458 Socom Mold

[epilatos]

What's your "go to" mold for 458 Socom?

[405grain]

I don't shoot the 458 SOCOM, but I do reload for both 45-70 and 450 Bushmaster. The bullet I've selected fore this is the NOE 460-315-RF-AV3. This is a Ranch Dog inspired mold with a big meplat. It casts at .469" with my alloy, but easily sizes down to .452" with a push through sizer for use in 450 Bushmaster. NOE's website recommends this mold for the 458 SOCOM, along with other cartridges.

Note: If you use a gas operated semi-auto like an AR design it is beneficial to use gas checks on cast bullets. I use bolt actions or single shots, but I have read many reports of folks having problems when using plain based bullets in AR's. Apparently, as the base of the bullet passes by the gas port, hot high pressure gas can scavenge tiny amounts of material off the base of the bullet and send it into the gas system. (I've read) that this can happen with both powder coated as well as conventionally lubed bullets. When vaporized lead cools it will condense and begin plating onto surfaces inside the firearm. On the AR type guns this lead build up seems to occur on the stem at the rear of the bolt. When enough lead has built up it begins effecting the reliability of the feeding of the firearm. These issues are mostly avoided by using gas checked bullets. Is this information just some internet hoax? I don't know as I don't shoot an AR, but it seems reasonable. For 458 SOCOM I think it might be a good idea to choose a Boolit that uses gas checks.

[roharmon]

My favorite is the Lee 459-500-3R.

[Barry54]

My favorite is the Lee 459-500-3R.

Do you know what top punch fits the Lee 500 grain?
Thanks

[Intel6]

My go to lightweight bullet for regular shooting with my SOCOM is the NOE HTC 354 FN. With the PC coating and a GC they come out to 360 grs. and they shoot great and function great out of my RRA SOCOM upper. I was looking for a more pointed bullet for the SOCOM but wanted a flat tip for magazine loading. It has a crimp groove for loading in a 45-70 but it works great in the SOCOM. I also do load it in the 45-70 and it is awesome in that cartridge also.

Below is the bullet coated in HiTek with the GC applied.





I started liking PC better with my rifle bullets so the bullet with PC and a GC a sized. Also the bullet loaded on both the 45-70 and the .458 SOCOM.







For a heavier bullet in the SOCOM I use the NOE 500 gr. spire point. Easy to cast and coat and feeds and shoots great in my SOCOM

Bullet coated in HiTek







And coated in PC and loaded in a case








And finally, to go really heavy I use the NOE MOAB mould. It will cast a 600 gr. solid or a 570 gr. HP with the HP pin installed in the mould.

[20:1]

Accurate 46-350S https://accuratemolds.com/bullet_det...bullet=46-350S