The .470 Capstick - HuntNetwork

THE AFRICAN HUNTER'S BI-MONTHLY BULLETIN
CURRENT AFRICAN CARTRIDGES
The .470 Capstick
By Daniel McCarthy
As you look at a surplus military Mauser 98 and ponder what big bore to build, perhaps the .470
Cazpstick should be on the list. It was named in honor of author Peter Hathaway Capstick who
was famous for his stories about hunting dangerous game in Africa. Art Alphin of the A-Square
Company (www.a-squarerifles.com) designed the .470 Capstick to have the biggest diameter
bullet and the greatest powder capacity that can be squeezed out of the .375 H&H parent case. It
pushes a 500-grain .474” diameter bullet at a nominal velocity of 2400 f.p.s, making it a prime
candidate for dangerous game hunting.
The Cartridge
The .470 Capstick is a belted magnum with the same rim and belt size
as a .375 H&H. The case has a length of 2.800 inches, and the overall
cartridge length is 3.65 inches. A cartridge drawing is shown in Figure
1 for dimensions. The .470 Capstick will fit in the same length action
as the .375 H&H and .458 Lott. Figure 2 provides a photo comparison
of the .470 Capstick to the .375 H&H and the .458 Lott cartridges.
Actually the .458 Lott is a good measuring stick for the .470 Capstick.
The Capstick has a bullet that has seven percent more cross sectional
area than the .458 Lott, which in theory would result in more shock
transfer to game and a larger wound channel. As for powder capacity
and velocity, they are similar, with the .470 Capstick having a slight
edge in powder capacity and therefore a slight edge in theoretical velocity.
However, for field use the .470 Capstick and .458 Lott should have
identical performance because the differences between them are rather
small. That being said, the differences in field results between the .458
Win. Mag. and the .470 Nitro Express should be nonexistent because
both push a 500 grain bullet at 2150 f.p.s. But some people have noted
an observable difference in the way it behaves with those two cartridges,
possibly due to the greater cross sectional area of the .474” bullet. If
desired the .470 Capstick can be used to create a ballistic twin to the
.470 Nitro Express, pushing a 500 grain bullet at 2150 f.p.s. while
generating low pressure.
For those who remember the .475 Ackley, it is similar to the .470
Capstick except that the Capstick has a ghost shoulder which allows
the cartridge to achieve excellent accuracy. Use of a ghost shoulder
Figure 1 – 470 Capstick cartridge drawing.
I
rather than a continuous taper
on the case wall helps the
cartridge to line up
concentrically with the bore
axis, contributing to accuracy.
Figure 3 shows two sample
groups shot with the .470
Capstick at 100 yards. The
left group measures 1/4” x 3/
8” center to center, and the
right measures 3/8” x 3/16”. I
have not been able to achieve
similar accuracy with the .458
Lott, and my theory is that
lesser accuracy from the Lott
is due to the continuous taper
and lack of a ghost shoulder in
the Lott case.
Although it is possible to use
600 grain bullets in the .470
Capstick cartridge, the powder
capacity is not sufficient to
push 600 grains at anything
near 2200 f.p.s. without high
pressure, so I do not think this
Figure 2 – Photo of loaded
rounds of 375 H&H, 458 Lott,
470 Capstick cartridges.
is a suitable bullet weight for the Capstick. 500 grain bullets seem to be
the best all-around compromise. With full power loads, recoil is
significant but not difficult to control or become accustomed to. Recoil
from the cast lead bullet load shown below is almost nonexistent. For
plinking or light game hunting, 400 grain pistol bullets are a candidate,
but they generate almost as much recoil as 500 grain bullets. The
advantage of 400 grain bullets is that they are inexpensive and will
open up quickly on light game. But in my rifle they also tend to hit at
least six inches higher than the 500 grain bullets, creating an
inconvenience for the hunter who wishes to use both bullets on the
same hunting excursion.
Some sample loading data for the .470 Capstick is as follows:
The velocities were chronographed at 95 degrees Fahrenheit at 5000
feet elevation from a 26” Pac-Nor barrel. Before loading for the .470
Capstick, the reader is encouraged to consult the A-Square reloading
manual “Any Shot You Want” for complete reloading data.

CURRENT AFRICAN CARTRIDGES
The Rifles.
Currently factory rifles in .470 Capstick are available from A-Square,
from the Winchester Custom Shop and from Fuchs Fine Guns
(www.jagdwaffe.com). However, that short list should not disappoint
the reader because there are many options for building a nice custom
rifle in .470 Capstick. Any action that can handle the .375 H&H is a
suitable candidate.
