.458 SOCOM Ammo Review – A Brief History
The .458 SOCOM ammo was designed for a very specific purpose. As the acronym SOCOM implies – Special Operations Command. Traditionally, members of special operation units were not very satisfied with their 5.56mm NATO rounds as it didn’t have the ability to take down enemies quick enough with their M4s and M16s.
After years of experimentation, the .458 SOCOM round surfaced on the market back in the early 2000s. These rounds were widely known to produce way more force than the classic 5.56 NATO rounds but still being able to be used on an AR magazine.
Recognized for being one of the larger calibers with great penetrating power, the .458 SOCOM rounds are pretty popular among civilians for self-defense and hunting purposes.
| Ammo | Name | Editor’s Comment | Rating | Get The Best Deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | .458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip | Most Recommended Option 1. Starline brass | 10/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | .458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) | Premium Option 1. New, reloadable starline brass | 8.0/10 | SHOP NOW |
 | .458 SOCOM 325gr. Brass Monolithic 20rds | 1. Flawless feeding 2. Consistent accuracy 3. High energy | 7.0/10 | Currently unavailable |
Top 3 Best .458 SOCOM Ammo
1. 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power)
Specifications
- 20 rounds
- New, reloadable Starline brass
- 300-grain JHP
- 1,866 FPS
- Hodgdon powder
- Weight: 1.56 lbs
- Dimensions: 2.4 × 3.10 × 2.3 in
Features
The 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) comes with a 300-grain JHP that will allow the bullet to accelerate up to 1866 feet per second (fps) from 16’ barrels. Hence if your current .458 SOCOM rifle has a 16’ barrel, you will be able to easily unleash the full potential of this .458 SOCOM ammo in terms of acceleration and velocity.
In terms of accuracy, the 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) averages 1.6” groups at 100 yards from bags. If you didn’t know, such performance is pretty exceptional compared to most .458 SOCOM ammo on the market. Such exceptional performance is largely attributed to the ammo’s high velocity from 16’ barrel .458 SOCOM rifles.
The 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) features incredible penetration power as its jacketed hollow point will easily pass through 2 layers of leather and 26’ of standard FBI density ballistic gelatin. Other results from the shooting range demonstrated that this .458 SOCOM ammo would also perform well on Whitetail velocities as low as 1200 fps.
The 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) is widely known as one of the most popular .458 SOCOM rounds. Coming with top-notch accuracy, power, and terminal performance at a very reasonable price tag, this is the .458 SOCOM ammo that most shooters love.
You will like this product if:
You have a long barrel .458 SOCOM rifle. The 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) is only able to unleash its full potential on 16’ rifle barrels, reaching an astonishing velocity of 1866 fps, projecting energy levels of 2319 lbs. You won’t be getting results as good as the 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) from most .458 SOCOM ammo in the market.
You are shopping on a tight budget. The 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) is available for only $31.80 for a pack of 20 rounds. Considering this .458 SOCOM incredible features and field results, this is definitely one of the best bargains you’re gonna get.
You want fast shipping. According to most of the reviews from past shooters, they were as impressed with the quick delivery as they were with the 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power)’s incredible penetration power, accuracy, reliability, and affordability.
You might not like this product if:
You plan to shoot long ranges. Unfortunately, like other 458 SOCOM ammo, the 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) does not perform as well as other calibers. That said, if you really love the penetration power of SOCOM rounds, this ammo will never fail to put a smile on your face as you hunt.
Even at ranges over 200 yards, the 458 SOCOM 300gr. JHP (High Power) sits pretty high on top in terms of velocity and energy compared to other .458 SOCOM ammo.
2. 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip
Specifications
- Starline brass
- CCI primers
- Premium magnum powder
- 325-grain Ballistic Tip
- 1,740 FPS (16″ barrel)
- Reliable and effective
- Weight: 1.9375 lbs
- Dimensions: 2.4 × 3.10 × 2.3 in
Features
The 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip is Steinel’s premium .458 SOCOM load. This round features the incredible technology of Hornady’s 325-grain FTX bullet. As such, it provides this .458 SOCOM ammo with amazing accuracy, power, and consistency like the best .458 SOCOM ammo should come with.
