Opinions About 458 Socom

[denton]

Always had a 45-70 on my "get" list. Lately, I've been wondering if the 458 Socom might be a better bet. Everyday use would be plinking with cast bullets, but with the capacity to use jacketed full power loads when needed.

Anybody have experience with this?

 

[easy]

Contact Flintknapper here on THR. Or read his hog hunting thread. He uses a .458 for his 'work'.

 

[adcoch1]

I love my 458 socom, it fills the 45 thumper role for me. But if a sharps showed up for the right price....

 

[troy fairweather]

i am hopping to get a 458 soon, the bca 18'' looks good for the money. i think the 458 is a better choice over the 450b.

 

[LoonWulf]

in the AR platform, the big bored are basically all ballistically the same, unless they are built with the larger extension and bolt (458 hamr...which is basically a socom built with an ar-10 bolt and extension). None of the standards can equal a full power, modern, .45-70 load.

That said, I loved my .458 and it's new owner seems pleased as well. I'll probably build another very shortly, as it is my favorite AR round to date.
Even tho it gives up a few hundred fps to a hot .45-70 from a Marlin etc, it still delivers plenty of oomph to punch a 405gr softpoint clean thru 1.5-2' of feral bull.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Do you already own an AR-15? If you already own an AR-15 and are looking to just pop a .458 upper on an existing lower, the cartridge might make sense.

If you don't already own the AR-15, and are simply looking for a big bore semi-auto, the AR-10 platform might have better options. Check out the .45 Raptor and the .500 Auto Max.

https://www.45raptor.com

https://www.bighornarmory.com/product/ar500-500-auto-max/

 

[Gordon]

Do you already own an AR-15? If you already own an AR-15 and are looking to just pop a .458 upper on an existing lower, the cartridge might make sense.

If you don't already own the AR-15, and are simply looking for a big bore semi-auto, the AR-10 platform might have better options. Check out the .45 Raptor and the .500 Auto Max.

https://www.45raptor.com

https://www.bighornarmory.com/product/ar500-500-auto-max/

With Caveats : Large ejection port upper with;Bolt head needs to be one that will work, feed ramp needs to be correct (ed) and the magazines need a little tweaking usually. The .458 Socom is real good because i use 45-70 cast bullets (that feed) , and it makes an excellent pack along carbine in bear country . A fun upper !

 

[Demi-human]

I can imagine disappointment in a Socom AR, when one truly wants a Sharps.

My favorite AR lately had been my Bushmaster.

I like the big bores! But beautiful, some say that are not.
I disagree.

I suppose it depends on the shooting. I would cry to scratch a Sharps (or a look a like for that matter) while hunting pigs.
While I could take greater pride in one on the range.

 

[alfsauve]

Love mine and am taking it out on hogs next week. Recovered bullets from red clay bank at the 100yd range are truly awesome looking flowers. (hornady 325gr XTPs)

As someone else said, you need the barrel, the bolt and make sure your upper's ejection port is large enough for the brass. I got a dual charge upper for this project and really like it. Got the barrel and bolt from Tromix since they're one of the original people on this.

 

[alfsauve]

Oh, and I bought my first three boxes commercially and then used that brass to reload.

 

[Jessesky]

My philosophy- big bores typically are used when more penetration is desired. Usually larger or thicker skinned game. They also don’t damage the meat as much since they are moving slower(sometimes)

Faster Small bores are used for thin skinned game and cause a drastic but shorter wound channel. They also defeat armor with speed.

I don’t like ARs for hunting. So, if for self defense (aka people which are thin skinned game) I would go with a faster small bore. If given the choice I would bet the fast 6-7mm bores to be more devastating in self defense than the 458 on thin skinned game.

I love big bores, but I reserve them for hunting something that needs penetration, or just because I like them even if not the best tool for the specific job.

That’s not to say they’re inadequate (they’re awesome) but sometimes with ballistics we’re talking about splitting hairs. And this forum is where you go to split hairs

 

[Demi-human]

.277 Wolverine.
New barrel, same bolt, same magazines and you get to say "Wolverine"!


But, neither will be a "Thumper"...

 

[jcord]

I had a 458 socom and thought it was great. Except feeding it... I finally decided to thin the herd and parted with it. I doesn’t do anything that my AR10 can’t do better and the ammo is cheaper. Weight wise they were pretty close.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I built a .277 Wolverine and was very happy. I was going to build an AR 10 in 308 but ended up building a 458 SOCOM. My friend at Aklys Defense made me a custom muzzle break and my 458 is a dream to shoot. My friend told me that the muzzle break that he made me will soon be a standard item for sale on their website.

https://www.aklysdefense.com/index.php/component/mijoshop/category/33-parts-acc

 

[rbernie]

My local gunsmith went 450 Bushy instead of 458 SOCOM for his builds, using the logic that 458 was not a SAAMI standard chambering but the 450 Bushy was. I also dunno how much y'all wanna debate the whole '.458 bullets versus .452 bullets' thing here, but I will say that I fall on the .452 bullet side of the discussion.

