There is no doubt that the .458 is a proven round. The difference is simply in the preference. I like bigger holes! LOL!
The Beowulf is in use by multiple groups to do the same kind of interdiction as the .458 when it comes to stopping moving vehicles.
The Beo, (and undoubtedly the .458 too) is a show stopper at any range. People see you pull out an AR, and shrug. Then the first shot causes everyone on the range to do a double take! They wait for the second shot to see if the first was a malfunction or "kaboom" of a regular AR! If you shoot off 5 or 6 quick shots, they are headed over to see what it is.
The headspace on case mouth or shoulder is a non-issue, as literally billions of pistol rounds have proven. Either works just fine when done correctly.
Brass for both rounds comes from the same source, Starline, who keeps both in stock fairly consistently. Beowulf brass is a little cheaper, though.
So far as bullets, any that work for the .500 S&W work fine. My favorite general purpose handload is the Hornady FTX 300 grain which I run at around 2000-2100 FPS. And which is VERY accurate for me. This is a 7 shot group, with the 2 lower shots being the first two at 100 while switching to a 100 yard zero from a 200 yard zero.
http://www.hornady.com/store/50-Cal-.500-300-gr-FTX/
![[Image: beoftx.jpg]](http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9335/beoftx.jpg)
![[Image: billsvideo201.jpg]](http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/6852/billsvideo201.jpg)
There may be a larger selection of bullets for the .458, but how many do you need for this kind of a cartridge? There are soft tips, hollowpoints, Gold Dots, brass hollow points and solids, and FMJ's, ranging from 250-500+ grains, and even a Flex Tip. All of them do tremendous damage, and all of them are "dead right there" kind of bullets when shot placement is anywhere CLOSE to where it should be!
![[Image: 001ji.jpg]](http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/6576/001ji.jpg)
Left to right: Gold Dot, Hornady XTP, Speer Hollow Point, Rainier FMJ.
The ..458 and the Beowulf are both great cartridges, but, to my view, the price of Beo factory ammo is better, and they range of bullets in factory ammo is better, but that probably comes and goes, depending on who is loading the .458!
The Beowulf is in use by multiple groups to do the same kind of interdiction as the .458 when it comes to stopping moving vehicles.
The Beo, (and undoubtedly the .458 too) is a show stopper at any range. People see you pull out an AR, and shrug. Then the first shot causes everyone on the range to do a double take! They wait for the second shot to see if the first was a malfunction or "kaboom" of a regular AR! If you shoot off 5 or 6 quick shots, they are headed over to see what it is.
The headspace on case mouth or shoulder is a non-issue, as literally billions of pistol rounds have proven. Either works just fine when done correctly.
Brass for both rounds comes from the same source, Starline, who keeps both in stock fairly consistently. Beowulf brass is a little cheaper, though.
So far as bullets, any that work for the .500 S&W work fine. My favorite general purpose handload is the Hornady FTX 300 grain which I run at around 2000-2100 FPS. And which is VERY accurate for me. This is a 7 shot group, with the 2 lower shots being the first two at 100 while switching to a 100 yard zero from a 200 yard zero.
http://www.hornady.com/store/50-Cal-.500-300-gr-FTX/
There may be a larger selection of bullets for the .458, but how many do you need for this kind of a cartridge? There are soft tips, hollowpoints, Gold Dots, brass hollow points and solids, and FMJ's, ranging from 250-500+ grains, and even a Flex Tip. All of them do tremendous damage, and all of them are "dead right there" kind of bullets when shot placement is anywhere CLOSE to where it should be!
Left to right: Gold Dot, Hornady XTP, Speer Hollow Point, Rainier FMJ.
The ..458 and the Beowulf are both great cartridges, but, to my view, the price of Beo factory ammo is better, and they range of bullets in factory ammo is better, but that probably comes and goes, depending on who is loading the .458!
You seek escape from pain. We seek the achievement of happiness. You exist for the sake of avoiding punishment. We exist for the sake of earning rewards. Threats will not make us function; fear is not our incentive. It is not death that we wish to avoid, but life that we wish to live. - John Galt