Got my .458 deer rifle done! - AR15.Com Archive

Got my .458 deer rifle done!

bartonmd [Team Member]

5/4/2012 1:21:13 PM

Got my deer rifle finished up, last week, and slung some copper down range... I haven't had this much of a "big block grin" about anything since I picked up my CBR1100XX over 80k miles ago! This thing is a hoot to shoot!

It's a:

Rock River .458 SOCOM CAR upper
Palmetto State Armory lower
Spikes standard LPK with Bill Springfield trigger
Hogue grip
Magpul MOE stock with extended rubber buttpad
Daniel Defense Burnsed Loop receiver end plate sling mount
LaRue Tactical LT-104 VFZ mount
Leupold VX-1 3-9x40 matte with LR reticle (and Butler Creek caps)

Mags are standard mil-spec 30rd (hold 10rds of .458) with Magpul followers, and I just beveled the front of the mag.

I didn't take any pictures (I know, I know), but I was very nearly clover-leafing 5-shot groups at 100yds from a bench.

dogsplat [Team Member]

5/4/2012 2:23:01 PM

Nice piece.

We're too irresponsible here to be permitted to used semi-auto rifles for hunting.

bartonmd [Team Member]

5/4/2012 2:33:31 PM

Originally Posted By dogsplat:
Nice piece.

We're too irresponsible here to be permitted to used semi-auto rifles for hunting.

Thanks!

On the other side of that, we aren't allowed to use real rifle calibers to deer hunt. Only "rifle and heavy pistol caliber pistols" and "pistol caliber rifles". We also have to use slugs in shotguns, not buckshot (though I don't completely disagree with this one, as round pellets ricoche easier than bullets do).

Handguns, other than muzzleloading, must have a barrel at least 4 inches long and must fire a bullet of .243-inch diameter or larger. The handgun cartridge case, without the bullet, must be at least 1.16 inches long.
��
Full metal-jacketed bullets are not permitted.
�� Handguns are not permitted on any military areas.
Some types of handgun cartridges legal for deer hunting include:
.357 Magnum
.41 Magnum
.44 Magnum
.44 Special
.45 Colt
.45 Long Colt
.45 Winchester Magnum
.35 Remington
.357 Herrett.

Some illegal handgun cartridges for deer hunting are 38 Special, 38 Smith and Wesson, 38 Colt New Police, 38/200, 38 Long Colt, 38 Super, 38 ACP, 38 Colt Auto, 45 ACP, 45 Automatic and 45 Auto Rim. All 25/20, 32/20 and 30 carbine ammunition is prohibited also.

Rifles with pistol cartridges
Rifles must fire a cartridge with a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger; have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches; and have a maximum case length of 1.625 inches.
�� These rifle cartridges can be used only during the deer firearms season.
Some cartridges that are legal include the following:
.357 Magnum
.38-40 Winchester
.41 Magnum
.41 Special
.44 Magnum
.44 Special
.44-40 Winchester
.45 Colt
.454 Casull
.458 SOCOM
.480 Ruger
.475 Linebaugh
.50 Action Express
.500 S&W

Some illegal rifle cartridges for deer hunting are the .30-30 Winchester, .444 Marlin and .45-70 Govt.

smlockeiii [Team Member]

5/4/2012 3:08:09 PM

Originally Posted By bartonmd:

Originally Posted By dogsplat:
Nice piece.

We're too irresponsible here to be permitted to used semi-auto rifles for hunting.

I do not think the 458 SOCOM is considered a pistol cartridge. It is suppose to replicate the ballistics of a 45-70... in a cartridge designed to be used in the AR platform. I have never seen it offered in a handgun.

bartonmd [Team Member]

5/4/2012 3:21:29 PM

Originally Posted By smlockeiii:

Originally Posted By bartonmd:

Originally Posted By dogsplat:
Nice piece.

We're too irresponsible here to be permitted to used semi-auto rifles for hunting.