The easiest conversion is a CZ550 that came from the factory in .375
H&H, .458 Win. Mag or .458 Lott. All that has to be done is to replace
the barrel with another in .470 Capstick. Barrels are available from
Lothar-Walther (www.lothar-walther.de) and Pac-Nor (www.pacnor.com).
A second recoil lug must be added to the underside of the
barrel and inletted into the forearm of the stock. The second recoil lug
will spread recoil that the stock is exposed to across a wider surface
area to avoid splitting the stock. Glass or steel bedding is recommended.
Some minor polishing or adjusting of the ramp and rails may be needed,
and then the rifle is ready to shoot. The advantage of the CZ550
conversion is that they typically hold five rounds in the magazine box
plus one in the chamber, and very little work is typically needed to get
them to feed.
A Winchester Model 70 Classic (claw extractor) can also easily be
converted to .470 Capstick. In addition to the steps above, the magazine
box spring must also be replaced with one that has a traditional Zshape
instead of the curly-Q style that the factory provides. The
Winchester
conversion may only
hold two cartridges in
the magazine box
unless you purchase
an extra deep
magazine box and
bottom metal from
Sunny Hill (through
www.brownells.com),
Williams Firearms
( h t t p : /
www.williamsfirearms.com/
) Jim Wisner (http://
www.wisnersinc.com/)
or Ted Blackburn (801
Figure 3 – Target with two different three
shot groups fired from a 470 Capstick rifle
at 100 yards. The left group of three was
shot using 500-grain Woodleigh soft points
on top of 90.0 grains of Reloader 15
powder. The right group of three was shot
using 500-grain Woodleigh soft points on
top of 85 grains of IMR 4064 powder. This
kind of accuracy can be attributed to fine
gunsmithing and to the ghost shoulder on
the .470 Capstick, which helps to center the
cartridge in the chamber and leads to an
inherently accurate cartridge.
373 3526). Use of an
extra deep magazine
box necessitates
replacement of the
stock with another
stock having greater
depth of wood.
Alternatively, it may
be possible to fit three
rounds in a model 70
conversion with the
factory magazine box
if the follower is
replaced with one
II
having a lower profile, or if the follower is milled to shorten it.
Another option, and the one which I prefer, is to rebuild a surplus
military Mauser 98 action to be a .470 Capstick dangerous game rifle.
This is a very involved project and includes replacing the magazine box
bottom metal, spring and follower and opening up the receiver to match
it. Further, some machining of the new magazine box may be needed
since no one makes a magazine box expressly intended to hold four
rounds of .470 Capstick. Proper feeding is not easy to accomplish and
requires a big bore expert such as Dennis Olson of Plains, Montana to
radically modify the rails and ramp. A picture of a Mauser 98 in .470
Capstick is shown in Figure 4. The stepped configuration of the feed
rails of that rifle is shown in Figure 5. The stepped feed rails plus a
modified feed ramp achieve smooth feeding of flat nosed
solid bullets in this rifle.
Any of these routes can result in a very functional and very
accurate dangerous game rifle. The author’s personal
preference of a Mauser 98 action is not the route for persons
seeking a budget-oriented rifle or for persons who do not
have access to a gunsmith who is a genuine big bore expert.
Frankly speaking, there are not a lot of gunsmiths who know
how to get a big bore to feed properly, making the CZ550
conversion very attractive because there is so little to do.
In the Field
The .470 Capstick is designed for use as a dangerous game
cartridge, but it has proven very useful on light game as well.
The key is to select a bullet suitable for the game. If a bullet
designed for use on Cape buffalo is used on whitetails, it undoubtedly
will not expand. For light game, Hawk bullets which expand quickly or
400 grain pistol bullets may be best. When the .470 Capstick is loaded
with a 500 grain bullet to a muzzle velocity of 2300 f.p.s. and sighted
in three inches high at 100 yards, it is only about a foot low at 300
yards, giving it more effective range than many cartridges which are
popular for deer and elk hunting. I have lobbed .470 Capstick bullets
into game at that range, so it cannot be too difficult.
Another consideration in choosing a bullet for hunting is the velocity
window of the bullet. For example, the 500 grain Woodleigh soft point
Figure 4 – Surplus military Mauser 98 action (1940) built into a
470 Capstick rifle.
Figure 5 – Feed rails of Mauser 98 rebuilt to feed 470 Capstick. Note
the stepped configuration of the feed rails, which when combined with
modifications to the feed ramp, facilitate feeding of flat nosed solid
bullets.
is designed to expand at .470 Nitro Express velocities (2150 f.ps.), and
if pushed to the 2400 f.p.s. potential of the .470 Capstick, the Woodleigh
will tend to expand very quickly and sacrifice penetration. Figure 6

CURRENT AFRICAN CARTRIDGES
shows a 500 grain Woodleigh soft nose fired from a .470 Capstick into
a kudu at less than 20 yards with about 2350 f.p.s muzzle velocity.
