458 SOCOM thumper

[red caddy 51]

I just acquired a mod. 10 (short action) in 22-250. I want to build a short, (18 to 20 inch) heavy, (1 inch bull barrel, round or octogon) suppressed, fast twist (10 to 12 : 1) barrel.

Bolt head should be fine, but I can't seem to find a barrel. can anybody out there help with a source? perhaps a little guidance on feeding LONG, heavy bullets (550 to 650 Grains, gas checked lead, swaged to .458.) from a non drop magazine

No, I'm not crazy, but I do enjoy splatting gnats with freight trains.



I read all the back posts about the .458 SOCOM, but they were a long time ago, so I started this thread, instead of waking Lazarus.

Thanks, Paul the sheepdog

[gbflyer]

There is a company called Tromix that talked about building some. Not sure what happened, last I read they didn’t get enough orders.

I’d try John at Ragged Hole Barrels. He might make it for you. 4D Rental has the reamer.

I have one, it’s a Douglas Premium blank that I chambered. It’s a Savage magnum contour, 18” threaded with a brake. It’s an 18 twist though, probably wouldn’t be the best for heavy suppressed. It’s really fun to shoot and groups well with Barnes 350gr Originals.

I had a hard time getting it to feed right, ended up modifying a centerfeed .308 box. It still won’t reliably feed flat nose slugs. Mine is a 116 stagger feed 4.25 short action blind mag. I think the best donor would be a Mossberg Patriot in .223 and change the bolt head. The AR mag is the way to go.

[red caddy 51]

Thanks for the reply. I now have access to a reamer, I bought one, after 2 not so great experiences with 4D. What I need now is a fast twist, .458, Savage blank. Finding one with a butt thickness large enough, and long enough, to accommodate the 1.050" savage thread diameter is posing quite a problem for me. (I can do the thread and chamber work)

Still watching GB and da bay, but not holding out much hope.

Thanks again for the help.

Paul

[gbflyer]

Thanks for the reply. I now have access to a reamer, I bought one, after 2 not so great experiences with 4D. What I need now is a fast twist, .458, Savage blank. Finding one with a butt thickness large enough, and long enough, to accommodate the 1.050" savage thread diameter is posing quite a problem for me. (I can do the thread and chamber work)

Still watching GB and da bay, but not holding out much hope.

Thanks again for the help.

Paul

I think X-Caliber can do .458 10 twist. They are 25% off right now.

I hear ya on the experience. I’ve had good service there but he really needs to get away from Kiff.

[steve101610]

X caliber can do a 1:10 twist 458 socom. They have them listed as an option for their pre fits.


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[red caddy 51]

X caliber can do a 1:10 twist 458 socom. They have them listed as an option for their pre fits.


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In just under 6 weeks, X caliber delivered a really nice .458 socom, stainless, 26 inch heavy contour Savage prefit, polished, crowned , ready to rock, barrel.

I removed all the pits from the action and bolt, (it was rough from being left stuffed in a nylon case, wet. I did say Cheap, right) glass bead blasted and parkerized the action after blueprinting and locking lug lapping. All that's left to do is modify the bolt handle, I want a longer one.

A 20 MOA scope base and a 3 X 9 X 40 Bushnell and I was range ready. I did a half hearted sighting in drill, mostly concentrating on a 40 round barrel break in.

The 20 MOA mount was a good choice. still have "up" adjustment with the 3 X 9, now to find a set of high rings to set my 2 to 7 Leopold mill dot.

Accuracy was not stellar, ~1.5" @ 50 yards, with Hornady 305 Gr.JSP. I blame most of that on the plastic stock, the action bolts loosened twice in 40 rounds. A pretty new Boyd's laminated, thumb hole stock is on order. Acutrigger set to 2.5 Lbs, clean, no creep. That's about as light as I can manage on a meat getter.

