Looks like trying to get ammo is somewhat a pain but I reload so once I get going I should be OK there (famous last words).  I'm already committed to the Wilson kit for barrel, BCG, gas block...etc and I'll do the enlargement mod on an Aero upper I have on hand.  This gun is to be built as light as possible to hog hunt in the thick stuff.

So, have I bought into a round that will be defunct in a couple more years or is this thing here to stay?

Get onto http://458socomforums.com/index.php.  There is a ton of great info there.  I would recommend a Tromix Barrel and Bolt.  They use a MFG authorized reamer.  RRA, SBR are two others who also use authorized reamers. See this thread irt authorized reamers, http://458socomforums.com/index.php?topic=1944.0.   I have a RRA barrel 16" and a Tromix 10.5" pistol.  SO far they have both eaten everything I have fed them.  The 10.5 Pistol is a blast to shoot.  You nailed the only real drawback to the 458.  Ammo can be hard to come by and a bit expensive.  If you reload get your name on the starline brass waiting list.  Get your brass in then you will be good to go.  

Good:  Many rifle bullet choices readily available from 100grains to 500grains.  Is essentially a 45/70 in an AR platform.  Head spaces off the shoulder rather than the case mouth.  This gives a little more flexibility.  Designed to be used with stock GI 556 Mags.  Pmags may or may not work depending on bullet used.  Tromix has 8"-16" barrels in stock ready to deliver, No waiting times.  Tromix  Is the original MFG of the 458 SOCOM and Tony Rumor is a great guy to work with.  I built my pistol in a little over 3 weeks ordering parts along the way.  It came together much faster than I was anticipating.  Very accurate out to 150yds with 200yds shot possible with work up and practice.  Oh brass lasts for 10-12+ reloadings.  Low pressure rounds don't beat up the brass too bad.  Also runs 500gn subs out to 150yds too.  

Other big bores would serve just as well but I really like the SOCOM.  I have run over 1k through in combination my 2 and they have not had any problems.  Was told it would kick like a mule but it is not all that bad.  Has a recoil along the lines of a stiff 308 bolt gun, maybe a 300WM but not all that horrible.  If I wanted another big bore it would definitely be a 458.

Yes...  ditch the knock off wilson combat barrel.  Unless they shipped it cancel the order.  If they already charged your card and wont return the funds, simply dispute the charge.   Credit card rules do not allow them to charge you and wait to ship.  I wouldnt spend that kind of money on a knock off.  Plus Marty is due his $ for inventing and developing the cartridge.  Call tromix and have your parts in days..,


Ammo is not bad if you reload.  If you dont its spendy for sure.  Honestly this isnt a plinking type caliber so you will find you dont need to be siting on 100s of rounds.  325gr ftx is easy to find around me.  Other bullets not so much.   I will get into some others as they come up on sale.  Also, I plan on casting for this caliber. It seems gas checked is the only way to go so ive been searching a proper moulde with gc.  Thosenwill end up being my plinking load.

I agree with everybody else . ditch the wilson if you can and go with tromix .  like others have said save some money and buy 500 pieces of brass and you will be set for a long time due to the low pressure of this round you can get several reloads out of a case. watch for bulk bullet sales when they can be had the 300 grain remingtons are under 40.00 per hundred . the bad is some people have felt the need to just screw over the originators of this cartridge and use a reveres engineered reamer which may or may not be correct . the ugly is when you screw up a little and shoot to far back and intestines are strung out 10 yds on the other side of the deer.
I own both 458 socom and 50 beowulf either one will knock the shit out of what ever you shoot . the 458 is easier to reload if your not experienced at loading straight walled cartridges .
good luck have fun and welcome to the club.

The good.  The Round is fun to shoot.  It moves a 12" x1/2" gong with authority at 200yds. Will stop a pig, DRT

The Bad...Its fun to shoot, commercial ammo is a tad spendy.  Loading your own brings it down to a bit more than 308 just due to the fact there's atleast 2x the lead in the bullet.

the Ugly.  reverse engineered reamers with some producing problematic chambers.  

the round has been around for over 14 years.  It's popularity keeps increasing.  Its not going anywhere.

Agreeing with everyone else,

Tromix Lead Delivery Systems:  Barrel, Bolt, & Gas block. Their brake works well and is worth a look. They made Marty's cartridge work in the AR platform  They have it in stock.

on the fence about getting one, seemed to be getting really popular and then the economy sort of took the wind out of its sails...

anyone run it with a .45 CAC Bowers can?

The .458 SOCOM has been around since about 2000 and is getting more popular every day.  Starline cannot make brass fast enough and it always sells out quickly.  
TROMIX is for certain the way to go and they have what you want IN STOCK.  Order it today and you will have it by next Friday and it will be the real deal, not a knock-off you over paid for and waited 6 months or more.

