458 SOCOM Lever Action Rifle by Bishop Ammunition & Firearms -The Firearm Blog

Bishop Ammunition & Firearms has introduced a lever action rifle chambered in .458 SOCOM. The rifle is based on a Marlin 1895 GBL which was redesigned and re-barreled to be able to chamber arguably the most popular big bore AR-15 round. The company brought this rifle to the SHOT Show 2019 and they have just announced that it is now available for preorder.

This is not their first firearm chambered in .458 SOCOM. They offer an AR-15 and a bolt action rifle chambered in this caliber. So they have extensive experience with the caliber itself, however, chambering a lever gun in it is something unusual for the entire industry.

Here is an excerpt from the description of this rifle seen on the company’s website:

Bishop Ammunition and Firearms 458 SOCOM 1895 GBL Lever Action was designed specifically for the those situations where an AR-15 rifle is either not permitted for hunting, while riding the range hunting feral hogs, or for those that want something completely different. This rifle was the lever action which the “experts” insisted could not be made. Based on the Marlin 1895 GBL we start with a 45-70 rifle and deburr and polish all moving parts. An upgraded trigger is installed, along with a match air gauged 16″ barrel and muzzle brake in stainless steel. We have re-engineered Marlin bolt assembly to our specifications for 458 SOCOM only and install a one piece firing pin. Additional modifications are made to the action for timing and feed of the 458 SOCOM cartridge.

Bishop Ammunition & Firearms notes that none of the mentioned modified parts are available separately. Each of these rifles is basically custom built and hand fitted. They feature tuned 3 lb triggers, 8-round magazines, big loop levers and two-tone brown laminate stocks. The rifles are equipped with 18″ stainless steel barrels that have a twist rate of 1:14. The overall length is 39″ and the approximate weight is 8 lbs.

The 458 SOCOM 1895 GBL lever action rifles also come with XS Sights that have a large rear ghost ring (adjustable for both windage and elevation) and white lined front sight. The receiver is also drilled and tapped and comes with a Picatinny rail section attached.