“john rigby”

If there were ever a classic rifle design—one that would go on to spawn innumerable copies—it is the Mauser 98. While the vast majority of American hunters rely upon the multitude of popular American bolt-action rifles, they owe a huge debt of gratitude to Paul Mauser’s turnbolt design.

The .275 Rigby remains a fantastic choice for the big-game hunter, and has done it all over the course of its 130-year history.

Introduced in 2008, the .416 Ruger is the only commercially produced cartridge in that .416-inch bore diameter designed to fit in a long-action receiver, making it an ideal choice for dangerous game.

Each shooter’s recoil tolerance level is different, and some people appreciate flexibility over specific application, but these five cartridges will cleanly take any dangerous-game animal on earth.

Despite its rarity today, we all owe the .450 Nitro Express a debt of gratitude for the simple fact that it established a ballistic formula upon which so many dangerous game hunters rely.

Introduced in 1956, the .458 Winchester Magnum offered the ballistic formula of the .450 NE in a bolt-action, affordable rifle.

If you’re attracted to .45-caliber cartridges for dangerous-game hunting, the .458 Lott is a serious contender for the top of the heap.

The cartridge’s sheer size, steep shoulder and Rigby name all add up to a century-plus-old classic that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

While both are excellent choices for an all-around dangerous game cartridge, which offers the best performance for hunters? Contributor Philip Massaro takes a closer look at what makes each cartridge tick.