What is the best .458 SOCOM upper?

[Jakal]

I am looking for a complete .458 upper reciever. Indiana has passed a rifle law a few years back for deer hunting and the .458 was on the approved list.

Who are the quality vendors? RRA, Teppo Jutsu, anybody else?

It looks like Tromix, SSA and Castle Arms is not selling anymore and I am not sure if Rainier makes thier own or resells another vendor.

I am looking at around 250- 400 gr bullets. Lower is an S&W MP OR15.

Here is where i found some good info...

http://www.teppojutsu.com/458FAQ.htm

I notice that RRA's twist is 1:14 and the page above states that for my desired bullet weight I should be using a 1:18 twist, does anybody see any issues here?

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.c...ategory_id=253

[mpardun]

I wanted an SBR one for backpacking/hiking. Therefore size & weight was paramount for me.

RRA built mine as a 10.5" SBR upper. I understand they did a run for teh SHOT show last year. I bought it thru a great .458 SOCOM ammo loader from Georgia - SBR:


While it's an SOB/flame thrower to shoot, it's one upper I have as a carry piece that after sighting the irons in, I hope never to have to shoot. I am confident it'll stop anything alive in North America with one decently places shot - no question.

I was thinking Teppu initially as well, I've heard good things. Marty is still very active in his forums.

I would highly recommend the RRA upper and SBR for your AMMO - many, many choices at market prices. Looks like ther brass is in short supply still. Corbon makes good stuff as well.

[SHIVAN]

I would only use Teppojutsu or RRA. If RRA is using 1:14, then I would venture a guess that 1:14 is adequate for a good majority of the ammo that is available, and probably your best bet if you ever try to shoot the really heavy/long 500gr and 600gr subsonics.

The round was Marty's brainchild, and Tony at Tromix helped him bring it to market. From there, it took off and Marty's been making semi-custom/custom uppers for years.

[Jakal]

Anyone out there got any more info or nuggets o' wisdom on the 458 SOCOM.

So; am I to understand that there are only 2 manufactures of this complete upper. Teppo and RRA?

I would have to sell a Ruger .308 and a Marlin .44 to get this upper and just want to make sure this is the route I really want to go. I am willing to part with the .44 but not so much with the .308 even though it hasn't been shot for 3 years.

I figure in Indiana, the .458 for deer hunting and big stuff, get a 22LR upper for small game and then the .223 for everything else. I don't like selling just to sell but I am willing to sell to get better equipment or more versatile that will be used more than once every 4 years or so.

[SHIVAN]

If the 458 SOCOM is intended for whitetail in Indiana, I would opt for a 6.8SPC or 6.5 Grendel first. Recoil is way less, and ammo far less expensive.

The 458 SOCOM is a niche round, and a great one if you have lots of calibers, and lots of lowers and uppers to switch and swap around. It doesn't sound like you are there yet.

Get a Stag or RRA 6.8SPC @ $550 and rock that on deer for awhile. The 458 SOCOM is like hunting whitetail with 45/70.

[Jakal]

Shivan,

I appreciate your input. Here are "The REG's" that I have to work with...

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files..._Equipment.pdf

Rifles with pistol cartridges
Rifles must fire a cartridge with a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger; have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches; and have a maximum case length of 1.625 inches.
�� These rifle cartridges can be used only during the deer firearms season.
Some cartridges that are legal include the following:
.357 Magnum
.38-40 Winchester
.41 Magnum
.41 Special
.44 Magnum
.44 Special
.44-40 Winchester
.45 Colt
.454 Casull
.458 SOCOM
.480 Ruger
.475 Linebaugh
.50 Action Express
.500 S&W
Some illegal rifle cartridges for deer hunting are the .30-30 Winchester, .444 Marlin and .45-70 Govt.

The 6.5 unfortunatley will not work for me, in this instance. I have a S&W MP15OR in 5.56, so that should be the only lower I need for this. I was thining about a .450 bushmaster but the case size is to long. I don't want to try trimming the cases down and have problems with feeding or ejection.

Basically I want to maximize my M4 weapon platform. So if I have the 5.56, sell off the 308 and the 44 and pick up a .458. I can use my M4 for varmit and deer hunting. Pick up a 22LR upper and kick the crap out of small game and plinking. I can pick up another lower reciever along the way then i should be covered from zombie mice to zombie elephants and everything between. The only thing I lose is long-range shots from selling the .308

I'm 6'2" and 250#'s so recoil shouldn't be a problem, (if it shoots lighter than those 3 1/2 inch super mag turkey loads, then I'll be OK) but you are right about the availability of ammo and thats the one thing that bothers me going the .458 route. I am not reloading yet but do have a source to get reloading done.

I have already installed the Gieselle SSA (sweet by the way) all the hype is on the money. I have an EOtech 517 that I recieved a month ago that I need to install and sight in but all this after deer season!

[SHIVAN]

Well, they certainly F'ed up that cartridge list, as 458 SOCOM is a rifle round, but on par with the 500S&W so I guess fair is fair. Since they specifically list it as legal, then I would go with that, as you were...

The RRA upper will be plenty good for your needs, and RRA got the "license" to make them from Marty, so if he Ok'ed the 1:14, then it should be GTG.

FWIW, you might want to get a letter from the game department stating that the 458 SOCOM is Ok to use. It is nearly equivalent to one of the rifle rounds listed as "illegal" in the 45/70. You can not get handloaded 45/70 velocities from the 458 SOCOM, but factory rounds of similar projectile weight are within +/- 20-30fps as I recall.

[Jakal]

Thanks! This will start me on a 6 month project of research and etc. I will follow up on this post after I get the upper. So around Spring time, maybe by then I can get ammo for it. Thats is the only thing that makes me leary of buying this.

Jakal

[fastpat]

I see, Indiana doesn't really have a rifle hunt in the traditional sense. l was having trouble figuring out the rules before I downloaded that "official list" .pdf.

In North Carolina, certain counties or areas have no rifle season at all. It's shotguns totally. I've not hunted here in South Carolina, though I buy a license every year. I have to have one in order to shoot "marauding deer or turkeys" in my vineyard.

Enjoy your .458 SOCOM, that's a caliber I'd consider hunting with if I was elk hunting (in Montana) still.