Most shooters were really pleased with the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip’s reliability. The ammo cycles really well even during extended periods of shooting, and has good groups even at 100 yards, which is often very rare among .458 SOCOM rounds.
If you really enjoy more attention from other shooters on the shooting range, the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip would draw lots of compliments on the range when shooters start seeing these beautiful and big cartridges flying accurately, especially from a girl!
In terms of penetration power and accuracy, it sits pretty high at the top. Even on ranges over 85 yards, you can expect the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip to still easily punch a hole through ⅜ steels.
The 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip performs exceptionally well on the range, and has really good statistics on paper. Many hunters just couldn’t wait to use this .458 SOCOM round to hunt mid-large game and unsurprisingly during hunts, it performs just as well as it does on the shooting range.
In relation to price, the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip is available for around $39 for a pack of 20 rounds. Made and manufactured by Steinel Ammunition Co – a well-known premium manufacturer of self-defense, hunting, and target ammunition, you won’t regret spending every penny on this .458 SOCOM round.
You will like this product if:
You want great ammo grouping. Largely thanks to the amazing technology integrated on the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip, you will be getting one of the best ammo groupings from large calibers like the .458 SOCOM. This will definitely gain you some attention from the shooting range.
You are a hunter. The 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip has one of the best statistics on paper and unsurprisingly, it performs just as well on the range and during hunts. Piercing through ⅜ steel at ranges over 85 yards, you’ll be able to hunt almost anything on your sights.
You might not like this product if:
You want the cheapest .458 SOCOM ammo. Although the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip comes at an affordable price tag, it isn’t the cheapest .458 SOCOM ammo on the market. If all you want is something to shoot around with for fun, the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Hornady FTX Flex Tip is an overkill.
3. 458 SOCOM 325gr. Brass Monolithic 20rds
Specifications
- 325-grain solid brass
- 1640 fps from a 16’ barrel
- Flawless feeding
- Consistent accuracy
- 1840 ft-lbs of energy
Features
The 458 SOCOM 325gr. Brass Monolithic 20rds adopts the all-new 325-grain solid brass, flat point design for the bullets. As such, this 458 SOCOM 325gr. Brass Monolithic 20rds would easily reach a velocity of 1640 fps from a 16’ .458 SOCOM rifle barrel.
The 458 SOCOM 325gr. Brass Monolithic 20rds achieves an upper average 1.4” using a front rest at over 100-yard groups. With all that, you know that this round was specifically designed for great penetration.
In terms of reliability, the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Brass Monolithic 20rds feeds really well so you won’t have to experience any jams whether regularly or occasionally during an extended shooting session.
Besides that, this .458 SOCOM round also offers incredible accuracy and astonishing energy of 1840 ft-lbs that makes this solid brass one of the best .458 SOCOM rounds on the market. In terms of price, it still comes at a pretty reasonable price tag of $42.99 so you won’t be breaking the bank to enjoy shooting this beast.
You will like this product if:
You want great penetration power. If you are a hunter, penetration power should be your number 1 priority and the 458 SOCOM 325gr. Brass Monolithic 20rds has all the penetration power you need thanks to its solid brass construction and flat point design.
You might not like this product if:
You want the cheapest ammo. Although the price is still pretty reasonable, it’s not exactly the cheapest ammo on the market either. If you are just looking for something to shoot around and have fun with at the lowest cost, this won’t be your best buy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is 458 SOCOM a good hunting round?
Yes, you could hunt larger game animals such as elk or even bears as the rounds of 458 SOCOM are excellent. The size of the rounds and power may not be suitable for medium-sized games such as whitetail deer due to the level of impact on the supposed target.
How accurate is 458 SOCOM?
The accuracy of the 458 SOCOM can easily hit up to 200 yards whereas in relation to 100 yards, gun owners have witnessed approximately a group of .75 inch.
Hello there, it’s Michael here. A gun lover since young, served the country for the last 20 years. I started the blog to share my experience and gun-related knowledge accumulated throughout the years. Hopefully, you will find something useful over here or just have fun! You can learn more about me here.