I also loaded a few 405 Gr, 525 Gr. and 600 Gr. soft loads. What I learned: at 7 Lb. 7 oz., all up with scope, 305's are very shootable, even from the bench. (new range officer had a cow because I was shooting from sticks, sitting under the bench.) 405's @ 1500 FPS, recoil is stiff, but manageable. 525 and 600 Gr. will change your mind, and quite possibly, your sex, when fired, supersonic, from the bench. The combination of a longer barrel, heavy bullets and H-4198 is not for the recoil shy, my .416 Rigby, Mod 70, African has better table manners...I ordered a brake from SOTA arms, the same one they supply with their .458 SOCOM AR upper. 40 rounds without one is something I won't do again soon.

There is much work to be done on feeding from the blind magazine, but extraction and ejection is strong. Will likely adjust the chamber lead while I have the barrel out for threading.

Well, that's the first range update, as usual, suggestions, horror stories and general smart azzed remarks are welcomed.

Thanks, Paul

[Orr89rocz]

Interesting build. I too wanted a 458 socom or 2” barnes american but stumbled across an ER Shaw 458 win mag barrel on sale for 140$ few yrs ago

I bought it and developed some reduced loads. Boyds wood stock its fairly accurate. Inch square at 50 easily. Recoil is heavy shove but manageable. I like benchmark powder in mine with 300 hornady hp’s. Suppose to 2350 fps. Havent chrono’d it. Makes a great brush deer load. H4198 is also nice.

[Steve390Gold]

In just under 6 weeks, X caliber delivered a really nice .458 socom, stainless, 26 inch heavy contour Savage prefit, polished, crowned , ready to rock, barrel.

I removed all the pits from the action and bolt, (it was rough from being left stuffed in a nylon case, wet. I did say Cheap, right) glass bead blasted and parkerized the action after blueprinting and locking lug lapping. All that's left to do is modify the bolt handle, I want a longer one.

A 20 MOA scope base and a 3 X 9 X 40 Bushnell and I was range ready. I did a half hearted sighting in drill, mostly concentrating on a 40 round barrel break in.

The 20 MOA mount was a good choice. still have "up" adjustment with the 3 X 9, now to find a set of high rings to set my 2 to 7 Leopold mill dot.

Accuracy was not stellar, ~1.5" @ 50 yards, with Hornady 305 Gr.JSP. I blame most of that on the plastic stock, the action bolts loosened twice in 40 rounds. A pretty new Boyd's laminated, thumb hole stock is on order. Acutrigger set to 2.5 Lbs, clean, no creep. That's about as light as I can manage on a meat getter.

I also loaded a few 405 Gr, 525 Gr. and 600 Gr. soft loads. What I learned: at 7 Lb. 7 oz., all up with scope, 305's are very shootable, even from the bench. (new range officer had a cow because I was shooting from sticks, sitting under the bench.) 405's @ 1500 FPS, recoil is stiff, but manageable. 525 and 600 Gr. will change your mind, and quite possibly, your sex, when fired, supersonic, from the bench. The combination of a longer barrel, heavy bullets and H-4198 is not for the recoil shy, my .416 Rigby, Mod 70, African has better table manners...I ordered a brake from SOTA arms, the same one they supply with their .458 SOCOM AR upper. 40 rounds without one is something I won't do again soon.

There is much work to be done on feeding from the blind magazine, but extraction and ejection is strong. Will likely adjust the chamber lead while I have the barrel out for threading.

Well, that's the first range update, as usual, suggestions, horror stories and general smart azzed remarks are welcomed.

Thanks, Paul

Paul how is the build doing?

What RO had a fit? (Which range did you go to?)

Im building up a savage 110 over into a 300 prc....just waiting on the barrel

[charlie b]

Interesting build. I too wanted a 458 socom or 2” barnes american but stumbled across an ER Shaw 458 win mag barrel on sale for 140$ few yrs ago

I bought it and developed some reduced loads. Boyds wood stock its fairly accurate. Inch square at 50 easily. Recoil is heavy shove but manageable. I like benchmark powder in mine with 300 hornady hp’s. Suppose to 2350 fps. Havent chrono’d it. Makes a great brush deer load. H4198 is also nice.

This is of great interest to me. I have been looking at the .450 Marlin or .458 barrel for shooting black powder cartridge from a bolt gun. No, I am not totally nuts :) I always wondered what a smokeless load would feel like. Shot a .460 Wby a long time ago and it was tough but not punishing. I shoot 450gn PP bullets over 80gn powder from my sidelock front stuffer. 20 or more rounds is not terrible (it weighs 9lb) but they are only going around 1700fps.

