But the lighter bullets seem to really add to the versatility of any 458.
Absolutely, like never before........... 20 years ago, if you would have told me that a 250 gr bullet (250 Socom) could do all that it can do, and has done, I would have told you that "You are full of IT" Today, not so. Short story... Yeah Right! I believe it was 2013.... I had Dan make a 250 #13 Lever Raptor, seat deep, add Talon Tip for bolt guns...... We had been doing the 295 Lever Raptor this way for a few years with great success in the field, I wanted faster and lighter based on the success of the 295s.....So we did just that...... I was a couple of weeks out from heading to Africa to do the test work with 18 inch 458 B&M, running the 250s close to or just above 2900 fps. Test work looked great, plenty of penetration for large plains game, and that was the intended target species. Dan had developed the 250 Socom, primary for the 458 Socom, but wanted me to add it to my inventory for testing. He sent, I loaded, did a quick test, and the 250 Socom did a lot of damage, and penetrated 1 inch more than the 250 Lever Raptor in the test medium........I did not pay much attention to that extra inch of penetration........
Africa, numerous zebra, wildebeest, oryx and so forth.......... Both bullets everything, and I mean everything was DRT... That is saying something with zebra........ On a very few, where there were more angled shots, I even recovered a few 250 Lever bases........ The 250 Socom, there were no recoveries. All penetrated completely, regardless of angle.....Hmmmm.... Maybe that extra inch in the test medium actually did mean something?............ People, I have recovered 458 caliber 400 gr Swift A Frames on broadside shots of zebras! And now, a 250 is giving full penetration............. Hmmm..... I see. Trauma inflicted was something you had to see first hand to believe.
I have to date recovered two bases from the 250 Socom, one was a buffalo broadside shot, base recovered on far side...... you are not supposed to shoot buffalo with a 250 gr .458 caliber bullet, don't do that at home. The other was a brain shot hippo at 17 yards, on the ground, I had no choice in bullet, that was in the gun at the moment. Bullet was recovered just behind the skull. This after squirting brain matter out both sides ear holes 6 ft in both directions, literally. No, you are not supposed to shoot hippo with 250 gr 458 caliber bullets, don't do this.
I have a good friend who lives in TN. He has a 18 inch 458 B&M as well. He is a very good shooter, and hunter. He was shooting 3 inch groups at 400 yards with the 250 Socom in his rifle, consistently I might add........ Later he took this to Alaska, shot the biggest bull moose ever shot in the world at 300 yards, DRT on the first shot, second shot for insurance , both bullets exited......
Add versatility to your 458? Damn Right it does.............
My friend with his Impala and my Daughter Mercedes....... Taken 458 B&M 250 Socom........
After the big plains game shoot, we went to Zimbabwe and I used the very same 458 B&M on this, with my Wife......And this particular rifle did not even have to change or adjust the sights..... It shot both 250 Socom, 420 Raptors, and 450 Solids to within an inch at 50 yards.........
458 Is pretty damn spiffy..................
