458 socom or 450 bushmaster

[ROBSTER]

I`m looking at doing a build for an AR. Which would be better the 458 socom or the 450 bushmaster for raw knockdown power on wild hogs or anything else that gets in my sights?
Thanks in advance, Robster

 

[Bob J]

I`m looking at doing a build for an AR. Which would be better the 458 socom or the 450 bushmaster for raw knockdown power on wild hogs or anything else that gets in my sights?
Thanks in advance, Robster

I can't help you with the 450 bushmaster but I have both the 458 socom and the 50 beowulf.... Both are great bush guns with plenty of knock down capability.... Be aware that reloading is the way to go for any of these..... Ammo can be hard to find and pricey.....

 

[ROBSTER]

Reloading is not a problem.How is the brass life between the two? I thought about the beowulf but I heard that brass was hard to get.And I don`t need another gun with hard to find brass!
robster

 

[doubledown]

ROBSTER, Starline sells Beowulf brass now. The dark days are over!

 

[Bob J]

doubledown is right..... I've found it's easier to find beowulf brass than the 458 socom....

Have only shot a couple hundred rounds through each so pretty early to tell but so far the brass doesn't show any signs of any problems..... I taper crimp both and don't push the limits on my loads so would expect not to have a problem since the brass is not really stressed.....

 

[J E Custom]

I went through this same thought process about a year ago and decided on a 450 bushmaster.

There were several reasons, Price, velocity/Trajectory and energy.

For a compairson I used the lightest bullet offered to make a Apples to apples compairson
(That will give the best trajectory and in most cases the highest energys in an AR platform).

450 Bushmaster= 2200 ft/sec MV. 2686 ft/lbs energy @ $30.00 a box.

458 Socom = 1835 ft/sec MV. 2243 ft/lbs energy @ $58.00 a box.

50 Beowulf = 1880 ft/sec MV. 1880 ft/lbs energy @ $28.00 a box.

Note Both the 458 Socom and the Beowulf use special brass and the 450 Bushmaster brass
is very reasonable and can also be made out of 284 Winchester brass in the event you cant
find the 450 brass.

The only thing that came close or slightly bested the 450 was the beowulf with 400 grain bullets
by les than 200 ft/lbs but the trajectory is terrible and this load is for close range.

There is a fare amount of recoil with all of these rounds with the AR platform.

There are similarities in all three but I liked the all round advantages of the Bushmaster.

Just my choice.

J E CUSTOM

 

[ROBSTER]

Bob j,Doubledown thanks for your input it will help.

JE, I like the 450 bushmaster info compared to the beowulf and socom.What does the 450 use for bullets .451 or .452 or doesn`t it make a difference?
What is better the gas operated or piston? Does anyone make custom 450 uppers I seem to only find them from bushmaster.
Thanks again every one for your input,Robster

 

[J E Custom]

Bob j,Doubledown thanks for your input it will help.

JE, I like the 450 bushmaster info compared to the beowulf and socom.What does the 450 use for bullets .451 or .452 or doesn`t it make a difference?
What is better the gas operated or piston? Does anyone make custom 450 uppers I seem to only find them from bushmaster.
Thanks again every one for your input,Robster

The 450 bushmaster uses a 452 Diameter 250 grain in the Hornady ammo and 260 in Remingtons
ammo.

I don't know if anyone is making the piston version in a 450 Bushmaster but if they are I feel
they operate cleaner and foul less than the gas operated versions.

Bushmaster and Hornady teamed up to build the Bushmaster,that is why you will have no
problem finding the 450 in a Bushmaster upper.

It is special built for the round and even has the gas block relocated for the Hornadys port
pressure.

Mine is very accurate on a Rock River lower with the longer barrel (They come in a short
version and a long version) and will stay under 1 MOA to 250 yards and just over 1 MOA at
300 yards.

Drop is about half of the other two at this distance. Ballistics of the 250 grain bullets are not
very good for distance beyond 300 yards so I limit myself to 200 to 250 yards.

It is a hammer on Hogs and lots of fun with 10 rounds at hand for a family of pigs.

If you intend to reload, the pistol leverevolution .452 diameter bullet is the one to use.

J E CUSTOM

 

[ROBSTER]

JE ,Thanks for the info the longer barrel version sounds good.Reloading is the only way to go but it is nice that you can find factory ammo.I too was looking at the rock river lower just for a change my others are colt.
thanks again ,robster

 

[Doxadude]

I have the 16 inch 450 bushmaster upper. Mine shoots just under MOA at 100 yards on my DMPS lower with a plain ol' trigger and topped with my 2-7 leupold turkey scope. I am very happy with it.

I did a little math... reloading costs with new brass using the same FTX bullet and 'lil gun powder is the same as buying the factory loads... now that cost obviously goes down once you re-use the brass. What I did was just buy a bunch of factory ammo and shot it... then... started to reload. I also loaded up some with Hornady's 300gr XTP-mag bullets and 'lil gun and those shoot great as well. A bunch of guys that have these load up 230gr ball .45 bullets for plinking and have great results with those. Hornady's dies are pretty good. They come with a taper crimp die because the cartridge headspaces off of the case mouth. There is a ton of great info over on 450bushmaster.net if you are interested in reading more about it.

 

[varminthunter]

450 Busmaster is less expensive and much easier to find. I love mine and for $1100 you can't beat it for a true bush gun with all the knockdown power you'll every need. Mine will shoot sub MOA at 200 yards and less.

Get ready for a kick which ever one you get.