If you look, it's called "pistol caliber rifle" in general terms, but it's really a dimensional thing, rather than a performance thing. There are several bottle-necked .358 calibers (.358 WSSM, etc) that offer near real rifle performance and effective ranges, but are legal because it's dimensional rules, not "somebody makes a pistol in this" rules. The DNR know this and are OK with it. What I copied is actually from the Indiana regulations page, and if you look, .458 SOCOM is actually called out as one of the legal calibers. http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/fw-Deer_Hunting_Equipment.pdf

For instance: http://www.bfgcartridges.com/358BFG1625.html

Mike

mechanicuss [Member]

5/4/2012 5:04:57 PM

Originally Posted By bartonmd:
Got my deer rifle finished up, last week, and slung some copper down range... I haven't had this much of a "big block grin" about anything since I picked up my CBR1100XX over 80k miles ago! This thing is a hoot to shoot!

It's a:

Rock River .458 SOCOM CAR upper
Palmetto State Armory lower
Spikes standard LPK with Bill Springfield trigger
Hogue grip
Magpul MOE stock with extended rubber buttpad
Daniel Defense Burnsed Loop receiver end plate sling mount
LaRue Tactical LT-104 VFZ mount
Leupold VX-1 3-9x40 matte with LR reticle (and Butler Creek caps)

Mags are standard mil-spec 30rd (hold 10rds of .458) with Magpul followers, and I just beveled the front of the mag.

I didn't take any pictures (I know, I know), but I was very nearly clover-leafing 5-shot groups at 100yds from a bench.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jq3I3P9qCcE/T5f6rcK7zzI/AAAAAAAAA3w/zPkKe49O7q8/s700/IMAG1094-1.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YhFJxwmvjYg/T5cKJTSXv7I/AAAAAAAAA3M/a7xxO0OjM18/s600/IMAG1095-1.jpg

thats killer. i like the simplicity. did you go with the enidine buffer?

critt77matt [Member]

5/4/2012 5:33:51 PM

nice! I have been thinking of a 458 socom or 450 bm. I use a 444marlin as my brush rifle now and it is a bang flopper as we call them down here.

bartonmd [Team Member]

5/4/2012 6:13:24 PM

Originally Posted By mechanicuss:

thats killer. i like the simplicity. did you go with the enidine buffer?

Standard CAR buffer with the "red" spring that came with the upper... Works great!

Mike

Kacee [Member]

5/4/2012 6:27:22 PM

Interesting...

I put the RRA spring in mine and it started chewing up brass...

Everyone seems to be a little different.

Mine is about 4 yrs. old. Had to wait 8 1/2 months for it back then.

Jack...

bartonmd [Team Member]

5/4/2012 6:32:45 PM

Originally Posted By Kacee:
Interesting...

I put the RRA spring in mine and it started chewing up brass...

Everyone seems to be a little different.

Mine is about 4 yrs. old. Had to wait 8 1/2 months for it back then.

Jack...

I suspect they're a little more consistant by now... These are also my reloads, per Barnes' data sheet that they emailed me a couple weeks ago:

37gr of RL-7, Winchester large pistol primer (mag or standard), under one of the Barnes 300gr TTSX / Tac-TX bullets. With 36 or 36.5gr, it cycled fine, but didn't lock back on the last round. 37gr, it all functioned just fine.

nhsport [Team Member]

5/4/2012 6:37:16 PM

Originally Posted By bartonmd:

Originally Posted By dogsplat:
Nice piece.

We're too irresponsible here to be permitted to used semi-auto rifles for hunting.

I never try to apply logic to hunting regs but the above choices certainally don't have much to do woth balistics. Correct me but doesn't 45/70 with
a standard trapdoor load have similar trajectory and power to the 458 socom?

bartonmd [Team Member]

5/4/2012 6:43:49 PM

Originally Posted By nhsport:

Originally Posted By bartonmd:

Originally Posted By dogsplat:
Nice piece.

We're too irresponsible here to be permitted to used semi-auto rifles for hunting.

This is correct. What it does do, however, is normally keep your average yocal from going to Walmart and buying a $299 30-06, and skipping a shot into a school 3 miles away... At least I think that's the plan?

Also, the plan may have something to do with eventually saying "people are using rifles with similar ballistics, now, and we haven't had any problems, so why not let people use real rifles?"

They actually just went from 1.625" up to 1.8" for this next year, so it's getting better...

Mike