I've been bitten.

I recently learned that upper assemblies in 458 SOCOM and 450 Marlin are available for the AR rifles. I want one. Which, I'm not sure.

I think I'd be very happy with a rifle having a flat top, long gas system, and 20" barrel with a recessed target crown. Stock? I want to be able to get it to fit; adjustable cheek rests and draw length seem to be common features.

I anticipate shooting cast bullet-like loads out of this -- 300gr and over at 1700fps and under, probably.

I'm wondering: buy the uppers and lowers separately? Assemble a lower? At first, that seems to make the most sense. But if I'm going to need some "custom work" to get the barrel I want, I might be better off having one built -- especially if the buffer or springs need attention. Or are after market, stiffer springs readily available? Or should I use one of those new-tech buffers? (I've got *lots* of questions.)

Thoughts? Suggestions? Opinions?

Manufacturers? Suppliers?

Thank-you.

i just bought a .458 socom from a dealer in ky... it was listed on gunbroker... paid less than $1100/delivered to my FFL...there's a used 1 on GB for $900... havent picked it up yet, probably will next weekend, if all goes well...RockRiverArms is the your best bet to find 1 ready to go... some of the advertisers have them in stock, others will tell you its a 6 month wait.... i didn't want to wait that long, with the upcoming political events...from the 1's ive handled, the RRA has the best out-of-the box trigger... the dpms will need work...if you google 458 socom, you'll find all sorts of useful info... pm me if you want some links...here's a good place to get started.... http://www.teppojutsu.com/458.htm

quote:

and 20" barrel with a recessed target

Sure no reason you need 20" of barrel to burn the powder it holds. RRA puts a 16" on theirs.

A 16" barrel with a Vortex flash suppressor is about the perfect length. You really don't get a lot for the extra 4 inches. And I don't think the 450 Marlin is correct; it is called something else. I think Hornady makes the ammo.

quote:

And I don't think the 450 Marlin is correct

450 Bushmaster

Okay, I've learned more since I first posted.

The 450 Marlin uppers are for AR-10 sized receivers; the round is too long to fit in AR-15 magazines.

The 450 Marlin has a significantly larger case. The 458 SOCOM can get a 200gr bullet moving 2,000pfs -- but the 450 Marlin can get 350gr up to the same speed. That's a big difference. And the folks who sell 450 Marlin uppers are fitting them with longer barrels. (The 450 Bushmaster is a handgun caliber.)

There is a significant difference in price, though; it looks like rifles built on the longer 308 receivers come with a $1,000 premium. I don't understand the difference in price between the 308 and 223; most of the lower receiver parts are interchangable, so most of those dimensions must be the same. Materials seem to be the same. What accounts for the difference? Sales volume?

Overall, those black rifles seem pretty expensive. Just casually shopping, I could easily sink $2,500 into a 450 Marlin project -- and the idea of a ~$1,000 used rifle being a bargain is new to me. Wowzers!

Thinking it over, the 458 SOCOM might be the way to go.

Heck, I don't even load my 45-70 to top performance -- for what do I need a 450 Marlin?

want .458 performance???... use this.... http://www.gokart.net/shop-utopia/mccann/rifles/458garand/458garand.html

The SOCOM gets a 300 gr bullet up to 2000 fps, not 200 gr. The Hornady 350 round nose can be loaded to 1850 fps.

Can't tell you why the large frame platforms cost more. I can tell you that the 458 SOCOM is enough for most jobs with very managable recoil. Some people like the 50 Beowulf; I wanted more bullet choice at the time I bought my SOCOM.

tiggertate told me, "The SOCOM gets a 300 gr bullet up to 2000 fps, not 200 gr."

Thanks for pointing that out; I don't remember where I got that. A 200gr .458 would be a pretty puny bullet, wouldn't it?

Also check out the .50 beowolf before you go with the socom.
A very nice round and about the same money.
MM

Here is a link.
http://www.alexanderarms.com/beowulf.htm

My local AR dealer builder told me they are a better cal and exelent quality.

better bullet selection on the .458 socom... all the way from 200 to 600 grs... its .458 dia... the .450 bushmaster is .451... VERY limited selection there....the .50 beowulf doesn't have many either...