Marty Ter Weeme of Teppo Jutsu LLC designed the .458 SOCOM ammo. Manufactured mainly by Southern Ballistic Research (SBR) Steinel Ammunition Inc and occasionally by Buffalo Bore and Black Butterfly, the 458 SOCOM ammo design is widely used by game hunters.
The need to replace the 5.56 NATO cartridge used to fight in the ‘Battle of Mogadishu’ in 1993 arose when the Special Operations Command noticed that the fighters from the opposing side were hardly affected when shot. A cartridge with a higher impact force, able to knock down an opponent with a single shot, was the answer to the problem. This birthed the .458 SOCOM ammo.
Steinel Ammunition made the first .458 SOCOM ammo in 2001, designed to comfortably lodge in the M4-Carbine, a specific request from its sponsor. The caliber is a rebated rim bottleneck with 300 grains, giving it a supersonic muzzle velocity that amplifies the effect of its impact.
In appearance, its parent case is made from .50AE, the bullet diameter is 11.63mm, the neck is 12.32mm, the shoulder has 13.74mm, and a rim of 12.01mm. The rim’s thickness is 0.041 inches. Altogether, the entire length of a caliber from the .458 SOCOM ammo is 57.40mm.
The .458 SOCOM isn’t fit for long distances, but where it lacks in space, it covers adequately in power, able to knock down large animals for hunting with just one shot.
The .458 SOCOM ammo is the ideal ammo to use for hunting and Barnes Bullets manufacture its version of 300gr TTSX bullets specially for this caliber.
Designed by Bill Alexander in 2001, the .50 Beowulf ammo was named after the legend, Beowulf who killed a powerful monster. You can say that in our modern times, the. 50 Beowulf ammo is a metaphor for the strong fighter of old, its strength able to knock down any ‘monster’ like a black bear with a single shot.
In appearance, the .50 Beowulf is a fat, big bore, straight-walled cartridge that can give a 1 to 1.5 inches group with a .50 Action Express parent case. It fixes an actual .500 bullet diameter of 12.7mm, a neck diameter of 13.3mm, a base diameter of 13.6mm, and a case length of 42mm, giving it a total of 54.0mm.
The .50 Beowulf ammo has a heavy rebate rim with low velocity, mainly designed for AR-15 automatic rifles to function effectively at a short to medium range of 100 yards.
Presently, the 50 Beowulf ammo is used for both sporting and hunting purposes and has made a good name, mainly in North America, where the hunters have been able to track down and shoot big game like moose, deer, and black bears quickly. 50 Beowulf ammo is designed to have no ejection port cover.
A 300 grained bullet (weighing 19 grams) can cover 1,870 feet per second. A 325grained shell (weighing 21 grams) moves 1.800 feet per second. A 335 grained bullet (weighing 22 grams) covers 1,771 feet per second. A 335( Rainier Plated HP Alexander) grained bullet (weighing 22 grams) covers 1900 feet per second, and a 400 grained shell (weighing 26 grams) moves 1,800 feet per second. Because of its size and model, the .50 Beowulf isn't designed for accuracy and long-distance. However, within an estimated 100 yards, you're guaranteed a clean shot that can knock your target at once.