 

[FL-NC]

I see absolutely no point for these things, except maybe for tracking dangerous game. Hogs can be killed graveyard dead with whatever rifle one normally uses for deer- I kill them with 223.

 

[Varminterror]

There are a number of firearm & cartridge combinations which fill the same niche - 44mag, 454casull, and 45-70 leverguns, 454casull and 460S&W revolvers and specialty pistols, 458 socom, 450 Bushmaster, and 50 Beowulf AR-15’s... They’re a lot of fun to shoot a little, and they anchor game quickly with minimal meat damage at shorter ranges, which is advantageous in thick brush.

I have or have had most cartridges available in the AR-15 platform, including 458, 450, and the 50. Out of the 3, I go back to the 458 socom (unless I were hunting in a straightwall only state).

It is true, however, the 6-7mm cartridges get far more utility from the AR-15 platform. The 6.8 spc, 6.5 Grendel, 243LBC, 7 Valkyrie, and their ilk really do maximize the in-field potential of the AR-15. When hunting, I grab a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8spc to do work, and only grab a 458socom for the novelty.

 

[someguy2800]

Make sure you can stomach the brass and ammo cost and have a means of easily recovering brass. The lever action get the nod in that sense because its much easier to control where your $1 a piece brass goes.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I see absolutely no point for these things, except maybe for tracking dangerous game. Hogs can be killed graveyard dead with whatever rifle one normally uses for deer- I kill them with 223.

But they're so much fun to shoot.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I've been toying with the idea between 450bm and 458 socom for about 6 mos or so, looks like factory rnds for the 458 is 1.25 + and the 450 is about .75, reloading cost is about the same, either one will do its job at 100yrds

 

[LoonWulf]

I see absolutely no point for these things, except maybe for tracking dangerous game. Hogs can be killed graveyard dead with whatever rifle one normally uses for deer- I kill them with 223.

But they're so much fun to shoot.

And I wouldn't shoot anything over a few hundred pounds with any of the smaller chamberings.
Which is a personal preference, and uses. Where we hunt and the style we use when hunting as a group, you don't get to choose your shots, and make do with what your given. I never carry my AR unless I'm hunting alone anymore.

I've taken 600+lb animals with single body shots from a .458, which lends confidence. if I still had one I'd use an AR more regularly.


but at the end of the day, fun is really the name of the game. If it's not fun why do it?

Make sure you can stomach the brass and ammo cost and have a means of easily recovering brass. The lever action get the nod in that sense because its much easier to control where your $1 a piece brass goes.

Brass recovery on a range of any openground isn't much of a problem with how big those shells are. if it is you can always put a net on the gun.
Of course brass thieves will try and steal them given a chance.

I've only ever lost them hunting, and that's never been more than a couple. Ive lost that many .375 shells which are even more expensive, and from a bolt action.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Before I built my 458, I checked out the price of ammo and how much it cost to reload. Then I told myself, "It's only money"
I've been buying factory seconds .458 bullets from Shooter's Pro Shop. You have to watch them close to catch them is stock.
http://www.shootersproshop.com/nosl...00-grain-ballistic-tip-bullets-blem-50ct.html
http://www.shootersproshop.com/nosl...e/Factory 2nd (Blem)/grain2/300/isAjax/1.html

 

[LoonWulf]

Before I built my 458, I checked out the price of ammo and how much it cost to reload. Then I told myself, "It's only money"
I've been buying factory seconds .458 bullets from Shooter's Pro Shop. You have to watch them close to catch them is stock.
http://www.shootersproshop.com/nosl...00-grain-ballistic-tip-bullets-blem-50ct.html
http://www.shootersproshop.com/nosler-products/shopby/f/caliber/45-70/factory_type/Factory 2nd (Blem)/grain2/300/isAjax/1.html

I bought a pile of the 300gr muzzleloader balistic tips from them. Still my favorite socom bullet.

 

[someguy2800]

Brass recovery on a range of any openground isn't much of a problem with how big those shells are. if it is you can always put a net on the gun.
Of course brass thieves will try and steal them given a chance.

I've only ever lost them hunting, and that's never been more than a couple. Ive lost that many .375 shells which are even more expensive, and from a bolt action.

Its a big consideration for me because I have my own shooting range in a grassy field. Unless the grass is mowed super short they disappear. Unless you use a net of course but I hate mine.

 

[LoonWulf]

Its a big consideration for me because I have my own shooting range in a grassy field. Unless the grass is mowed super short they disappear. Unless you use a net of course but I hate mine.

lay out a tarp maybe? dunno if it would work on the grass.
When shooting my 9s I'll usually lay out a 10x10 tarp or set up a screen to stop the brass from running away. I hate policing 9mms