[Stumpkiller]

I shoot 437 gr (one ounce) round balls out of my seven pound 42" bbl flintlock fowler. Black powder has a push more than a "kick".

No rear sight at 60 yards.

[charlie b]

Yep, round balls are kittycats. The 450gn bullets are the 'heavy' loads. I strive for 1" groups (5 rounds) at 100yd. Less than 2" is common. I've had quite a few cloverleafs.

[Orr89rocz]

This is of great interest to me. I have been looking at the .450 Marlin or .458 barrel for shooting black powder cartridge from a bolt gun. No, I am not totally nuts :) I always wondered what a smokeless load would feel like. Shot a .460 Wby a long time ago and it was tough but not punishing. I shoot 450gn PP bullets over 80gn powder from my sidelock front stuffer. 20 or more rounds is not terrible (it weighs 9lb) but they are only going around 1700fps.

yeah havent messed with black powder. This is my thick woods deer gun and fun toy. Always wanted a big bore, grew up reading about africa hunting
my gun is a 110 with a 20” er shaw barrel. Boyd prairie hunter stock. 3-9 nikon bdc scope from a savage package deal i got for another project lol cheap build but works. Gun might be 7-8 lbs.

benchmark powder is low pressure with 300-400 grains. Its basically a hotter 45/70. Its got good case fill at 74 grains. You can drive a 300 near 2600-2700 so 2350 is mild.
H4198 at similar velocity was in the 62 grain range i think. But left alot of case empty. I was concerned, i had alot of velocity spread and so so accuracy. Benchmarks been better. I have a 400 grain softpoint load at around 2000-2100? 70 grains. Also shoots well
h4198 with 53 grains and 500 grain barnes solids is suppose to be 1887 fps. Also not to terrible in recoil. The gun just fits good and recoil is manageable

its about same as partition gold 12 ga slugs in my 9 lb 870 slug gun. Lightfield hybred elite 546 gr at 1600+ slugs are more violent than the 458 loads i have

trail boss would give fun plinker performance with big cast lead rounds. 1000-1100 fps stuff

[Stumpkiller]

I have a 12 gauge 11-87 with rifled barrel (Hastings) and the deer load I have been shooting is the Hornady SST - a .50 cal 300 gr FTX bullet in a sabot at around 2,000 fps muzzle (m/e listed at 2,664 ft-lbs). Certainly does the job on deer. I can keep them in 1-1/2" at 100 yards with a 4X scope.

That's pretty close to the 300 gr muzzle vel/energy of the .458 SOCOM.

HAve fun with it and keep us updated.

[red caddy 51]

OK, Just as an update. I finally got the brake (SOTA arms) on the .458. What a difference. The bark will clear the benches, both sides. Now even the 525 Gr. are shootable. felt recoil is very similar to my AR with the 18 inch barrel. No muzzle jump, Recoil feels less than a 20 gage. I have time to run the bolt, coming out of recoil. Very pleasant in prone position and from sticks sitting/kneeling.

The 1 inch bull barrel might be a little heavy, but the buggy didn't seem to notice...

Starting on working up some 600 Gr subsonic.

The SOTA brake has a non typical 5/8ths X 32 TPI thread, Going to have to make a can adapter. I didn't notice the odd thread until I had already cut 5/8THS X 24 Threads, OOPS. More than likely, I'll just lose an inch of barrel and make another in the same thread as my can. Keep it simple, stupid.

Oh well, live and learn.

I have a customer that shoots smokless powder out of a custom built, inline ignition, muzzle stuffer. With flat base spire point bullets, he get's 2 inch groups at 400 yards.(300 grains at 2200 FPS) He hunts primitive season out west. not likely according to hoyle, but it does show the potential of a well tuned charcoal burner.

Paul

[charlie b]

Unfortunately there are quite a few folks with smokeless muzzle loaders. At least a couple of gunsmiths make them.

I say unfortunately cause joe blow sees them shoot and then stuffs some smokeless in his front stuffer and blows it up.