My new Rifle .458 Bennett Mt Mag

[Idaho Ron]

Well here is another one. My guns are starting to look alike. This one is another Green Mountain barrel. They had a small limited run of 1-18 twist, .458 dia, 32" long barrels. I ordered my as soon as I saw the add. I put another TC renegade hunter stock on this one. The stock was a smokin deal on ebay. No one wanted it because it had a big piece of the stock filed out. It was fitted with a GM barrel before I got it. The wood missing was wood I was going to have to file down anyway. I put a Lyman 57 sml peep sight on it, and a 17 aml globe site. I added the usual Lee Shavers inserts. Like I said this one looks just like the rest but it has a blue barrel.

I took it out for the first shooting today. I got it to hit the paper with some Lee REAL 250 gr bullets at 50 yards.

Then I shot some 475 gr whitworth bullets at 100 yards. These were poured from soft lead. They shot ok. I can say that I would use them. I have seen better but I have also seen worse.

I backed off the powder a little bit and tried them again after cleaning.

I also shot some Lee 45-70 bullets. They are 387 gr hollow base. These bullets were sized .459 I had a he11 of a time getting them down muzzle. Once I got them down they shot pretty good. I shot them into one target and covered the holes with tape. I can say that most of those groups were under 2" but nothing super. The big problem was getting them down the barrel.
Then I went to another Whitworth bullet. This time I poured them out of lead shot. These bullets are harder and a little bigger in Dia. The actual weight is wrong on the picture. The weight was 470 gr. I bumped the powder a little because the bullets were hard. I shot three shots and then I cleaned the barrel. and shot two more shots before I ran out. I measured both as individual groups then as a 5 shot group.

My overall opinion of the gun is I hate the trigger. It has to be in the 9 poound range. Next The overall weight of the gun is 13 pounds. That is a big gun! Last is I think this barrel has promise. I like the 45-70 bullet and next time I will size some to .457 and try them. The Hard whitworth bullet has some good stuff going for it. I am sure it would fully penetrate a elk as hard as they are.
I am going to pour some more and next time I will Chronograph some. I used a felt wad under all the loads. I used a 3/8 pipe nipple I sharpened up and cut my own wads. Then I soaked them in Hornady lube. The bullets were lubbed with a lube that is like SPG lube that the BPCR shooters use. This lube was great. It was getting hot but the lube stayed firm and the bullets went down good. I think it will be a shooter. Ron

 

[paulvallandigham]

Ron great gun and good shooting. I think you can reduce those powder charges more, and get even better accuracy, although these groups certainly will do!

You have, essentially, a .45-70 target rifle, except its a ML. You are using .45-70 bullets. Why not try the 70 grain load, but try both your Pyrodex, and 3Fg black powder. You may find that the shots are much closer in velocity using the BP loads. Obviously, these iron sights work very well for you, to get groups that many men shooting scoped rifles would be happy to shoot with that size conical. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[faw3]

"Hard whitworth bullet has some good stuff going for it. I am sure it would fully penetrate a elk as hard as they are." Which one? I've ryed them on the same at (elk) and at over 100 yds the real soft ones with 85grs Go went right thru, the guy I was hunting with used the same 550grs and at 200 plus it went thru. You got a good idea. Ive tryed to use one of my old 1000 yd barrels (45/70) MLing but never got it to work out that good. (as yours) at 1000 I could ring the steel Buff but not with the same barrel as a ML?????? FRED :hatsoff: Good going + Good Luck.

 

[Idaho Ron]

No kidding the soft ones went through. I have the Lyman 475 gr mould. I can't use the 45 on elk but I can for deer and antelope. The lead i am using is reclaimed lead shot. It is harder than pure but not as hard as some of the other lead I have.I need to play with the powder a little more and chronograph them. Ron

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hello Ron,
I had a Whitworth (BSA) that I used for two years on moose, with the Lyman bullet 457421 and 90 grs. 2f it passed through broadside of the moose with instant one shot kills. One at 75 paces, the other at a little over 90 paces.
I don't know how your barrel stacks against the Whitworth, but from the looks of the groups that you have.....I think you should send the barrel to me :redface: :redface:
As wise as I am, I traded my Whitworth to a friend, of which he promptly sold it .
NOT the greatest move in my gun dealing career!
Best Regards
Old Ford

 

[Idaho Ron]

WOW! pass through's on moose. Were you using soft lead? Ron

 

[faw3]

If you use the full load 130 grs and the 451 's they MIGHT pass end to end at 150 / 200 out of the 451 VOL, never sell these heavy slugs short 450 grs on up for sure they just plow on thru. Fred :hatsoff: