The Best .458 SOCOM Uppers in 2023

Below is my list of recommended .458 SOCOM uppers. I list the best choices in terms of value, performance, design, and cost.

Click on the name to head to the product page, read reviews and check prices or skip ahead to the list of uppers.

1. Black Rain Ordnance

Black Rain Ordnance packs a lot to like into this complete upper receiver. The 16-inch barrel length strikes the right balance, and it includes a .458 muzzle brake and Spec15 bolt carrier group with a .458 bolt as well.

The ejection port is expanded for proper function with the larger cartridge, and the upper is set up with a .458 bolt, charging handle, and engraved dust cover. I really like the Black rain Hybrid handguard, which pairs weight-savings with an up-front quad-rail so you still have mounting positions at 12, 3, 6, and 9-o’clock along with 6 QD attachment points.

Just add a lower and hit the range.

2. Great Lakes Firearms and Ammunition

If you have a mil-spec AR-15 lower, this upper will be a perfect fit. GLFA’s Complete 16″ SOCOM upper is complete — meaning you won’t need to bring anything else to the party but your favorite lower.

Precision machined from 7075-T6 aluminum and explicitly forged for the .458 SOCOM round; it also packs an A3 Upper with M4 feed ramps, 5/8in – 24 muzzle threads paired with a Glfa Big Bore S/S Muzzlebrake, and 15″ M-LOK Handguards, you can’t go wrong with this upper.

3. CMMG

CMMG engineered this complete upper out of 7075 T6 forged aluminum, so you’re getting the most rigid material right out the gate.

The 16-inch barrel includes a 15-inch M-Lok handguard and a Picatinny rail, and the barrel is complete with a flash hider already installed. This upper is SOCOM only and designed for the CMMG .458 lower.

4. Radical Firearms

For the aspiring .458 SOCOM hunter, Radical Firearms 16 in. upper has a lot to offer. Beyond the complete package of the receiver, ejection port covers, and bolt carrier group, Radical included their Panzer Muzzle Brake, which is styled after the WWII German Panzer tank muzzle brake, which pairs a solid recoil reduction with serious style.

Given the .458 SOCOM achieves optimal ballistics at 16-inch barrel lengths or shorter, this offering from Radical checks all the boxes.

5. Dark Storm Industries

Dark Storm Industries designed this big-bore upper to be compatible with the .458 SOCOM round and .50 Beowolf. This stripped upper receiver is forged from 7075 Aluminum and features an expanded ejection port. It mounts to a standard AR-15 lower for an easy setup.

6. Cross Machine Tool

Cross Machine Tool’s upper is another stripped upper featuring an enlarged ejection port for the .458 SOCOM or other big-bore AR-15 calibers to ensure it cycles and ejects brass without incident.

The incorporated Picatinny rail makes accessory and optics mounting easy up top. What’s unique about this upper is does not require a forward assist or ejection port cover. Easily mount this on any standard AR-15 lower, and you’re off and running.

7. San Tan Tactical

The Big Bore upper receiver passes rounds as large as the .458 SOCOM freely, but if you need even more can spit out .50 Beowulf cartridges. San Tan also made this upper receiver lighter than most billet uppers while reinforcing the areas that see the most action for increased durability.

8. Wilson Combat

There are times when you don’t need an actual upper, but in order to try something new, you need the supporting components. Enter the Wilson Combat .458 Upper Receiver Kit. While technically not an upper, this kit covers the two caliber-specific components — the barrel and bolt — and leaves the rest up to you.

The Wilson Combat Upper Receiver Kit also includes components optimized for the chunky .458 SOCOM round, namely their adjustable gas block, spring, and straight gas tube, so you have no excuses for having a rifle that doesn’t run like a well-tuned sewing machine.

This round’s history is one of innovation — and a need to solve the problem of stopping power or lack thereof. The .458 SOCOM came about from Task Force Ranger’s experience in Mogadishu during Operation Gothic Serpent (the same battle the spawned the film Black Hawk Down.)

The Rangers noted that since Somalis would chew the drug Khat to counter the effects of hunger (Somalia being plagued by famine at the time), a byproduct was that the drug increased their pain tolerance, requiring multiple shots to stop an assailant.

The 5.56mm NATO cartridge used in the M4 and M16 rifles wielded by U.S. forces required multiple shots to incapacitate the emboldened Somali combatants. This both extended the conflict and increased the threat to Task Force Ranger members. A round that could incapacitate combatants more quickly was needed, which Spec Ops Command set out to find.

