BornToHuntAndFish
Senior Member
Had a family member send me his military newsletter pointing out the AR-15 .458 SOCOM rifle review, even though for an AR I'd probably prefer an AR-10 .308 caliber for whitetails. I did some forum searches to try not repeat a thread. Good to see some reasonable loads for hunting big game. From some of my internet searches, seems like this is more reasonable for average hunters out to 150 yards, or some may stretch it on out to 200 yards. For those who have not seen much about it, here's some brief details from the newsletter article web link below:
http://www.military.com/entertainme...ifle-review-458-socom.html?ESRC=airforce-a.nl
Rifle Review:.458 SOCOM
Can this product of a barbeque and a cold brew become the next deep-woods superstar?
This cartridge, however, the .458 SOCOM (.458 Special Operations Command) was reportedly given birth over a barbeque and some cold brew. It was at an informal gathering of special ops personnel, specifically Task Force Ranger, when the subject of stopping power came up. It seems it took multiple hits to permanently take the opposition "out of the game" in Mogadishu, Somalia. The consensus was a one-shot stop would sure be nice. Marty ter Weeme, founder of a company called Teppo Jutsu, L.L.C., went to work. In 2000 a sledgehammer cartridge that would launch 250- to 600-grain .45 caliber bullets from a standard size AR-15 with a proper barrel and chamber was born — enter the .458 SOCOM.
The Why Of It
In the world of bolt actions, levers, single-shots, and even handguns, hunters have an abundance of big-bore .45 caliber options to choose from, ranging from the .458 Winchester down to the .454 Casull. Big, heavy bullets moving at moderate velocities are proven game-stoppers when a fast stop is the vital objective.
The rising popularity of the AR-15 and its rapid move to the dark timber has generated a need for that kind of muscle in the AR. Other cartridges like the .450 Bushmaster or .50 Beowulf were created to fill this void. They are fine cartridges that get the job done, but they both require that the rifle be modified. Parts need to be changed to make them function. Buffer springs, unique magazines, different bolt, etc., are required.
The real cleverness in the design of the .458 SOCOM is that nothing but the upper need be changed — same magazine as the .223, same buffer spring in the buttstock, same everything. Just get a .458 upper available from Rock River Arms, Teppo Justsu, or other custom builders, get loaded ammo from SBR Ammunition, Corbon, or Reeds and go. Now, your .223 AR has morphed from a varmint getter to a full-fledged deer-, bear- and elk-stopper by simply changing the upper — no new FFL transfer required.
In The Field
Much of the research on the capabilities of big-bore AR-15 rounds like the .458 SOCOM concentrate in the area of subsonic (1,050 fps and lower velocities) and suppressed loads. That's the where and why of the super-heavy 450-, 500- and 600-grain bullets. I would imagine folks hiking, fishing or living in big bear country might also opt for the heavy weights. The Coast Guard uses them to put big holes in bad boats, but for hunters, bullets in the 250 to 350-grain range will be the most useful.
A 300-grain, well-constructed bullet moving at about 2,000 fps is 150- to 200-yard bad medicine for just about anything, including bear and moose. It's certainly big enough for elk, and there's not a deer alive that will walk away from a solid hit. The energy of such a combination is 2,400 foot-pounds at the muzzle and, within 100 yards, it doesn't weaken much. That puts it squarely in the territory of the modern .45-70 or .450 Marlin, and it will do anything those rounds will do. The mighty .458 Winchester Magnum only bumps 2,100 fps with the 300-grainers.
Of course, all of these other cases soon outperform the .458 SOCOM as bullet weights get heavier since they have the case capacity to push the 400-, 500- and even 600-grain heavy weights much faster. With those weights, you don't have enough powder capacity in the .458. Velocity drops fast, and they slow way down and go subsonic, precisely as the design required.
At The Bench
My test rifle is a Rock River A4 upper and lower, flat top receiver with a 3-9 scope mounted on medium rings. In my opinion, 200 yards is this rifle's practical hunting range. Good shooters will no doubt stretch that a lot, with high BC bullets, but big game is way different than steel gongs.
This factory load from this unmodified rifle never exceeded 2 inches at 100 yards, with most groups holding at 1 1�2 inches and several sub 1-inch clusters in the mix. That is extraordinary accuracy from an unmodified semi-auto rifle. I am not surprised. Short cases moving heavy projectiles at moderate velocities are usually capable of excellent accuracy, but this is exceptional.
