.458 x 2 American?

[rossi]

Bottom line is 458x2 American in a great modern bolt gun cartridge that is cost effective to build yielding for loadings at high pressures listed for bolt guns. For tube feed lever actions the 45-70 makes more sense unless you wish to rebarrel a Model 94 Big Bore as this conversion is quite easy on that action and takes greater pressures than the Marlin 95, thus giving a potent alternative to the 45-70.

 

[coyotecaller]

Now THERE is a man with an EXPERIMENT on his hands.

I have a Lyman mold for 500gr. Casting but I don't cast bullets myself. Anyone here locally do that? I would be willing to pay to have some hardcast, sized and lubed. I received 20 or so bullets when I purchased the mold. That's a comparison next to a 308Win cartridge. I plan to load them for my H&R 45-70. With a 2.5x Leupold, it is a very accurate rifle. At 50 Yards, all 5 shots make one ragged hole.

 

[Captain O]

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I have a Lyman mold for 500gr. Casting but I don't cast bullets myself. Anyone here locally do that? I would be willing to pay to have some hardcast, sized and lubed. I received 20 or so bullets when I purchased the mold. That's a comparison next to a 308Win cartridge. I plan to load them for my H&R 45-70. With a 2.5x Leupold, it is a very accurate rifle. At 50 Yards, all 5 shots make one ragged hole.

How would that fare if it chambered for the .458 American?

 

[coyotecaller]

How would that fare if it chambered for the .458 American?

I'm not sure. One way to find out, cast some up, load em and shoot em. Results will tell. My rifle is in 45-70 and I'll see my results tomorrow

 

[rossi]

458x2 was created by Frank Barnes (famous ballistician and author of Cartridges of the World). Originally created and fired on a Rem 722 action w/21" barrel. Later loads where measured in velocity/energy w/24" barrel as follows:

300 gr. Barnes SP - IMR4198 - 54 gr. - 2,412 fps - 3,900 ft-lbs
405 gr. Win SP - IMR4198 - 51 gr. - 2,110 fps - 4,005 ft-lbs

Again, reasoning was to develop modern reduced 458 Win loadings on a bolt gun. 458x2, 450 Marlin and 45-70 are all similar in their ballistics and field attributes. None are better than the other in the field. 45-70 is powerful platform in a lever gun, only limited on loading pressure due to Marlin 95 action in lieu of Win 1886 or 71. 1980s Win Big Bore 94 is great platform for 458x2 and Marlin 450. 94 design will take greater loading pressures than the Marlin 95. None of this however is worth losing any sleep over. All are terrific cartridges on bolt or current tube feed lever platforms.