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Post by fatfred on Jan 24, 2021 13:15:01 GMT -5
So, there is a little history behind this post in the reloading platform regarding primer questions. I did make it to the range today and shot my new deer rifle in .458 SOCOM. It is wearing an older Nikon 3 x 9 plain jane std duplex scope with high rings. It's NYS compliant since I want to carry this in deer season with a std AR 10 round mag which would be legal to possess but only holds 3 .458 SOCOM round which is usually 2 more than you need so no biggie. Mag is pinned.
The loads I tried today were a 300 Rem HP with 36 gr of A5744 and 325 FTX with 29 gr Lil'gun. The latter is a proven load that shoots lights out in my friends gun. To get on paper, I set up at 25 yds and fired a shot and was surprised that I almost centered the dot. I have sighted in many many rifles with new glass on them without bore sighting and they are never right on on the first shot. OK good, and lucky. Due to the scope being significantly higher above the bore I was imagining I would be quite high at 100. I was right. 11" high but 2 shots within 1" of each other so pleased. Dialed 42 clicks down and put next shot right in the middle of my 2" square. Pleased!! Shot 3 more and all were slightly left of the 1st shot in the group. 4 shots in 1 7/8" with the 325 FTX load.
Next, I fired a group with the REm 300's. Not so great. Did not measure cause it wasn't worth it. Probably 4-5" group and 4" lower then previous group. All shots fired were from a 10 rd AR mag with 3 loaded in it. I was going to single load but someone commented that there was the possibility of slam fires when using the large rifle primer instead of large pistol primers. I shot a total of 14 mag fed shots today and no slam fires. Thinking of leaving the large rifle primers in the brass that I have already primed instead of taking them out.
So this is a cool rifle and a new platform for me. I don't think I want one in a .223. I just want this cartridge because it is so ideal for the short range wood gun. It has about the same ballistics of my old Knight Disc rifle shooting big bullets. That gun always made 2 big holes in and out and crunched deer at any angle.
Really cool round for my purpose and another toy to play with and figure out.
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.458 SOCOM
Jan 24, 2021 15:55:50 GMT -5
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Post by deadeer on Jan 24, 2021 15:55:50 GMT -5
Thanks for the write up. Sounds like you got it handled quite well. I used both of those bullets at 2500fps in my smokeless gun when it was still a 50 cal. Kills deer dead for sure.
I am enjoying the AR's. My big bore is a 450bm. I went that route since it uses .452 bullets, and I have thousands. It knocks deer silly as well.
I will post results soon of a different bullet I recently came across for the 450. Thanks.
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.458 SOCOM
Jan 25, 2021 17:41:37 GMT -5
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Post by joelmoney on Jan 25, 2021 17:41:37 GMT -5
Glad it’s working well for you I like my 458 a lot. The slam fires I have only heard of with primers that are proud of flush but threw the warning in just in the remote chance. Something to do the momentum of the firing pin. Thought you would prefer the warning than it happening. I am glad to hear you had no issues.
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Post by fatfred on Jan 26, 2021 6:06:07 GMT -5
I definately appreciated the warning! Figured that the best place to try and see if this would be an issue would be at the range at camp where no one would be around. I will keep using mag fed rounds as I continue to play around. When my batch of loaded brass runs out I will switch to the lg pistol primers and confirm that any good loads still print good with the pistol primers.
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Post by fatfred on Feb 7, 2021 7:28:48 GMT -5
Been 2 weeks since I took the new gun to the range. I have decided not to play around too much because I cannot seem to find any projectiles! Unreal on how tight things are. I had a few partial boxes of the above mentioned projectiles from my ML supplies. Since I am basically dialed in real good at 100 yds, and this is a hunting gun, I think I am going to sit on what I have left until I can find some more heads. Sucks because I have about all I would ever need in terms of brass, powders and primers. (I literally lucked into the brass!) Would never have though that EVERYTHING including lowly .458 bullets are ALL GONE. It is absolutely bonkers! With the political climate, I have a feeling there is no end in sight.
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Post by fatfred on Feb 11, 2021 21:38:59 GMT -5
Still no luck finding simple .458 projectiles for sale. Still asking if anyone has any in their inventory for sale. Simple .325 FTX or REM 300 HP, SP Whatever. I went on Fury's website but they are also cleaned out.
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Post by joelmoney on Feb 12, 2021 1:44:35 GMT -5
I was hoping to try some load work up this spring for 458 Socom 300 Blackout and 223. I never thought supplies would ever get this hard to find.
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Post by deadeer on Feb 12, 2021 2:30:52 GMT -5
Keep looking, and get on the e-mail alerts. I just scored 2 boxes of 350 Legend 165ftx bullets from Midway. Finally!
