458 LOTT ACCURACY
I have a custom 458 Lott that shoots no better than 1-1/2 inches as the very best groups ever, and most of the time groups at about 2 inches. I think it should be able to do better than that, and would like to have your opinion. I am capable of handling the recoil (properly cushioned, of course) when shooting from the bench, and have shot other heavy-recoiling rifles quite well. Flinching is not a problem with me.
J. W., Oregon
I'll have to figure (notice how I didn't say assume) that all of the necessary precautions have been taken, such as making sure that the action screws are properly torqued, that the scope is snug, etc. You didn't say what the stock, action, and barrel are, or who the builder was, so I suspect that it may be a "commercial" custom rifle and you do not wish to offend the well-known maker.
When the 458 Lott started gaining in popularity some years ago, a lot of customers apparently believed the horror stories about the 458 Winchester Magnum. Those stories primarily were based on poor factory loads that had been mistreated through bad storage over a lengthy period. Let it be written... the 458 Winchester Magnum is an outstanding cartridge when loaded properly (which isn't at all hard to do), including the fact that it is amazingly accurate. I favor 450-grain Swift A-Frames in mine, and I own several.
The story is somewhat different for the 458 Lott. It is essentially a lengthened 458 Win Mag, using the full-length belted magnum case at almost the identical body taper. The Lott case is three tenths of an inch longer, so it holds more powder. Hand loaders using a 500-grain bullet can achieve 2100 to 2200 feet per second with the 458 Winchester Magnum, and about 2250 fps with the 458 Lott. An advantage with the Lott over some similar full-length belted-magnum versions of a 45-caliber cartridge, such as the 458 Ackley Magnum or 450 Barnes Supreme, is that the 458 Winchester Magnum can be used in the Lott. The same-taper chamber is the difference that allows that to be done.
My personal experience is that the 458 Lott does not group as well as the 458 Win Mag. With some rifles, it has been quite an effort to achieve three-shot groups of 1-1/2 inches at 100 yards. But, you need to understand that the thick, tough jackets of 45-caliber dangerous-game bullets are not conducive to shooting little-bitty groups. There is one exception, however, and that's with the Weatherby Mark V DGR. I don't know what it is about the Weatherby; possibly they simply have some tricks and techniques that come together to make the Lott a real shooter, but I've seen a number of these rifles that shoot right at an inch or less. Said differently, Weatherby has a knack for making their 458 Lott rifles shoot like a good 458 Win Mag.
Depending on your hunting plans, find either an expanding bullet or a solid that shoots well in your rifle, and then search for the right powder that delivers the best accuracy for you when using a full-power load. Full-power means right up there, but does not have to mean maximum. It's just that you don't want the Lott to perform like a 45-70. If your game is to be started with a well-place thunk from an expanding bullet, and then finished with solids (Cape buffalo, etc.), make sure that both pretty much shoot to the same point at ranges of up to 150 yards. This isn't so easy for me, preferring 450-grain A-Frames in my 458 Win Mags, but the additional case length of the Lott makes shooting 500-grain bullets a simple process. You have a wide selection of 500-grain solids.
If you wish to discuss this further, don't hesitate to write or phone. I'm curious as to the maker of your rifle, and might have a tip or two that could enhance accuracy.
JDC