What makes the 450 Bushmaster better than the 458 Socom?

[Blasternank]

I have a 16" 458 socom and will be getting a 450 bushmaster. I've seen it written that many think the 450 bm is better than the 458 socom. In my socom I shoot the 325 gr. hornady ftx and the barnes 300 gr. TTSx(I think that's the abbreviation for the polymer pointed bullet). I am a reloader. I am getting the 450 bm because I want another "thumper" and thought it would be great to have one I can buy reasonably priced off the shelf ammo.

I'm not looking for a fight that is why I am on this forum asking the question. I am more interested in why you view it as superior or if you think they are pretty comparable. Any insight, experiences or whatever you want to say would be appreciated. I am going to get a 450 bm soon and love to learn more about it.

Thanks.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

I personally believe the 450 Bushmaster has a much wider variety of bullets it can shoot extremely well which opens the 450 Bushmaster up to several different missions from coyotes to deer to bear to hogs to mooses to drug cartel getaway vehicles.
Also. Brass is reasonable. Components are popular. (Primers, powders, bullets- especially the 230 Gr FMJ.).
Velocity is a big one. A 230 grain Hornady FMJ FP going 2500 FPS is gonna roll whatever it hits.
maintained ACCURACY and effective performance at distances beyond 200 yards is very doable if I do my part.
Recoil is mild allowing for more accurate followup shots IF needed. And that's a big IF.
And darn it, I'm just addicted! Okay? There! I said it!

[gunnut]

I personally believe the 450 Bushmaster has a much wider variety of bullets it can shoot extremely well which opens the 450 Bushmaster up to several different missions from coyotes to deer to bear to hogs to mooses to drug cartel getaway vehicles.
Also. Brass is reasonable. Components are popular. (Primers, powders, bullets- especially the 230 Gr FMJ.).
Velocity is a big one. A 230 grain Hornady FMJ FP going 2500 FPS is gonna roll whatever it hits.
maintained ACCURACY and effective performance at distances beyond 200 yards is very doable if I do my part.
Recoil is mild allowing for more accurate followup shots IF needed. And that's a big IF.
And darn it, I'm just addicted! Okay? There! I said it!

All of the above! Plus with the 284 Winchester parent case. I Can make my own brass that uses large rifle primers. A lot of info on this here. I buy my bullets in bulk to load in my 45ACP, 450B & 450LM. A whole lot more versatile when it comes to reloading.

[bushmeister]

The above + flatter trajectory and readily available, reasonably priced factory ammuntion on the shelf.

[Jeepejeep]

All of the above especially the accuracy. This is by far the most accurate rifle I've ever shot and I've been shooting for almost 30 years. With a LimbSaver recoil pad, It's so comfortable to shoot, I can sit down and concentrate on shooting without worrying about recoil. I haven't experimented with as many bullets as others here but with Hornady 250 grainers and 'Lil Gun you can easily exceed factory ammo performance wise and kill anything what walks.

[wildcatter]

I have a 16" 458 socom and will be getting a 450 bushmaster. I've seen it written that many think the 450 bm is better than the 458 socom. In my socom I shoot the 325 gr. hornady ftx and the barnes 300 gr. TTSx(I think that's the abbreviation for the polymer pointed bullet). I am a reloader. I am getting the 450 bm because I want another "thumper" and thought it would be great to have one I can buy reasonably priced off the shelf ammo.

I'm not looking for a fight that is why I am on this forum asking the question. I am more interested in why you view it as superior or if you think they are pretty comparable. Any insight, experiences or whatever you want to say would be appreciated. I am going to get a 450 bm soon and love to learn more about it.

Thanks.

You're not going to get a fight here, this ain't the other channel, you know "Flames-Are-Us". Nothing but respect here and besides you ask a legitimate question. Of course you will get a somewhat biased set of answers, but weed through them and pay close attention to the Facts.

Myself, and I wont list all of the answers, to give the guys a chance to chime in, but you mention the 325gr ftx and 300grttsx. Just as a FYI for you, "ALL" of those .458 bullets, are shooting in our weapons (450b), right Now! In fact, when you do the .458" & .454" & .452" & .4515" & .451"and the .450" bullets, you'll find the "WE" have Hundreds and Hundreds of selections.

OK, Guys, give him more of what he wants and lets show him what the other channels won't, Respect & Knowledge!

Mr., Blasternank, you'll soon see what I'm talking about..

..t

[gunnut]

I personally believe the 450 Bushmaster has a much wider variety of bullets it can shoot extremely well which opens the 450 Bushmaster up to several different missions from coyotes to deer to bear to hogs to mooses to drug cartel getaway vehicles.
Also. Brass is reasonable. Components are popular. (Primers, powders, bullets- especially the 230 Gr FMJ.).
Velocity is a big one. A 230 grain Hornady FMJ FP going 2500 FPS is gonna roll whatever it hits.
maintained ACCURACY and effective performance at distances beyond 200 yards is very doable if I do my part.
Recoil is mild allowing for more accurate followup shots IF needed. And that's a big IF.
And darn it, I'm just addicted! Okay? There! I said it!

All of the above! Plus with the 284 Winchester parent case. I Can make my own brass that uses large rifle primers. A lot of info on this here. I buy my bullets in bulk to load in my 45ACP, 450B & 450LM. A whole lot more versatile when it comes to reloading.