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Post by fatfred on Feb 12, 2021 6:05:43 GMT -5
I am on a few lists. Placed an order where "backorder OK" for 50 FTX and 250 Mono flex. Who knows when these will ship. Midsouth is where they were allowing backorder orders.
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Post by fatfred on Mar 6, 2021 15:36:21 GMT -5
So today, I scored a box of projectiles at a local gun store. .458 405 gr powder coated lead bullets. Manufacturer is "Gallant Bullets". Qty 250 and only $70 after tax. I have been looking for load data on these but cannot find anything reliable. Does anyone have any ideas? I have Lil'gun, N110, N120, H4895 and other powders. I am not looking to hot rod this gun. Just loads that function. Big bullets at deer hunting ranges under 100 yds get the job done at low speeds. Looking to plink as well as I want to use this gun a lot during the offseason to practice I am still on the hunt, and on a few backorder lists, for std 300 gr jacketed bullets and 325 FTX's. However there doesn't seem to be much hope that these will be available anytime soon. I am still open to buying any unwanted inventories from those of you that may have been using this caliber in your .50 ML's before the smaller bore craze took over.
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Post by deadeer on Mar 6, 2021 20:59:42 GMT -5
So today, I scored a box of projectiles at a local gun store. .458 405 gr powder coated lead bullets. Manufacturer is "Gallant Bullets". Qty 250 and only $70 after tax. I have been looking for load data on these but cannot find anything reliable. Does anyone have any ideas? I have Lil'gun, N110, N120, H4895 and other powders. I am not looking to hot rod this gun. Just loads that function. Big bullets at deer hunting ranges under 100 yds get the job done at low speeds. Looking to plink as well as I want to use this gun a lot during the offseason to practice I am still on the hunt, and on a few backorder lists, for std 300 gr jacketed bullets and 325 FTX's. However there doesn't seem to be much hope that these will be available anytime soon. I am still open to buying any unwanted inventories from those of you that may have been using this caliber in your .50 ML's before the smaller bore craze took over. Cabelas in Hammond, IN had .458 325ftx on the shelf last Saturday. Give them a call.
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Post by shoreglide on Mar 7, 2021 9:34:49 GMT -5
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Post by fatfred on Mar 7, 2021 19:17:29 GMT -5
Thanks, learned a lot over there! Got a few loads to try.
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Post by fatfred on Mar 13, 2021 19:26:30 GMT -5
Range report:
So today I went to the range with (4) test loads after looking at many sites. Here it what I tried:
1) 24.5 gr lil'gun 405 gr coated Gallant lead bullet - Sucked big time 2) 28 Gr H110 with same bullet - sucked again. sprayed a 6" group 3) 29 gr lil'gun and 325 FTX - this shot a 2" group 2 months ago. Today, 3-4" group and it wasn't me. Great squeezes 4) 31 gr lil'gun and Hornady 300 HP - 1 1/4" group
All groups at 100 Yds.
Will try and repeat this load next time out. No chrony today. I have 250 momoflex on the way and will try them too.
Great day at the range with mid 30 temps and no wind. Any tips with the heavy lead bullets would be appreciated as I have a boat load of them
Later
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.458 SOCOM
Mar 13, 2021 20:04:38 GMT -5
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Post by joelmoney on Mar 13, 2021 20:04:38 GMT -5
Thanks for the report. My brother and I have had pretty good luck with the 250 monoflex pushed along by H-110. Both of our uppers use a 1:10 twist 10.5” Tromix barrels.
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Post by fatfred on Mar 13, 2021 20:56:13 GMT -5
I have H110. Curious of your powder charge
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.458 SOCOM
Mar 13, 2021 23:52:13 GMT -5
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Post by joelmoney on Mar 13, 2021 23:52:13 GMT -5
I have H110. Curious of your powder charge Both guns shot 36.5 very well. I have 36.9 being max
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Post by fatfred on Mar 14, 2021 17:18:57 GMT -5
Don't tumble your 458 socom brass with 9mm brass.
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.458 SOCOM
Mar 14, 2021 21:28:24 GMT -5
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Post by joelmoney on Mar 14, 2021 21:28:24 GMT -5
Don't tumble your 458 socom brass with 9mm brass. 😂 With that H110 load I am using Large magnum pistol primers. The 458 SOCOM is one of those oddities. That I didn’t want to get into when you asked about using pistol primers some months ago.
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Post by fatfred on Mar 15, 2021 5:07:53 GMT -5
My comment on the brass was related to having a few 9mm empties in my case tumbler that never got removed last time I used it. Both little cases found there way into a few 458 cases and are forever stuck at the bottom of the larger case. Almost broke my depriming pin not realizing it was in there. Inspected the remaining cases and found one more.
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