Recently my Accountant informed me he was headed to Africa for buffalo July 1. He also decided he wanted to take me up on a long time offer of using one of my rifles, namely a 458 B&M. Of course I said yes.
He brought out a rifle he had bought, a Weatherby that had been converted to 458 Lott, and 3 boxes of shit Hornady ammo. Rifle topped with a 1.5X5 Swarovski and Tally rings. Rifle was not as bad as I had invisioned, plastic stock, relatively heavy, looks like maybe 22-24 inch barrel. I just put the thing in the rack to do something with later, probably list it on GunBroker. Removed the scope, going to try and mount it on 458 B&M, but now have to have HIGH Leupold QRWs, which I am waiting to be delivered now.
Now, big decision, Which 458 B&M am I going to let him borrow? I did not care too much for my 18 inch Bastogne going off in someone else’s hands. Nor my Snow Alaskan, which would have to be completely done over, another stock, scope, sight in, the works, as it is set up for lighter 250 Socom and Ultimate Snow stock……. Hmmmmmmm
Looking around, I found a 20 inch gun, blued, in Mark Davids section. Pulled it out, had some rust spots on it, been in the rack for well over 10 years, if not longer, has not been touched. Come to learn, this was the #2 458 B&M ever built. 20 inch barrel, forward T’SOB mount, and very old original Accurate Innovations stocks from when AI was owned by the group in South Dakota. Laser engraved, and looked like a piece of plywood! Yes, this might just be the perfect gun to loan out. Ran some #13s through it to check magazine feed, and retain, it was perfect. But the stock was too bland, ugly, to send anywhere with anyone…… I decided to ask Wes to remove the laser engraving, and get it hand checkered………Lucky for me, Wes was able to put a rush on it.
I wish, and probably do somewhere, have some old photos of this stick of plywood. When I opened the box this week from Wes, I was quite sure he had made a serious mistake, and sent another stock, this one was fantastic, gorgeous and took me by total surprise…….. It is now worthy of going to the field. I could not believe it….. Still don’t………..
With the forward mount, it makes it difficult to get a set of irons on the gun. In the past, I have mounted this XS Ghost ring forward, and you can’t believe how good it works, how fast it is. Looks a little funny, and definitely not conventional, but its stupid just how good this works….. I sighted it in yesterday, and as poor as my eyes are, the bead covers completely 2.5 inches at 25 yards, I was able to shoot 5 rounds in 1.75 inches at 25 yards…… That will do, I can’t see any better than that, in fact, I can’t see that good…………
The blue finish has suffered a good bit over the years. This gun was built and I started shooting it in May 2007. The last data I have on it being fired was March 2008. I guess its been sitting in the rack since then.
I will be mounting his scope, the Swarovski on it soon as the rings get in. If it holds up, and don’t bust, then it should be good to go………….. His load out will be 420 Raptors and 450 #13 Solids….
He brought out a rifle he had bought, a Weatherby that had been converted to 458 Lott, and 3 boxes of shit Hornady ammo. Rifle topped with a 1.5X5 Swarovski and Tally rings. Rifle was not as bad as I had invisioned, plastic stock, relatively heavy, looks like maybe 22-24 inch barrel. I just put the thing in the rack to do something with later, probably list it on GunBroker. Removed the scope, going to try and mount it on 458 B&M, but now have to have HIGH Leupold QRWs, which I am waiting to be delivered now.
Now, big decision, Which 458 B&M am I going to let him borrow? I did not care too much for my 18 inch Bastogne going off in someone else’s hands. Nor my Snow Alaskan, which would have to be completely done over, another stock, scope, sight in, the works, as it is set up for lighter 250 Socom and Ultimate Snow stock……. Hmmmmmmm
Looking around, I found a 20 inch gun, blued, in Mark Davids section. Pulled it out, had some rust spots on it, been in the rack for well over 10 years, if not longer, has not been touched. Come to learn, this was the #2 458 B&M ever built. 20 inch barrel, forward T’SOB mount, and very old original Accurate Innovations stocks from when AI was owned by the group in South Dakota. Laser engraved, and looked like a piece of plywood! Yes, this might just be the perfect gun to loan out. Ran some #13s through it to check magazine feed, and retain, it was perfect. But the stock was too bland, ugly, to send anywhere with anyone…… I decided to ask Wes to remove the laser engraving, and get it hand checkered………Lucky for me, Wes was able to put a rush on it.
I wish, and probably do somewhere, have some old photos of this stick of plywood. When I opened the box this week from Wes, I was quite sure he had made a serious mistake, and sent another stock, this one was fantastic, gorgeous and took me by total surprise…….. It is now worthy of going to the field. I could not believe it….. Still don’t………..
With the forward mount, it makes it difficult to get a set of irons on the gun. In the past, I have mounted this XS Ghost ring forward, and you can’t believe how good it works, how fast it is. Looks a little funny, and definitely not conventional, but its stupid just how good this works….. I sighted it in yesterday, and as poor as my eyes are, the bead covers completely 2.5 inches at 25 yards, I was able to shoot 5 rounds in 1.75 inches at 25 yards…… That will do, I can’t see any better than that, in fact, I can’t see that good…………
The blue finish has suffered a good bit over the years. This gun was built and I started shooting it in May 2007. The last data I have on it being fired was March 2008. I guess its been sitting in the rack since then.
I will be mounting his scope, the Swarovski on it soon as the rings get in. If it holds up, and don’t bust, then it should be good to go………….. His load out will be 420 Raptors and 450 #13 Solids….
