It saw action in Vietnam, yes, THAT Vietnam.  The load was using a 500gr projectile and was a subsonic "brushbuster".

It failed {opinion of the maker} because the rifle it was mated too was a heavy bitch.

Twas the precursor to the 458 SOCOM.  Barnes also made the 458x1 1/2 Barnes in 1961.

 Sometimes being bored and reading the Obsolete Wildcat Cartridges section of a book is educational.

I've heard of it. I have a book filled with specs, loads and pics/stories of obsolete and foreign cartridges.

Quoted: It saw action in Vietnam, yes, THAT Vietnam.  The load was using a 500gr projectile and was a subsonic "brushbuster". It failed {opinion of the maker} because the rifle it was mated too was a heavy bitch. When issued to a Montagniard, heck yes.  Long barrel PLUS suppressor and then a target stock, being humped in the bush by a 5'3", 125# indigenous warrior.  Not a recipe for success. Twas the precursor to the 458 SOCOM.  Barnes also made the 458x1 1/2 Barnes in 1961.Most certainly was.  Even Frank was surprised it was anything other than a odd ball wildcat.  I can SOOOO relate.  I thought the .458 SOCOM was going to be my odd ball "hey guys, check this weird thing out" one-of-a-kind .... As Frank said "Quien Sabe?"  (OK my Spanish sux)  Sometimes being bored and reading the Obsolete Wildcat Cartridges section of a book is educational.

.458 x 1 Barnes is new to me... interesting to say the least.

.458 x 1.5 saw limited use in sillohuette shooting.

.458 American (.458 x 2) was aimed at taming the recoil of .458 Winchester Magnum and allowing for use in a shorter action, while providing slightly superior ballistics to .45-70.

For my money, .458 Winchester Magnum cannot be beaten, especially when loaded with monolithic solid bullets.


Jeremy

I had a .458 x 2" American for time.  I never really convinced myself of the need with its only redeeming virtue being its ability to be used in a bolt gun whereas the .45-70 is a little more problematic in bolt guns.  I never got performance that surpassed the .45-70, only equaling it and then only with lighter bullets.  The smaller case diameter gave it less internal volume than the .45-70 so the .45-70 in a strong action easily surpassed the .458 x 2" especially with heavier bullets.
 Like you, I love the .458 Win Mag and find none of the faults commonly spewed about it.  I can get 2100 fps with 500 gr. bullets and for anything that walks in North America that is plenty enough.  Use a 400 or 450 gr. bullet and you can get 2200-2300 fps without the severe recoil of the .458 Lott pushing a 500 at 2300-2400 fps.  While that extra ommph might be nice in Africa, it is pretty much wasted in North America.
 And then the .458 SOCOM.  How sweet is that round?  Near .45-70 performance with light bullets and not too shabby with heavies and all that in a very accurate autoloader?  Man, what is there NOT to love about that combo?  250 gr. at 2060 fps, 300 gr. at 1780 fps, and 500 at 1330 fps.  That is a lot of power in a rifle the size of the AR.  While it will not equal the .45-70 even in my 15” Contender, it comes close enough and you get a semi to boot, not a single shot.