BIG GAME CARTRIDGES
Bigbores for the big stuff: Despite its smaller powder capacity, the .458 Winchester Magnum (center) can hold its own as a dangerous-game cartridge against the .470 Nitro Express (left) and .458 Lott (right).
.416 REMINGTON, .416 DAKOTA, .416 RIGBY, .416 WEATHERBY: The Remington, Dakota, and Rigby cartridges all employ 400-grain bullets at around 2400 fps and are the standout choices for someone who is looking for a big rifle but doesn’t want to get killed by recoil. The Weatherby is in a different category with 300 fps more muzzle velocity, and it’s a real handful. However, there is no argument about its effectiveness.
.458 WINCHESTER, .458 DAKOTA, .458 LOTT, .460 WEATHERBY: By far the most popular big bore around is the .458 Winchester, even though it is often knocked for being underloaded—a 510-grain bullet at a real-world velocity of 1900 fps or so. However, I’ve shot critters ranging from zebra to hippo to buffalo with it, and none of them seemed to have any complaints.
The .458 Dakota and .458 Lott are a distinct step up, shooting the same bullets but at 2300 to 2400 fps. They kick harder and from what I have seen are distinctly more effective than the .458 Win. The buffalo I shot with my Lott was literally slammed to the ground, with all the fight knocked out of him. I found this very encouraging.
Like the other three cartridges, the .460 Weatherby has a .458 bore, but it’s in a class by itself because it shoots 510-grain bullets at 2700 fps. It’s a brutal rifle, manageable by only the most experienced shooters, and I’ve been told by more than one professional hunter that it’s what you carry when you want something to go down right now. John Knowles, a PH with whom I hunted in Zambia in 1981, once had to shoot a buffalo from the hip with his .460 because there was no time to bring the rifle to his shoulder. The beast died drooling blood on his shoes.
The standard big game cartridges L - R .500 Nitro Express, .470 Nitro Express, .458 Lott, .458 Winchester.
(Currently available big game cartridges are highlighted in Red) (Available through Dakota Arms highlighted in Purple)
CARTRIDGE |
CAL |
COMMENTS |
Length |
Diam |
Lym/RCBS/Lee /VALUE |
9.3 x 62mm Mauser |
366 |
Non Dangerous Big Game. Intro 1905 |
3.291 |
473 |
|
9.3 x 74R | 366 | Non Dangerous Big Game. Intro 1900 | 3.720 | 526 | |
43 Mauser -11.15 x 60R | 446 | Intro 1871 | 3.070 | 590 | |
9.3 x 64 Brenneke | 366 | Big Game. Factory Ammo available from RWS. Intro 1930 | 3.370 | 496 | |
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375 Winchester |
375 |
Low power, not really for big game. Smaller than H&H. Intro 1978 |
2.560 |
506 |
6/2/3 £1 |
376 Styre | 375 | ||||
9.5mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer | Introduced 1903. One of the great big game cartridges. | ||||
400/375 H&H | Introduced 1905 in competition with the 9.5 Man Schoenauer. First belted cartridge. | 13/4/5 | |||
9.3x62 Mauser in 1905 | Introduced in 1905 and virtually buried the .400/375. Higher bullet velocity. | £3 | |||
375 H&H Magnum | 375 | Big Game – Introduced 1912. Suitable for all African game. Still the most commonly available big game cartridge | 3.600 | 532 | 13/4/5 £2 |
375 JRS | 375 | ||||
375 Weatherby Mag | 375 | Reintroduced in 2001 by Weatherby. 200fps faster than the 375 H&H | |||
375 Asquare | 375 | ||||
375 Dakota Mag | 375 | Based on 404 Jeffery | |||
375 Rem Ultra Mag | 375 | 25% more capacity than 375 H&H & 300 fps increase | 3.600 | 532 | £3 |
