So, you want to blast a hog, or maybe a bear. The .458 Socom will take care of that chore in a single shot and is a great round to make that hunt happen for you. Most commonly, folks will have the idea to convert one of their ARs to this round for fun, which is a great idea, but may come with a few extra things to consider.
First, you're going to have to get a magazine that's either a USGI magazine or specifically intended for Socom. Why? Because Socom-specific magazines will ensure that you get correct alignment every time. Using other mags may work intermittently, but you run the risk of inaccuracy and worst case scenario, failure to feed.
Next, you might want to just consider how much you want to invest in a bolt. The bolt surface area that the Socom requires doesn't leave much material around the bolt face edges. Since there is tremendous energy that's streaming off the Socom round, the likelihood of cracking in your bolt over time is increased. Our .458 Socom isn't loaded to hit you with excessive recoil, but the round itself generates a great amount of recoil.
Lastly, it might be worth the few extra bucks to upgrade your extractor, just to be on the safe side.
While this round is super fun in an AR platform, it can be a little harder on it's parts than your classic AR rounds. Make sure your equipment is ready to handle it, have fun and send us pictures!!
Blog UPDATE: Read Socom history and "out of spec mess".