The recovered bullet weighed exactly 400 grains and measured 1.02”x
0.72”. The Woodleigh soft nose was designed to expand at the lower
velocities of the .470 Nitro Express, and the fact that it held together at
all in the .470
Capstick is
testimony to
the Woodleigh’s
toughness.
Penetration was
just over three
feet.
The author’s
favorite .474”
bullet, the 500
grain GS
Custom flat
nosed solid,
penetrated
through the
elephant
shoulder and
reached more
than six feet into
the elephant
b e f o r e
stopping.
Figure 6 – Expanded Woodleigh 500-grain soft nose
bullet fired from 470 Capstick into a kudu at less
than 20 yards at about 2350
Muzzle velocity was just over 2300 f.p.s. and the bullet was not
defornmed when recovered (see Figure 7). This is first class
performance, but many of the other bullets discussed below are excellent
choices as well. Among solids, in general the flat nosed designs will
typically transfer more shock to the animal, penetrate more deeply,
and cut a cleaner hole in the animal for more rapid bleed out compared
to round nose bullets.
Bullets, Etc.
There are many bullets available that can be used in the .470 Capstick,
as shown in the table.
Previously, Bridger Bullets offered exceptionally accurate brass flat
nosed solids in .474” diameter, but they are no longer in production.
However, the basic design could be replicated by someone with an
appropriate lathe and half-hard brass bar stock.
It is also noteworthy that the driving band bullet designs, such as GS
Custom, North Fork and Bridger, engrave on the rifling with very little
III
Figure 7 –
Recovered 500 grain
GS Custom flat
nosed solid
recovered from an
elephant after being
fired from a 470
Capstick at just over
2300 f.p.s. The
pressure, allowing them
to be loaded with a
greater powder charge
for greater peak
velocity. The other
benefit of this design is
that it does not tend to
foul the barrel, in
contrast with the Barnes
X-bullet, Trophy
Bonded Bearclaw, and
Swift A-Frame which
foul some barrels very
quickly.
Cases for the .470
Capstick are available
from a variety of
sources. Properly
headstamped brass can
be purchased from Huntingtons (www.huntingtons.com), A-Square,
Quality Cartridge (http://owlnet.com/quality/) and Dieter Horneber (http:/
/www.huelsen-horneber.de/). Or .375 cylindrical brass can be used
Figure 8 – Some of the bullets available for the 470 Capstick, from left
to right: 500 grain Woodleigh soft point, 500 grain Woodleigh solid,
500 grain Trophy Bonded Bearclaw softpoint, 500 grain Trophy
Bonded Sledgehammer solid, 500 grain GS Custom flat nosed solid
(the author’s favorite), 500 grain North Fork flat nosed solid (prototype),
550 grain Bridger flat nosed solid, 500 grain Barnes solid, 600 grain
Barnes soft nose, 500 grain Hawk soft point, 500 grain cast lead, 400
(available from Huntingtons). Alternativey the reloader can fireform
his own brass from .375 H&H, .416 Remington or .458 Lott brass.
Dies for the .470 Capstick may be purchased from Redding
(www.reddingreloading.com), RCBS (www.rcbs.com) or CH4D
(www.ch4d.com). And for the shooter desiring factory ammunition, A-
Square, Superior Ammo (www.superiorammo.com), Safari Arms
(www.safariarms.com) and Quality Cartridge support the .470 Capstick
with dangerous game ammo.
Conclusion
For those who like the road less traveled, the .470 Capstick may be a
nice alternative to some of the more mundane factory big bore offerings.
It can be used to duplicate either the .470 Nitro Express or the .458
Lott, but offers greater frontal cross sectional area than the .458 Lott.
Accuracy with the cartridge is excellent, and an inexpensive six shot
repeater can be made from the CZ550 in a simple rebarreling project.
Alternatively, a Model 70 or a Mauser 98 can be the basis of a .470
Capstick rifle. The trajectory of this cartridge is better than you may
expect, and the field performance is excellent. It may be worth a
look.
“WARNING - Hand loading is potentially dangerous - The loading
data and methods contained in this article are offered as a
reference only, and relates to an individual’s weapon and
experience. While it may be safe in that weapon, it may not be in
others. Neither the author, nor Publishers are responsible for
the use or abuse of this data, or the consequences thereof.”