.450 Bushmaster

[Curly James]

Picked this AR upper in .450 Bushmaster up in a trade a few months ago. Built a lower for it and have been playing with it since. They are kinda like a Lego set, you can stick a whole bunch of useless stuff on one of these platforms or keep it utilitarian. I have my eye on a Weaver 4X Scout scope as a choice in optics.

I have dies, brass, and a Lee 300 grain mold on the way and can't wait to try some cast boolits. Accuracy is amazing with the Hornady factory load (all I've shot so far) and from all I've been able to read I can expect the same with well crafted handloads.

I have no idea why it fascinates me so and I originally started out looking for a .458 Socom upper, but the issues/cost with finding loaded ammo and brass caused me to trade for this when I saw it on a local online site. There is just something about an AR 15 that will hold 10 rounds of that big cartridge.

I don't name my guns but this one is called The Ogre.

[rromeo]

I have been playing out the ups and downs of the three thumpers, and I am close to ordering a Bushmaster. I like that factory ammo is the cheapest, but bullet selection isn't as good as the 458. I would probably pick a few and not worry about that anyway.

[BD]

I've owned a .450B for about 5 years now. I really like this cartridge on the AR platform. If you load the Hornady 250 FTX to 2200 fps, both Nikon and Leupold make BDC scopes that are dead on out to 300 yards. I think there is a much larger bullet selection available for the .450B than the Socom. Any .45acp, .454 handgun or .458 rifle design will work just fine. The .458s will need sizing down if you want to use them. The limitation is bullet seating depth as the inside of the case is tapered. Seat too deep and the cartridge will wedge in the chamber.

I've been working on cast loads for a few years now and have settled on 290- 300 grainers at around 2,000 fps. Accuracy is not what I'd like. It will consistently keep five shot 2 1/2" groups at 100, often with three shots touching and two flyers. It's the flyers that need work.

http://450bushmaster.net/

[Artful]

Saw some have converted Mosin-Nagant Bolt guns to this caliber
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mkyi2hSOCew

Interesting thought

[Haggway]

I have had one for a couple of years now. I put a burris 2-7 with the ballistic plex. I am more than happy with the accuracy. I have not tried to load for this yet, but am reading any post here to gleen anything I can learn.

[Jailer]

I've had mine for a couple years now. I've only loaded my own swaged bullets for it so far but I plan on casting for it in the near future.

I like the fact that is uses the same powders as my 300 blk which happens to be my other favorite cartridge to load for right now.