Marty ter Weeme, the founder of a company called Teppo Jutsu, L.L.C., developed the .458 SOCOM round to meet Spec Ops Command requirements. Specifically, the new cartridge had to fit within the existing AR platform and fire heavier bullets at subsonic speeds.

As with US Special Operations Command requirements, for the .458 SOCOM to be viable it had to be suppressor-friendly (hence the low velocity) and cycle on semi or full-auto. The result is what you see today, but beyond the cartridge’s historical significance, one lasting benefit of the innovation is the ease of adding a .458 SOCOM upper receiver to a standard AR lower and running it in unmodified 30-round AR magazines. Quite the trick for such a large round.

The .458 SOCOM round is an excellent self-defense and hunting round built for stopping power. The .458 SOCOM round is often compared to the .45-70 cartridge, with which many hunters are probably familiar.

As with this classic round, the .458 SOCOM began to appear in lever action, single shot, and bolt action rifles. It also found a home in the hunting market, gaining traction in bear hunts, hogs, elk, moose, and other big game animals that are challenging to take down quickly.

For self-defense, it’s common sense to use hollow points with recoil you can manage. The .458 SOCOM round has been made available with various projectiles — from hollow points to subsonic rounds and even polymer-tipped options. Bullet grain diversity being an essential consideration of any cartridge, the .458 SOCOM does not disappoint.

A lighter .458 SOCM bullet will still damage an assailant and throw off manageable kick when fired. It fires suppressed with subsonic ammo without issue, which is recommended if home defense is a goal. Firing in a hallway or close quarters due to a home invasion event can undoubtedly damage your hearing.

Other considerations

While ammunition can be tricky to find, it’s a good idea to stick to a single bullet weight as the .458 SOCOM is available in some chunky pills –from 250 grains up to a full 600 grains.

With various upper receivers and different manufacturers, it’s essential to know what bullet grain you plan to use and match it to an upper built to handle that specific weight.

Fires: stripped or complete

The decision in choosing the best .458 SOCOM upper is whether you want a complete upper or a stripped upper to build your own. Both with their own pros and cons.

A complete upper should be compatible with your current mil-spec lower. Plan to use a dedicated .458 SOCOM lower your current kit is incompatible.

Complete SOCOM upper receivers should always come assembled with a bolt carrier group, charging handles, flash hiders or muzzle brakes, and Picatinny rails. Similar to an AR-15, it should be set up and ready to go out of the box.

If you’re going with a stripped upper for a custom build, there are a few considerations to make. The gas system should work with the bullet grain weight you plan to use — or you risk short cycling or jams. Barrels can use mid-length or carbine-length gas systems.

Barrels & Gas Blocks

It’s more common to use a carbine length barrel with the SOCOM due to its oversize diameter and lower velocity. The gas tube should match the barrel length you choose.  We go deep on AR barrels in our guide if you want more detail.

Similarly, the gas block can be fixed or adjustable for tuning to different bullet grains and powder charges. Barrel nuts can be more tricky for a custom fit as they need to clear the gas block and easily thread onto the upper of your choice. Check out our guide to gas systems for the ins and outs of tuning an AR.

Other Calibers

The last consideration for ensuring you select the right upper — determine if you plan to shoot any caliber other than the .458 SOCOM. Some uppers are designed to also shoot the SOCOM and .50 Beowolf, for example. This requires a specific ejection port design and can impact the material used to build the upper receiver.

• $100-$300. At the lower end of the spectrum, you’ll find stripped uppers, which don’t contain barrels, bolt carrier groups, or any of the gun parts available with complete uppers, but they’re much, much cheaper. They also tend to provide the most customization options given there are many decisions to make when it comes to completing an AR platform rifle. Brands in this space are often names like Anderson Manufacturing, Dark Storm, and GLFA.
• $500-$1,000. On the upper end of the pricing range for uppers, you’ll find complete uppers. These include everything you need to snap onto a lower and get to the range. Ejection port covers, bolt carrier groups, charging handles, and the like are all included. More more expensive than stripped uppers but you have everything you need in the box. You’ll see brand names in this space like Aero Precision, Wilson Combat, and CMMG.

1. Warrior Lodge, 10 Guns of the Special Forces
2. Military.com, Rifle Review: .458 SOCOM
3. Special Hunting Weapons and Tactics, .458 SOCOM AR-15 Overbuild – The Ultimate Big Bore AR