450 Bush Master

[MGySgt]

Who loads the 450 Bush Master and what is the case length you use?
What cast boolit do you use?
Thank you in advance for your responses.

[405grain]

I'm building a 450 Bushmaster on a 93 Mauser action. I have a 45-280D mold on order from Accurate molds. I won't know how it all works until the project's finished.

Edit post; Both the NOE 452-277-RF and the 452-304-RF look like they'd also be good bullets for the 450 BM.

[MGySgt]

Interested in how it turns out.

[mehavey]

327580
https://i.postimg.cc/pTCk7Zfp/450-BUSHMASTER-Ruger-American-45-28-D-VN110-Stf.jpg

[Moleman-]

I have several ar15 uppers in 450BM. I have the NOE 454-280-RF and the NOE 454-307-RF molds both with gas checks for mine. I haven't been happy with any jacketed bullet performance on deer so far as they all want to turn the deer into a bag of jello. The solid copper 275 Barnes isn't as bad though. Do not trim your cases unless they're over 1.7" and won't chamber which I haven't run across yet. Can't speak about single shot or bolt action but in my AR15's the 450BM cases will shrink each time you shoot them and eventually go below the minimum case length once sized. I pitch them at 1.680".

[MGySgt]

Problem, 1.70 is too short and the round slips past the extractor.
Hornady one fired cases are 1.90 - 1.92

[Moleman-]

SAAMI spec for 450BM cases is 1.690"-1.70" and chambers are 1.7"-1.70". Hornady factory unfired cases are under 1.7". If your's are 1.9" there is something wrong with your chamber, calipers, or perhaps it's not a 450BM. If it's an ar15 the extractors are easily damaged and will slip off the cases if sprung.

[405grain]

Does anyone have load data for the 450 Bushmaster using the ACC 45-280D bullet and either AA4100 or Enforcer powder? I'm looking for velocities from around 1600 fps up to 1850 fps. Gordon's Reloading Tool doesn't list either of these powders. I don't hot load, so cast bullet loads for almost any bullet from 280 to 300 grains should get me in the ballpark. Thanks.

[mehavey]

...load data for the 450 Bushmaster using the ACC 45-280D
bullet and either AA4100 or Enforcer powder?
Does this help/get you in ballpark?
(Ref/Note Post #4 above)

327634

YMMV (!!!!) so approach w/ caution, and chrono in tow.

[Tripplebeards]

Tried the lee 300 FN and group buy 285 grain HP. Neither would reliably cycle cast at any length in my American and gunsite scout so quit using cast in that caliber. If I kept fiddling with bolt up and down it would eventually chamber most of the times. Just didn’t wanna deal with that drama when I have a buck of a lifetime in front of me.

[murf205]

Does anyone have load data for the 450 Bushmaster using the ACC 45-280D bullet and either AA4100 or Enforcer powder? I'm looking for velocities from around 1600 fps up to 1850 fps. Gordon's Reloading Tool doesn't list either of these powders. I don't hot load, so cast bullet loads for almost any bullet from 280 to 300 grains should get me in the ballpark. Thanks.

I had my best luck with a 290 gr RNFP NOE molds boolit with Shooters World Buffalo Rifle powder. I tried some lighter .452 boolits to no avail and finally tried a Hornady FTX which gave the best results by far (blasphemy!) with Buffalo Rifle again. I am glad this Ruger American belongs to my son. Maybe I expected too much but I still maintain that straight walled cases should have a rim and not be subject to the case mouth headspace. This could have been easily solved by gun companies offering a staggered magazine (think Enfield 303) and a rimmed version. While we are at it make it a .458 caliber and we could call it a 45/70. Oh wait, that idea is 151 years old. Rant over.
MGySGT, good luck with yours, a lot of people have had success with cast in a 450 BM

[MGySgt]

First, I did not miss measure them.
We did get great groups with the LBT 360gr LFN. But to get function with deep seating them, the PSI (according to QuickLoad) was too high.
Got home on Wednesday from TX and found my .450 sizer die and nose sized a few boolits to send back to him to see if they Chamber. If they function properly I will make up 100 of the to try and work up a proper load.

[405grain]

mehavey: Thanks. That's just what I was looking for. I checked out post #4 above. I'm using an alloy that mimics COWW+2% tin. Casts right at 280 grains. PC'd with Eastwood Ford light blue, sized .452" and using Sage's gator gas checks. I'll start at 3 grains lower than the 1750 fps load, then work up in 0.5 grain increments until I find a happy spot.

murf205: I've got SW Buffalo Rifle, it's a great powder and I know it would work, but I also have a bunch of 4100 that I want to try out. They actually do "sort of" make a rimmed version of the 450 Bushmaster; It's called the 460 Smith and Wesson magnum. But the 460 runs at up to a higher pressure (if you want to), and won't run in an AR platform. Rimmed cases are a novelty in bolt actions, (though I did see somewhere that a guy converted a Mosin Nagant to 460 S&W once). Only a few really stout lever actions would be able to take that round. That leaves single shot falling blocks. In a modern falling block, like a Ruger No.1, a 460 S&W mag would be quite the thumper. Unfortunately, it won't do anything that the 45-70 won't already do, and the 45-70's already cornered the market.

[Dantiff2]

I also run 1.700 to 1.710 in a Ruger American. 1.720" will give me hard bolt close.

[Moleman-]

Problem, 1.70 is too short and the round slips past the extractor.
Hornady one fired cases are 1.90 - 1.92

Where are you getting brass that long?