378 Weatherby Mag | 375 | Most powerful & largest of the 375. Necked down Rigby 416. Heavy recoil. 34% more energy than the 375 H&H. Introduced 1953 | 3.655 | 579 | |
404 Jeffery | Historic old timer | £6 | |||
404 Dakota Mag | Based on 404 Jeffery | ||||
450/400 Nitro Express | 3.00 inch – Popular up until the 2nd WW with double barrel guns | ||||
450/400 Nitro Express | 3.25 inch | ||||
400 Pondoro | 10mm | ||||
405 Winchester | |||||
416 Taylor | Introduced 1976 | 3.325 | 532 | ||
416 Rigby | Big Game. Introduced 1911. Still very popular | 3.750 | 590 | 17/37/- £5 | |
416 Rimmed | |||||
416 Hoffman | |||||
416 Remington Mag | 416 | Big Game. Descendant of the 375 H&H. Made to compete with the 416 Rigby using smaller cartridge. Same power as Rigby but overheating problems. Introduced 1988 | 3.600 | 532 | 13/-/- £2 |
416 Dakota Mag | Big Game. Descendent of the 404 Jeffery | ||||
416 Weatherby Mag | Uses 416 Rigby case with belt and higher chamber pressure. Adds 300 fps to Rigby 416. Intro 1989 | 3.750 | 579 | 17/-/- | |
416 Gerlach | |||||
404 Jeffery | 3.530 | £5 | |||
425 Express | |||||
450 Ackley | 458 | ||||
450 Assegai | |||||
450 Watts | 458 | Big Game. Necked up 375 H&H. | |||
450 Nitro Express | One of the greatest big game cartridges. Introduced 1897. | ||||
450 Dakota | Based on 416 Rigby | ||||
458 Lott | Big Game. Similar to 450 Watt. Sold by Dakota, Ruger, CZ | ||||
458 Winchester Mag | Big Game. Descendant of the 375 H&H. Intro 1956. Popular for the largest game. | 3.340 | 532 | 13/4/5 £2 | |
460 Short Asquare | |||||
460 Weatherby Mag | 458 | Intro 1958. Similar case capacity to the 416 Rigby. The most powerful. Necked up 378 Weatherby. Heavy recoil. 50% more power than 458 Win | 3.750 | 603 | 17/14/- |
500/465 Nitro Express | |||||
470 Rigby | Introduced 1907. | ||||
470 Nitro Express | 474 | Sold by Federal. Old style. Usually for double barrel guns | 3.980 | £5 | |
470 Capstick | |||||
475 #2 Nitro Express | |||||
475 # Jeffery | |||||
505 Gibbs | |||||
500 Nitro Express | Big Game – 3 inch & 3.25 inch | ||||
500 Jeffery | |||||
495 A-Square | |||||
500 A-Square | |||||
577 Nitro Express | |||||
577 Tyrannosaur | 585 | ||||
585 Nyati | 585 | The most powerful after the 50 BMG (modified 577 NE) | 3.525 | ||
600 Nitro Express | 3.680 | ||||
50 BMG | 510 | Intro 1918 – The most powerful commercially available. | 5.450 | 804 | £2 |
700 Nitro Express | 700 | Intro 1988 for H&H Doubles. Very rare. | 4.200 | £50 |
Plywood Penetration Test Results |
||||||
Cartridge |
Plywood Penetration |
Bullet Weight |
Velocity |
Sectional Density |
Momentum |
Energy |
470 Nitro Express |
57 |
500 grains |
2150 |
.317 |
153.6 |
5133 |
505 Gibbs |
60 |
525 grains |
2300 |
.288 |
172.5 |
6168 |
500 Jeffery |
62 |
525 grains |
2400 |
.288 |
180 |
6716 |
500 Nitro Express |
62 |
600 grains |
2150 |
.330 |
184.3 |
6160 |
458
Winchester/ |
66 |
500 grains |
2150 |
.341 |
153.6 |
5133 |
416 Rigby |
71.5 |
400 grains |
2400 |
.330 |
137.1 |
5117 |
470 Mbogo |
72 |
500 grains |
2500 |
.317 |
178.6 |
6941 |
500 A-Square |
73 |
600 grains |
2400 |
.330 |
205.7 |
7676 |
470 Mbogo (Woodleigh Solid) |
90 |
500 grains |
2500 |
.317 |
178.6 |
6941 |
450 Ackley (Hornady) |
92 |
500 grains |
2400 |
.341 |
171.4 |
6397 |
Developed in 1988 for a limited number of Holland and Holland double rifles, but the production run of both rifle and cartridge was tiny. It has now made this one an exceptionally scarce round. The size is awesome (see against .303 round which is pictured for scale only) and the round produced a staggering 8,900 foot pounds of muzzle energy when fired. Compare that against, say, a .303 which produces 2,500!