Cast in 450 Bushmaster?

[brewer12345]

Anyone tried this in an AR? I was thinking a heavy plain based coated bullet might be interesting to play with.

[mehavey]

How heavy is "heavy" ?

[brewer12345]

What is out there? Mostly I see data for jacketed. Need it to feed in an AR, and it would be nice if I could go heavy enough that it cycles the action without the need for a gas check.

[lar45]

My Ruger AR in 450 Bushmaster is an absolute tack driver with Hornady 250FTX.


I tried the MP 45 Ruger Only powder coated in it and got mediocre results.




I guess it's good enough to hunt pigs with, but I was really hoping for more.

[cwlongshot]

I shoot a few. I also have used a MP 300g BlkHawk only bullet and the excellent Lyman 457122 hp. (330g) Both shoot very well with VvN120 & 5744. I like them better in my Bolt as I worry about fouling in gas system.

[murf205]

It's not an AR but my son's Ruger American in 450 BM just wouldn't shoot cast worth a hoot and I tried to force feed it several. The best results I got was with a 290 gr NOE GC with PC and it was nothing to crow about. I finally broke down and bought 100 250 gr Hornady FTX's and it shot this much better with 37-39 grs of Shooters World Buffalo Rifle. Kind of a shame because I had visions of that 290 gr taking the squeal out of some pigs!

[Outer Rondacker]

Been eying a 450 bushy in Ruger American Ranch. You guys are really making me rethink this. If it dont shoot cheap I dont own it.

[brewer12345]

Been eying a 450 bushy in Ruger American Ranch. You guys are really making me rethink this. If it dont shoot cheap I dont own it.

I make allowances for 6.5 Grendel simply because I find it to be the perfect low recoil hunting cartridge, but yeah. A thumper like 450B is only attractive if cast will work. If not, no biggie I guess.

[Dancing Bear]

My first trial with PC'ed cast in my Ruger American resulted in about a 5" spread at 50 yards. But I only loaded at the lowest powder charge. I will try hotter loads next. The Hornady 225 and 250 gr. loads are tack drivers. The 250's being 38 to 40 gr. of Lil Gun.

[murf205]

Rondacker, I'm not a Ruger basher but as far as I can tell, 450 Americans are more accurate with the FTX Hornady's and they are not bargain basement bullets. HOWEVER...in all fairness, I talked with the Hornady engineers and they told me that the 250 gr FTX's were designed to be tough, as in deep penetrators, FWIW.

[mehavey]

Ahem . . . .





as far an AR goes, I've cast up some plain-base/PC'd 330Gould-HPs this afternoon,
and will see how they work at 31,000psi using RL-10x which (along w/ RL-7) is a
very efficient powder in the BushMaster

[Outer Rondacker]

I dont mind the Rugers for the price. My state has stupid laws on the ARs so it cost me 500+ more to make a normal ar in my area. For that I could buy a Ruger bolt. My state also has expensive ammo for some reason and a registration law on ammo that I just chose to avoid because I am a grumpy old free american man.

I was drawn to the 450 bushy because I'm a sucker for a straight case. Its only $482.00 brand new.

Brewer12345 for me its 223/556. I am not casting them little buggers at 5 cents a rip I just load jacketed. I hope you can find a bullet that works in your AR. Have you tried home made Hollow pointing a bullet and melting a airsolft BB into the tip when you PC the bullet? This will lighten the front end and help keep the hole filled for good feeding. I have done this on my 44 mag rifle and it helps out grouping at 100yrds. Its also a way to lighten a heavier bullet cast from a mold to try different weights with the same profile. Just an idea.

[brewer12345]

mehavey, please let us know how you do in an AR.

As for the Rugers, I have shot a bunch of cast in a 350L RAR and picked up an American in 6.5 Grendel I really haven't put through its paces. I have no complaints. The bolt action isn't quite as smooth as I would like, but for a knock around rifle at a reasonable price with very good accuracy I really can't complain.

[mehavey]

Maxing out the Gould in an AR Action: "OK"
(not dramatically so, but "ok" for a high-pressure plain-base)


Fed/Ejected/Functioned just fine.

[brewer12345]

Interesting. I think I may abandon the idea. I can get 350 cast to shoot nice tight groups and of course Grendel its hard not to get a 1" or better group, albeit with jacketed.

[mehavey]

"Cast" per se, is not the challenge w/ the 450 BM/AR.
But plain-base cast in a gas gun will always face more
limitations passing the gas port.

[brewer12345]

"Cast" per se, is not the challenge w/ the 450 BM/AR.
But plain-base cast in a gas gun will always face more
limitations passing the gas port.

Yeah. Much easier playing these games in bolt actions.

[lar45]

Maxing out the Gould in an AR Action: "OK"
(not dramatically so, but "ok" for a high-pressure plain-base)


Fed/Ejected/Functioned just fine.

Mehavey, that looks pretty good to me. I'm thinking I may have to try again with RL10

[mehavey]

"Theoretically..." RL-7 come in a close 2nd for full-case/burn/pressure ... @about 30 fps slower.
(May be tomorrow's experiment.)

[mehavey]