.458 SOCOM for first AR?

[Shinerbock33]

Hey all,

Created an account on here to reach out for opinions. I'm a first time gun buyer, had some fun with airsoft for a number of years to get me into shooting but I want to purchase something to protect myself as well as do some actual shooting from time to time at a range. Doing some research it seems like the AR is the commonly recommended rifle if you "could only choose one".

But the 5.56 round just doesn't appeal to me, especially when there are much bigger rounds out there that can deliver much more energy. Anyways, I want to buy an AR with a short barrel and a lot of buddies recommend the 458 SOCOM due to the power. It looks like 458 SOCOM is a great round for what I'm looking for. A well respected bullet that's capable of taking down anything. The 556 bullet seems pretty weak in comparison.

I'm aware that the rounds are expensive but given the simplicity of the AR platform as everyone says, I imagine I won't have to shoot too many rounds through it to master it within reason. And like I said I've done a lot of airsoft so the hand-eye coordination is already there. I don't plan on purchasing any other guns in the near future at the moment.

Any reasons not to get one?

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Welcome to the Forum!

How short of a barrel you talking about?

 

[Dawico]

I would suggest a 5.56 rifle first just for the cheaper practice but if you want to jump right to a bigger caliber have at it.

 

[Shinerbock33]

I'm not too sure, something less than 16 inches. It would be a "pistol" with the brace, I don't want to go through the hassle that SBR-ing seems to be.

 

[GeorgeS]

I've got one and it is fun to shoot.

High-quality ammunition is a must if you expect it to perform reliably. If you get one, buy a Tromix upper. Don't buy an off-brand upper or use cheap magazines.

 

[SQLGeek]

Get what makes you happy (unless it's something silly like a 1911). The nice part about a .458 SOCOM rifle/pistol is that you can always throw a different AR-15 compatible upper on there if you want to change cartridges.

The biggest con for me is that the ammo is expensive so if you don't reload, you're going to pay a fair amount for it.

 

[Charlie]

Welcome to the forum! Good luck with your project!

 

[Txhillbilly]

I had a RRA 458 SOCOM for several years. I never shot a single round of factory ammo out of it,but even hand loading for this round isn't cheap. It was fun to shoot,and pretty accurate. The big negative for any of the big bore AR-15 cartridges is the lack of useful shooting range. Anything past 100 yards,and the bullet is just falling out of the sky.
I don't know why anyone would want to build an AR pistol version of a 458 other than you can.
Good luck,but I'd build something more useful.

 

[zackmars]

Get a 5.56.

5.56 is fine, and has been putting people in the ground for a long time.

For your first rifle, a 5.56 with a 16 or 14.5 inch barrel will be your best bet, save odd calibers for latef

 

[BuzzinSATX]

Welcome.

IMO, the 223/5.56 is the best overall AR round for home defense, practice, shooting sports. It is definitely the most cost efficient if you want to do a LOT of shooting. They generally operate best with an 11 inch or longer barrel.

If you want a bigger round but want to stay with the AR-15 platform, the .300 blackout and a very good choice. It has roughly the same ballistics as the AK47 7.62*39 round. It runs very well on a short barrel set up (8” or greater)

The .458 SOCOM is a good round for hunting, for sure, but unless you reload, it’s gonna be pricy to shoot.

The great thing about the AR-15 platform is that you can buy complete uppers for each caliber and use the same lower receiver for them with basic upper and magazine changes.

 

[SQLGeek]

For your first rifle, a 5.56 with a 16 or 14.5 inch barrel will be your best bet, save odd calibers for latef

There's no point if he's not interested in them.

That's fine advice for somebody that's generally interested in ARs and wants a beginner's place to start.

For people not interested in them, I don't see the point in telling them to get one first just to check a box. I have and shoot 5.56 but I don't find it especially enjoyable. But I like recoil and odd cartridges so I get where he's coming from.

 

[zackmars]

There's no point if he's not interested in them.

That's fine advice for somebody that's generally interested in ARs and wants a beginner's place to start.

For people not interested in them, I don't see the point in telling them to get one first just to check a box. I have and shoot 5.56 but I don't find it especially enjoyable. But I like recoil and odd cartridges so I get where he's coming from.

He stated he is a first time gun buyer, jumping into an expensive "non standard" round that is hard to find, and cuts off a lot of potential options isn't advice I'd give

And yeah, there are rounds i like shooting better than 5.56, but if i were in the OP's shoes (new to firearms, and only planing on having this one gun for a while), it's 5.56 all the way. Sometimes the prudent choice isn't the mist exciting one.

 

[EZ-E]

I'm liking the 6.5 Grendal for a do all round. It out shines the 5.56 & 7.62 gets you out to 1000yards if you need to. And ammo is relatively affordable compared to some of the other options out there.

 

[SQLGeek]

He stated he is a first time gun buyer, jumping into an expensive "non standard" round that is hard to find, and cuts off a lot of potential options isn't advice I'd give

I don't think it's ideal round for a first time gun owner either but sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants. Of course I started shooting with an 1861 Springfield and then moved to an M1 so I am all about encouraging people to shoot what interests them.

A first gun doesn't have to be a sensible, practical choice if they already know they want to start somewhere. But then I'm good at spending other people's money.

 

[toddnjoyce]

Like [mention]SQLGeek [/mention] mentioned, an AR lower provides a multitude of options for the OP. I’m not particularly a fan of .223/5.56 with a pistol-length gas system for a variety of reasons.

For the OP, I would highly consider 300BLK in a 9” pistol configuration and added flexibility as a suppressor host.

 

[kbaxter60]

Welcome to the forum.

If this is to be your first, you might want to consider something more basic to learn the, you know, the basics. Handling, accuracy, and consistency could all be learned with a bolt action .22. It'll cost you a lot less while learning and they are a lot of fun. And those good habits will transfer on to whatever you want to do next.

Also, when it comes to "taking down anything", you might want to spend some time thinking about what type of "something" you will be needing to take down. It might point you to a different platform entirely.

Just some ideas. Have fun whatever you decide on.

 

[TX OMFS]

Get a reasonable 5.56 and a .458 upper.

.458 is on my list as well. Everyone needs a thumper.

 

[Axxe55]

I'd sure check out the cost of the ammo before starting that project. Or even consider reloading if aren't already. Guns ain't useful or fun if you can't afford to shoot them.

But, for a first AR, I would heavily recommend and suggest getting a pretty basic one 5.56 to start with, and learn how to shoot it, clean it, and maintain it.

 

[deemus]

I have one with a 16” barrel and like it a lot. Go fir it!

Rounds are about $2 each, I am reloading them for under 70 cents a round.

 

[Sam7sf]

I think it’s a great idea for a new gun owner. It’s certainly going to get him into reloading is it not? I have advocated a long time that reloading books are great for new gun owners to read. Dive into it! Read about all those cartridges!