Soon as my 458 Lane ti can gets out of NFA jail I will be running it.  Hope a friend who happens to co-own the LGS can take me out and play with it.  He wants to test it on some of his guns.  But not before I throw a few down range from mine

The Good: Very hard hitting, capable of excellent accuracy, uses .458 diameter rifle bullets which are readily available. Excellent hunting cartridge.
Functions extremely well in an AR-15. Uses standard magazines. Has been around for a very long time. Tony Rumore and Tromix.

The Bad: Ammunition and cases are expensive. It is so much fun to shoot you will want to buy lots of ammo.......

The Ugly: What it does to big game.....flattens them.


This is my favorite of the Big Bores......

What is the word on Black Hole Weaponry 16" stainless barrels in 1x14 twist?

Are they considered part of the legit reamer club or knock-offs?

I ask because there is a used upper for sale on another board with this barrel so no option to select others if I go on that.

HTXH

Don't use a barrel extension torque tool.  I sheared my barrel pin with one on my 458.

Tromix Tromix Tromix. You won't be sorry. I love the shit outta my 12in SBR

Ok ...   I've been ogling the 458 for years now and now that I see one with a sig arm brace on it I have to ask...

RECOIL:   What is it like?   I used to hunt deer with shotguns and slugs, those kicked pretty good.    Is it like that?    Does this caliber batter collapsable stocks?   would shouldering the sig brace on a 458 pistol cause it to become one with your collar bone?


Or is it just a stout kick that when compared to a .223 it seems like a monster but really isn't?

For me, it kicks noticeably less than my 1100 slug gun but definitely more than my DPMS .308. Some people liken it to a 20 gauge slug gun.

Getting close to being finished, I should be shooting this beast by next weekend!  Sure would like a can for this rifle, I guess it is time to start looking into that whole process.

To start, BHW barrels use PTG reamers.  Not Teppo Jutso original speced design.  

The 10.5" Pistol pictured above kicks a bit.  If I don't hold it just right my eyes water.  Right after the charging handle hits me in the nose.  Just put a longer tube on it and will see how it does now.  I really don't feel the SOCOM kicks all that hard.  I think it is just a bit heavier than a 308 bolt gun.  If you have a quality collapsible stock it will work.  I have a good magpul on my 16" and have over 1000 rounds through it.  The SIG brace does scoot forward just a little with each shot.  Good thing it only holds 11.  

I have not shot my 16" since I put the pistol together.  Need to get him out so he doesn't get jealous.

OH, I forgot about the 405's.  They are the heavy thumpers.  They are the stoutest I have fired out of the SOCOM.  Right about like a USN REM 870 with slugs.  They are harder hitting than the 525 piledrivers which feel more like a push.  The 300, 325 grain pills are not bad at all.  Never fired the 250's or 350's so can't attest to them.

People like to say it kicks like a three inch 12 ga or whatever.  Bull.  I was shooting my 7 pound .475 TRRMOR (which is almost exactly the same as the .458s except the case is necked up to .475) this week with 500 gr bullets, then switched over to sighting in my Red Label 12 3" with turkey loads, and even with the Rugers substantial heft it kicked a hell of a lot more than the .475T with maxed out 500s.  I think a lot of people are just really sensitive to recoil or they psych themselves out from the .458 caliber.

Black Hole does NOT use original spec reamers.  Just like Wilson Combat, they use the reverse engineered PTG reamer.  Otherwise BHW barrels are most excellent and I own several of them in other calibers.

What is the optimal barrel length and twist for the 458?

Are there any available suppressors for the heavy weight loads or will you have to roll your own on a Form 1?  

Just curious if it is like the 300 BO, where a SBR can be used for the lightweight zippy pills, and the heavyweight subs with a can?

Or is it better to just "get both"?

Thanks!

I don't have a 458 (yet), but it uses the same magnum pistol powder that 300 BLK uses and so should work pretty well with short barrels..  Tony Rumore from Tromix posted some velocity numbers of various barrel lengths over at 458socomforums.  Here's the link.

In a nutshell, the velocity dropoff was pretty linear down to 10.5".  After that, it had a bigger dropoff, but not huge.

Hope that helps,

-bob

I have been thinking about building a .458 for a while, but ammo and even reloading components for it are becoming more rare than diamonds it seems.

Defeats the entire purpose to me. You can buy 3-4 boxes of .450 Bushy for the price of 1 box of SOCOM ammo.

I know they are in different leagues, but still.... its kinda dumb.

If you are shooting 458 Socom, you are not buying ammo... you are buying components.



Hell, was at the toy store for a few hours Saturday - that applies to 300blk as well.  Every thing was more than $1/shot.

You'll be fine rolling your own. As long as you stay away from the copy cat barrels. It's a great round.

Lots of people make suppressors for the SOCOM.  Bowers, Lane, Coastal Guns… and there are several others.  On 458socomforums.com there is a board dedicated to suppessors.  And you do not need any kind of adjustable block either to make it work.  The only reason for an adjustable block on the SOCOM is if you want to turn the gas off completely so the rifle does not function.