I fired about 50 rounds downrange, all fed from standard 10-round .223 magazines. The .223 magazine only hold three rounds of .458, making it legal for hunting where magazines are limited to five rounds or less. There was never a failure to feed, it never jammed, or gave me a problem of any sort. This AR design likes this load. Other loads for reloaders are available from the Teppo Jutsu Web site, and a lively reloading discussion is always underway at the .458 SOCOM Forum.
Bottom Line
Thoughts of AR-15s automatically lean towards their most familiar load, the versatile.223, and the expansion to .204, 6.8, .30 Remington AR, and the like have given it solid deer and antelope hunting credentials.
No one will argue the effectiveness of those cartridges on deer, but for bear, elk, and moose, the job had to be left to its bigger, heavier brother, the AR-10 — where the mega rounds are found. No more. With the introduction of the .458 SOCOM, the trim AR-15 is more than tough enough for the big guys.
And from the Teppo Jutsu web link:
http://www.teppojutsu.com/458FAQ.htm
Who developed the .458 SOCOM? Was it Tromix?
The .458 SOCOM was developed by Marty ter Weeme, founder of Teppo Jutsu LLC in 2000. The impetus was an informal ("beer and barbeque") discussion with a senior member of the US special operations community regarding the apparent lack of effectiveness of the 5.56 x 45 cartridge in recent conflict. In particular, the reports from members of Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia that multiple shots were required to neutralize members of the opposing force led to the request to develop a new cartridge that would deliver far more energy from short barrels at relatively short distances. After the design was completed, Tony Rumore of Tromix Corp in Broken Arrow, OK was contacted to build the first prototype. Based on the favorable reviews, commercial production was started and the initial rifles were produced by Tromix. Currently, several firms offer rifles or upper assemblies in this caliber, including AR-15s, AK-47s, single shot and bolt action rifles.
Where can I buy an upper?
At the time this FAQ was written, uppers can be purchased from the following sources:
Teppo Jutsu LLC – www.TeppoJutsu.com
Tromix Corp – www.tromix.com
SSK Industries – www.sskindustries.com
Rock River Arms – www.rockriverarms.com – expected 4th quarter 2005
Castle Arms – www.458SOCOM.com
In addition, there are a number of other companies that can supply uppers; however, they use barrels and bolt supplied by Teppo Jutsu LLC under licensing agreements.
.458 SOCOM - A few Single Shots
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.458 socom Full Auto
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.458 SOCOM shoots Sam's Choice Cola 2 Liter Bottles
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300 grain Rem JHP @ 2000fps vs. a 3 gallon water jug.
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Hunting with the .458 SOCOM in the AR-15
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http://www.military.com/entertainme...ifle-review-458-socom.html?ESRC=airforce-a.nl
Rifle Review:.458 SOCOM
Can this product of a barbeque and a cold brew become the next deep-woods superstar?
This cartridge, however, the .458 SOCOM (.458 Special Operations Command) was reportedly given birth over a barbeque and some cold brew. It was at an informal gathering of special ops personnel, specifically Task Force Ranger, when the subject of stopping power came up. It seems it took multiple hits to permanently take the opposition "out of the game" in Mogadishu, Somalia. The consensus was a one-shot stop would sure be nice. Marty ter Weeme, founder of a company called Teppo Jutsu, L.L.C., went to work. In 2000 a sledgehammer cartridge that would launch 250- to 600-grain .45 caliber bullets from a standard size AR-15 with a proper barrel and chamber was born — enter the .458 SOCOM.
The Why Of It
In the world of bolt actions, levers, single-shots, and even handguns, hunters have an abundance of big-bore .45 caliber options to choose from, ranging from the .458 Winchester down to the .454 Casull. Big, heavy bullets moving at moderate velocities are proven game-stoppers when a fast stop is the vital objective.
The rising popularity of the AR-15 and its rapid move to the dark timber has generated a need for that kind of muscle in the AR. Other cartridges like the .450 Bushmaster or .50 Beowulf were created to fill this void. They are fine cartridges that get the job done, but they both require that the rifle be modified. Parts need to be changed to make them function. Buffer springs, unique magazines, different bolt, etc., are required.
The real cleverness in the design of the .458 SOCOM is that nothing but the upper need be changed — same magazine as the .223, same buffer spring in the buttstock, same everything. Just get a .458 upper available from Rock River Arms, Teppo Justsu, or other custom builders, get loaded ammo from SBR Ammunition, Corbon, or Reeds and go. Now, your .223 AR has morphed from a varmint getter to a full-fledged deer-, bear- and elk-stopper by simply changing the upper — no new FFL transfer required.
In The Field
Much of the research on the capabilities of big-bore AR-15 rounds like the .458 SOCOM concentrate in the area of subsonic (1,050 fps and lower velocities) and suppressed loads. That's the where and why of the super-heavy 450-, 500- and 600-grain bullets. I would imagine folks hiking, fishing or living in big bear country might also opt for the heavy weights. The Coast Guard uses them to put big holes in bad boats, but for hunters, bullets in the 250 to 350-grain range will be the most useful.
A 300-grain, well-constructed bullet moving at about 2,000 fps is 150- to 200-yard bad medicine for just about anything, including bear and moose. It's certainly big enough for elk, and there's not a deer alive that will walk away from a solid hit. The energy of such a combination is 2,400 foot-pounds at the muzzle and, within 100 yards, it doesn't weaken much. That puts it squarely in the territory of the modern .45-70 or .450 Marlin, and it will do anything those rounds will do. The mighty .458 Winchester Magnum only bumps 2,100 fps with the 300-grainers.
Of course, all of these other cases soon outperform the .458 SOCOM as bullet weights get heavier since they have the case capacity to push the 400-, 500- and even 600-grain heavy weights much faster. With those weights, you don't have enough powder capacity in the .458. Velocity drops fast, and they slow way down and go subsonic, precisely as the design required.
At The Bench
My test rifle is a Rock River A4 upper and lower, flat top receiver with a 3-9 scope mounted on medium rings. In my opinion, 200 yards is this rifle's practical hunting range. Good shooters will no doubt stretch that a lot, with high BC bullets, but big game is way different than steel gongs.
This factory load from this unmodified rifle never exceeded 2 inches at 100 yards, with most groups holding at 1 1�2 inches and several sub 1-inch clusters in the mix. That is extraordinary accuracy from an unmodified semi-auto rifle. I am not surprised. Short cases moving heavy projectiles at moderate velocities are usually capable of excellent accuracy, but this is exceptional.
I fired about 50 rounds downrange, all fed from standard 10-round .223 magazines. The .223 magazine only hold three rounds of .458, making it legal for hunting where magazines are limited to five rounds or less. There was never a failure to feed, it never jammed, or gave me a problem of any sort. This AR design likes this load. Other loads for reloaders are available from the Teppo Jutsu Web site, and a lively reloading discussion is always underway at the .458 SOCOM Forum.
Bottom Line
Thoughts of AR-15s automatically lean towards their most familiar load, the versatile.223, and the expansion to .204, 6.8, .30 Remington AR, and the like have given it solid deer and antelope hunting credentials.
No one will argue the effectiveness of those cartridges on deer, but for bear, elk, and moose, the job had to be left to its bigger, heavier brother, the AR-10 — where the mega rounds are found. No more. With the introduction of the .458 SOCOM, the trim AR-15 is more than tough enough for the big guys.
And from the Teppo Jutsu web link:
http://www.teppojutsu.com/458FAQ.htm
Who developed the .458 SOCOM? Was it Tromix?
The .458 SOCOM was developed by Marty ter Weeme, founder of Teppo Jutsu LLC in 2000. The impetus was an informal ("beer and barbeque") discussion with a senior member of the US special operations community regarding the apparent lack of effectiveness of the 5.56 x 45 cartridge in recent conflict. In particular, the reports from members of Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia that multiple shots were required to neutralize members of the opposing force led to the request to develop a new cartridge that would deliver far more energy from short barrels at relatively short distances. After the design was completed, Tony Rumore of Tromix Corp in Broken Arrow, OK was contacted to build the first prototype. Based on the favorable reviews, commercial production was started and the initial rifles were produced by Tromix. Currently, several firms offer rifles or upper assemblies in this caliber, including AR-15s, AK-47s, single shot and bolt action rifles.
Where can I buy an upper?
At the time this FAQ was written, uppers can be purchased from the following sources:
Teppo Jutsu LLC – www.TeppoJutsu.com
Tromix Corp – www.tromix.com
SSK Industries – www.sskindustries.com
Rock River Arms – www.rockriverarms.com – expected 4th quarter 2005
Castle Arms – www.458SOCOM.com
In addition, there are a number of other companies that can supply uppers; however, they use barrels and bolt supplied by Teppo Jutsu LLC under licensing agreements.
.458 SOCOM - A few Single Shots
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.458 socom Full Auto
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.458 SOCOM shoots Sam's Choice Cola 2 Liter Bottles
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300 grain Rem JHP @ 2000fps vs. a 3 gallon water jug.
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Hunting with the .458 SOCOM in the AR-15
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