Let me expand on this a little! Including the 6.5 284 there's Winchester,Hornady,Lapua,Norma and Nosler making brass we can use. Some with both small and large primer. All rated at 54KPSI saami spec. "Rifle case" . Which now opens up a whole new world with hotter Federal 215 primers and slower powders.

[wildcatter]

I personally believe the 450 Bushmaster has a much wider variety of bullets it can shoot extremely well which opens the 450 Bushmaster up to several different missions from coyotes to deer to bear to hogs to mooses to drug cartel getaway vehicles.
Also. Brass is reasonable. Components are popular. (Primers, powders, bullets- especially the 230 Gr FMJ.).
Velocity is a big one. A 230 grain Hornady FMJ FP going 2500 FPS is gonna roll whatever it hits.
maintained ACCURACY and effective performance at distances beyond 200 yards is very doable if I do my part.
Recoil is mild allowing for more accurate followup shots IF needed. And that's a big IF.
And darn it, I'm just addicted! Okay? There! I said it!

All of the above! Plus with the 284 Winchester parent case. I Can make my own brass that uses large rifle primers. A lot of info on this here. I buy my bullets in bulk to load in my 45ACP, 450B & 450LM. A whole lot more versatile when it comes to reloading.

Let me expand on this a little! Including the 6.5 284 there's Winchester,Hornady,Lapua,Norma and Nosler making brass we can use. Some with both small and large primer. All rated at 54KPSI saami spec. "Rifle case" . Which now opens up a whole new world with hotter Federal 215 primers and slower powders.

Gunny, Yup, but 54KPSI is the low end of the .284 saami spec. I just looked it up and the SAAMI's MPSM is for 59.5K.

I just saw a Lapua 6.5x284 loading at 65Kpsi..

What's the SAAMI Spec for the 458socom/50beowulf...Oh Wait there isn't one! The Industry Standard "Rule-of-Thumb", is in order to be called a Factory Load, it must be approved by SAMMI. As much as those other Big-Bore's try to all say how they are Factory Load's, the truth is..Ain't So!

But .458 socom/50beowulf, do advertise 35Kpsi and that may be pushing that stretched 50AE, pistol cartridge.

So, there is part of the answer. Once you get by the constant shortages of the .458s/50b, you still have a pistol cartridge that is only capable of very mild pressures.

We on the other hand have tons of brass suppliers, always have had brass supplies at hand and can load to "Rifle" Velocities and Pressures, flatter trajectory and readily available, reasonably priced factory ammunition on the shelf, incredible accuracy, large or small primers, in that vain, the sco/beo, are only really capable of using pistol primers, to do otherwise is asking for all kinds of miladies.

OK, Guys, what are the other advantages?? So far Brass availability, Pressures, Bullet Choices, Primers, what are the rest??

..t

[Texas Sheepdawg]

Standard AR 15 mags can be easily converted.... Speaking of which, hey Tim! What's the status on the Black Followers?

[Hoot]

I've sat back and read along on the thread. Everyone has pretty much already said what needs saying. I might add that for me, with most of my rifle hunting opportunities being whitetails and should I want, black bears, the .458 and .50 caliber choices of bullets get limited when I'm not looking for bullets more appropriate for Bison (and larger) hunting or playing door kicking, soldier wannabe. The frontal area does not diminish just because the bullets are not of a weight suitable for surf fishing sinkers. I'll take mine wide and fast as opposed to wide and lethargic, Thank you.

Still, for those who's interests fall in larger body cavity, sometimes more dangerous game, they also get to have their cake and eat it too.

What's not to like about that kind of flexibility.

The other aspect of affinity for this caliber has nothing to do with internal and external ballistics. It has to do with genre. Despite being a fan of the AR platform, I grow weary of the tacticool, mall ninja and sometimes immature clientele that are drawn to it. I had a 5.56 AR before I was ever attracted to the thumper class of calibers. It sat largely in the safe as I considered it to be mainly a semiautomatic varmint caliber. When my interest swung in the direction of the thumpers, I did my research and part of that included registering with and perusing the forums for the big three. I was immediately struck by the sense that this forum was populated primarily by hunters, not Airsoft enthusiasts who finally came of age. Folks who would be just as happy shouldering an over-under, lever action or pump firearm. Sharing experiences via a forum like this is part of the fun. Something I never considered for my first 30 years of hunting. Of those big three caliber forums, I like spending my non-mancave, non-range, non-hunting time here. Before we grow too smug and complaisant though, it is important to note that there are very competent armorers, reloaders, shooters and hunters who are fans of and inhabit the other thumper oriented forums. IMHO, their voices are sometimes lost in the noise floor of chatter and emotional rip tides that prevail on those forums more so than here.

So odd as it might seem coming from a technocrat like myself, an undeniable part of the appeal of this caliber is not how much better it is than the .458 SOCOM or .50 Beowulf. Life does not always afford us the black and white, hot and cold, fight or flee, ease of choice. Nor does it mandate that what we find interest in has to always be better and conquer the competition, leaving them devastated and for dead. It's a bigger, more esoteric picture. Not something to die for, but to live for.

This is Hal Holbrook and thank you for watching...

Hoot