A 16 inch barrel is ideal unless you want to NFA it and go shorter in which case you don't lose much.  My personal favorite length is the 13.5 inch SBR I have.  It gives up no significant velocity to the 16s or even the longer 20 inch.  If you go with a 1:14 twist it will stabilize subsonic 500-600 gr. bullets perfectly as well as stabilize 250 gr. supers and up to 525 gr supers perfectly.  I have not personally shot anything larger than a 525 gr. bullet at supersonic speeds but a 1:14 is the do anything twist.  Even the 1:18 will do any bullet at supersonic speeds but MIGHT falter a little with 500-600s that start subsonic, and I won't swear to that.  I have barrels of both twists and I have never had a stabilization problem in any of them regardless of what bullet I have shot but I do not shoot any loads that start out subsonic either.

A big thanks to Bob_L and Big-Bore.

Looks like I have another Form 1 SBR candidate.

I did the same trying to get the original FF barrel nut off.

Geissele repaired it at no cost and using the tool was slick mating the barrel to it new parts.

Original Upper from Marty:



Oooops:



Barrel returned from G and getting ready to mate with new parts:


Place holder for final rig.

Specifically to answer the heavy weight loads and suppressors.  Lane developed their all Ti can and used the 458Win Mag for the upper end pressure testing.  Nothing you are going to be throwing out of the SOCOM will even come close to these pressures.  That is one big reason I bought a Lane.  They also have a Magnum rated can that is rated right up to the 338 Lapua.  This all in a reasonably sized and priced suppressor.   CAN'T WAIT TO SHOOT IT.

FIZZAKS says that large bore/low pressure rigs don't suppress well.

There is a great video on the 458socom forums shooting 500gn subs out of a lane.  Suppresses pretty good there.  Also lane has some vids with 45acp that show great sound suppression.  I will take some readings when I finally get to shoot out of my can.  I don't have any sub loads But will see what supers will show us.  Unless someone knows where I can find some trailboss.

Youtube Vid 458 SOCOM 300gn lead, Lane Scorpion Can.  10.5" SBR  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP3BXHLc5u8&feature=youtu.be
And the Thompson sub gun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw7BpDSMYOw&feature=youtu.be

Too much fun!!!!!

 Holy smokes brass is expensive- how often are the production runs made, and is it always 65-85 cents per?

Lately it seems  like twice a year.Price is what you mentioned.

Greg

If you want brass, there is the hard but fast way and the slow and easy way.  Either pay out the ass and buy it off Gunbroker at $1+ a case or when you see it out of stock but back orders are being allowed, order it and put your order on back order.  When they do another run you get some.  This year I think they have done 4 runs already, early this year, spring, and two this summer IIRC.  It is getting more popular but if you wait to see it 'in stock', you'll never find any because it sells out quickly.  The gougers buy it by the thousands to resell at stupid prices on BG and AA.  If you want it cheap (relative term)  BO it from Midway if allowed or direct from Starline when they allow.  That is the quickest and easiest way to get some and be sure to order plenty. Don't order just 100 rounds because you will kick yourself when you want more and find it 'out of stock' again.
Good news is that the brass last forever.  I don't think I have ever heard of a case wearing out. They may get nicked, crushed during loading, or lost, but I have never shot out a case nor have I heard of anyone doing it.  I personally have 10 loadings on some of my brass and it is still going strong.

Once in a while someone on the 458 forums sells off their stash.  That is how I got most of mine.  Then I picked up 100 here and 100 there until I am where I want to be at.  Just over 1k.  Will last  me and the son for the rest of our lives.  Yes it is expensive but most brass has become less affordable.  Just paid .70 each for 264LBC AR.  Doing it a little at at a time helps with the shock.  Took me just over 3 years.

Appreciate all the replies.  I had a bit of sticker shock on the brass.  But there is going to be plenty of time to wait while the Form 1 clears (or maybe I will just swap it onto one of the other SBR lowers for now.)

All I need is a good mold and I will be in bidness!  

How is the quality of the Tromix .458 upper reciever? The picture on the sight makes it look like its pretty roughly machined.

It's middle of the road in finish.  I've seen better finished uppers and I've seen a whole lot worse.  I do not know who he gets his uppers from but mine has a few machine marks on it.  Personally I couldn't care less.  The inside, where it counts, is fine and the build of the .475 TREMOR was boringly uneventful.  His caliber engraving is not laser etching but actually deep cut engraving and looks better in person than in photos.  If one wants a caliber marked no non-sense upper the TROMIX is great.  If one wants a safe queen, perfect cosmetically beauty pagent show off upper, better look elsewhere.
Remember, his price includes the EP enlargement with FUNCTIONAL dust cover, forward assist, and caliber marked engraving.