.450 Bushmater vs. .458 SOCOM wirh cast

[wv109323]

I am looking at a .450 Bushmaster or a .458 SOCOM in an AR platform. THE .458 comes with a 1:14 twist rate and the .450 Bushmaster comes with a 1:24 twist. I plan on using cast boolits only in the one I choose.
I understand the .450 B uses .452" boolits weighing 200 ti 250 grains. The .458 S uses .458 boolits of 350 to 500 grains.
I already have .452 mols of 160 g. swc,185 swc, 200 swc and 230 RN. For the .458 I have .350 g. Swc and 450 g.. I am not limited to these molds.
Which would you buy? I doubt I would ever hunt with it but whitetail is the largest animal it would be used on. There is no straight wall case restrictions in my state.

[cwlongshot]

As a fun gun its really a toss up in my eyes.

If you wanna play with sub sonic Socom is better choice.

I have the Bushmaster, my buddy has the Socomb. I get a lil better velocity than he can with same weight. I have shot up to 350g and have dummies made for 425 & 450 but have not fired them. Unsure if they will stabilize. (Thats no worry in the socomb s faster twist.

I choose the Bushy cause I had more cast molds for it a d have used the 45 Colt and 444 for Many years.

Both are pretty costly but I think the Bushmaster is a lil cheaper.

CW

[dkf]

Up to you. I went with the .458socom because it is a bottle neck cartridge (prefer them in rifles), lots of 45-70 and some .458socom specific bullets available, plenty of molds available to cast, and the .458socom is less magazine sensitive. I have a 1:18 twist barrel in mine.

Factory .450bushmaster ammo is cheaper by a good margin but .458soc has more choices available. The .458socom brass is more expensive, but 20 firings are easy to get. If you want to shoot subsonic the .458soc has and edge there and it will take bullets up to around 600gr. For subsonic in the .458 you will want a 1:10 or 1:14 twist barrel. I would not expect SWC bullets to be the best at feeding regardless of which cartridge you choose. Slowest twist .458 soc barrel that I know of (that is not a custom) is 1:22. The .450 has max pressure slightly higher than the .458 that is why you can edge out the .458soc in velocity with lighter bullets. Though the .458 max pressure can safely be bumped up a very little, you just have to use your head. Though for cast that is not really a concern unless you want top velocity over accuracy. The .458soc can be crimped into a crimp groove if you want to (I don't on mine) you are going to want to use a stab crimp on the .450 if you want to crimp it so you have a mouth to headspace off of. I always run gas checks, for heavy subsonic though you can ditch the gas check.

[pmer]

If you go with the .458 SOCOM the Tromix is cast friendly. I think a couple manufacturers use the Tromix reamer but others don't.

[nun2kute]

I started out with the SOCOM, what a fun toy. I got a mold from accurate that drops about 472g. Put that down when I started playing with a 45 Colt, so I haven't made it to the 450 yet, but I will ... I will. I'll have both so I can compare side by side myself.

[jmorris]

I have both and prefer the Socom, works better with regular .223 mags, better choices for subs, beats store bought 45-70.

The 450 BM is more common, I 3D printed a follower that sids on top of a regular .223 mag follower that has it working without irreversible modifications to .223 mags. It too has plenty of oomph for hogs and deer but neither are long range rounds. I liked the idea of using some .451/.452 bullets I already had for my 45 ACP stuff but that’s really only useful for plinking stuff, a 45 ACP AR would be a better idea, if that’s the plan.

[Moonie]

I was looking at the 450BM, the 458 socom and the 50 Beowulf. Ended up with the Beowulf, I've only shot it a few times but I'm liking it, besides I already cast for my 500 S&W so I have a mold that works for it.

[zymguy]

If you go with the .458 SOCOM the Tromix is cast friendly. I think a couple manufacturers use the Tromix reamer but others don't.

Can you point out a few who do ?


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[Lloyd Smale]

id pick a level Power/speed/bullet weight/bullet design you want to obtain because basically what one can do so will the other and you can add the 50 beo in there too and ask guys which one runs cast bullets of a good hunting design in that weight/power level the best. Only advantage might be because the 450 is more popular finding brass for it might be easier. I have no experience with either but do have a 50beo. I worked with (fought with) cast bullets for a whole summer and found nothing I tried ran as reliably or shot near as accuractely as the Reineer plated bullets that are cheap enough that for the few hundred rounds I shoot out of that gun a year make it not worth the hastle of casting. Killed a few deer with that reineer hp too and its devestation plain and simple. Casting for ars to me means the 300 bo. Accurcy is pretty easy to obtain and I shoot the snot out of those and couldn't afford to do it using jacketed bullets. But even then when switched to hunting dutys the cast loads get put away.

[blackpowder man]

I had a 450 Bushmaster made by Bushmaster and I have a 458 Socom by Wilson Combat now. It has a 1-14” twist. Both shoot cast very well. I prefer the Socom as it it friendlier for a wide variety of bullet weights. Or maybe a wide variety of bullet weights are readily available, whether they are molds or jacketed. Midway carries a Speer 458 in 300, 350, and 400 grain that run $16-$20 per 50 that shoot great out of mine and the Lee 500 shoots well too. I also find the recoil of the 458 to be less sharp. That 450 was always ripping out my facial hair unless I covered the stock with masking tape or something. The 50 Beowolf always interested me too, I just haven’t had an opportunity to own one yet. The 450 did shoot well, especially with the Lee 300 rf and it is available in a 6 cavity I believe. Brass for both is readily available with the 450 being a little cheaper. Load data is also more readily available for the 450.

[murf205]

I have both and prefer the Socom, works better with regular .223 mags, better choices for subs, beats store bought 45-70.

The 450 BM is more common, I 3D printed a follower that sids on top of a regular .223 mag follower that has it working without irreversible modifications to .223 mags. It too has plenty of oomph for hogs and deer but neither are long range rounds. I liked the idea of using some .451/.452 bullets I already had for my 45 ACP stuff but that’s really only useful for plinking stuff, a 45 ACP AR would be a better idea, if that’s the plan.

Will it work in a 450 Bushmaster magazine as well? Send us a pic if you will please.

[odfairfaxsub]

I have a beo and a bushy. My dad has the socom.

Honestly I’d pick one and try to be happy.

Only issue is there’s no load data above 325 gr in the 450 bush if that bothers you. I usually use a 275 gr bullet and nail that out of my casings as fast as I can go.

[dh2]

I went in to it before the .450 Bushmaster was out good. and built a 458 SOCOM I cast for the 45/70 so I had bullets to start and they do well. but I did get a mold from Accurate in 46-295S and 46-350S . it was a good way to go for me, But I also cast for the .460 S&W Mag. so the 450 Bushmaster would not be bad for me to work with either.

[Intel6]

I have a Rock River upper in .458 SOCOM and I know that uses the Tromix chamber.