SOCOM or Bushmaster ?

[PBlover429]

Looking at a 45 caliber AR upper. Pro and cons of 458 SOCOM vs 450 Bushmaster ?

[jmort]

They are both good.
I went with SOCOM as it can use standard mags in a pinch.
The Bushmaster has more juice
The SOCOM has a bigger diameter and you can go up to around 600 grain bullets.
There is more load data for the Bushmaster and it has a SAAMI spec
I am happy with the SOCOM, but I would probably be happy with the Bushmaster.

[M-Tecs]

https://www.gunmann.com/458-socom-vs-450-bushmaster/

[cwlongshot]

I went bushmaster. But both are goood with much overlapping amenities.

For me with J bullets I had more of the smaller 45. Plus I did not always “need” all its horse power and wanted to be able to shoot the lighter weights. Cant easily do that with the 458. (I traded off a 454 rifle to get the 450.)

If I wanted the heavies the 458 would be a hands down choice.

Good news you probably cant make a bad choice!

CW

[Earlwb]

I went with the Bushmaster as more stores are selling ammunition for it. You have to buy the SOCOM ammo off the internet and or reload for it. the Bushmaster round is also quite popular in those states that allow only a straight sided cartridge of a certain max length for hunting too. There are now single shot and bolt action rifles chambered for the Bushmaster too. I think that the 450 Bushmaster was released into the public domain but the 458 SOCOM is proprietary. The Bushmaster is sort of a light 45-70 whereas the 458 SOCOM is more like the 45-70. But then its really splitting hairs between them. So whichever one you go with would be good.

[jmort]

https://www.gunmann.com/458-socom-vs-450-bushmaster/

Good article. Does not discuss the magazine modification necessary for the .450
The .458 can run in unmodified magazines. I like big slow bullets. A 600 grain bullet has barely slowed down at 100 yards. Best choice, the Lancer WarFighter magazines. I never see the SOCOM being more popular than the Bushmaster, but I doubt it will ever go away. Same with the Blackout, supersonic to subsonic. More my style.

[KCcactus]

"One of the biggest arguments for the .458 SOCOM is the ability to handle up to 600-grain. The .450 Bushmaster can’t handle even half of that."

I bet Federal will be surprised to hear that. They have 300gr in power-shok and fusion for the 450.

I went with the 450BM because I was interested in <300 gr and my 45 molds are .452.

[cwlongshot]

I agree. I shoot mostly 300g in my bushmaster. It shoots it well in J & Cast.

Why the limit?? The rifle stabulizes it very well.

We are not peaking subsonic. At least I am not.

CW

[BD]

Bushmaster, brass, brass life, bullets and boolits, recoil and point blank range.

[dogmower]

when faced with such a decision (like 6.5 Grendel vs 6.5 creedmoor) I typically cover all bases and go with both.

[Earlwb]

If I remember right some people did use 400 grain and maybe heavier bullets with the 450 Bushmaster. But the case may taper back and get more thick as you seat the bullet more deeply. So that would need to be addressed. You do lose propellant capacity so the performance would be less but better than say a 44 Magnum though. Lyman's reloading book shows using up to 325 grain cast bullets with it.
This fellow in this thread used up to 415 grain bullets. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...450-Bushmaster
Oh yeah, going subsonic with 500 grain bullets here too http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16120

[TexTenn59]

458, 500gr cast with suppressor. ��

[Petander]

I went with 458 Socom,found my Tromix very reliable and accurate with some bullets. Cast accuracy didn't happen to me though.

But I sold it last week. Being a longtime 45-70 shooter,458 Socom always felt sort of undergunned,shooting the same bullets much slower than with my Marlin. I was pushing 458 Socom safety with my loads as well...

But they both are good if you like. Many 458 bullets do not expand at Socom velocities, 350 Hornady was shooting cloverleafs @ 75 meters but the bullet design is for 458 Win velocities so...

[cwlongshot]

Thats another reason I choose the Bushmaster Partender.

NEVER a worry about the bullets as the vast majority ifbthem are designed for LESS velocity than I can attain. In my case over thirty years experience with smaller 45’s killing Deer. I KNOW i dont need all the power avalible.

As for accuracy, that was exceptional accuracy. But both of these cartridges can shoot better than many folks shooting them.

CW

[PhotoDominant]

bushmaster. Scares the **** out of people who see deer hit with it.

Only negative I find is no good source for FMJ round nose in the 260-300 grain weight

[jughead76]

I went with the bushmaster for simple reason that .452 bullets are plentiful, easy to find and priced reasonably. There are also plenty of different bullet weights to choose from, even if they weren’t designed for it they can still be loaded on the light side for plinking ammo.

[dh2]

I built a .458 SOCOM and like it , lot of bullets are available for it because of the 45/70, brass is easy to get from starline, I am getting best results from the Hornady flex tip bullet,

as for the 450 bushmaster thinking about building one because I have molds for the 454 Cassull and 460 S&W Mag, I think some of these would preform well in it , what would not be to love about a 260 Gr, HP moving at that speed

[jmort]

More time with the 458 SOCOM
Has proven its worth
If you want a true plug-and-play round
458 SOCOM is the only option
Getting a 500 grain mold from Accurate to go with a 350 grain mold
Versatile, just like the BO
Super to subsonic
With zero modifications
.223, .300 BO, and 458 SOCOM cover it all
The only real gap is a sniper round for past 500 yards
Thinking about a 50 BMG which has nothing to do with this thread

[Smoke4320]

If you have thoughts you want to shoot suppressed go Socom.
If you like the idea of shooting 425-600 grain bullets ( the pointed 500 gr less shoots real well) go Socom
If just pig/deer target either will go fine
I love my socom with 300 - 325 gr for deer and 500 suppressed is a blast with little noise

[Texas by God]

bushmaster. Scares the **** out of people who see deer hit with it.

Only negative I find is no good source for FMJ round nose in the 260-300 grain weight

Just curious- what use would a fmj round nose serve that a cast bullet wouldn't do better?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk