'm a resident, tag less than $50 and can take the ferry over to Kodiak, $75 each way, I'll have less than $1000 in the hunt including everything.

Awesome. I am going to AK in August for a bear and Dall Ram combo hunt. Can't wait. Good luck and let us know how you do.

Although now mild when compared to insane newer rounds (Lott, A2,...) most folks can't hit "side of the barn" with .458Win loaded to it's full potential.
Lets face it, on this continent it's only useful to an Alaskan hunting guide.