.450 cast boolet around 2000 fps

[BD]

Boy Howdy
on "tight"

Remember that these are stout loads in an AR. When I started into this I had issues with ejecting a loaded round without leaving the boolit in the throat. I started with SDs over 100 fps and tightened the crimp until the SDs got down under 30, and I could eject a loaded round. Groups followed suit. This was well before anyone made a "factory crimp die" for the .450B. The Hornady seat/crimp die wouldn't begin to hold a 300 grain boolit in the case if you let the bolt release chamber the round. That "waist crimp" made the difference between 5" groups and 2" groups. The boolit I designed on the left in the picture was pretty frustrating. I shot many, many 5 shots groups with three touching and two off to the side opening the group up to 2-1/2 or 3". At the time I thought the gas port was disrupting the check, but over time I've come to think that maybe it was just too much lube.

[BD]

I also tried most all of my .45acp molds, (and I have more than a few of those). None of the lighter boolits shot better than 6" groups at 100 yds.

[BD]

I don't know if this is appropriate, to link to another forum? But the vast majority of the cast boolit load work for the .450B that I know of was reported on the 450Bushmaster.net forum back around 2009. It is well worth the read. I was BD1 on that forum. I just took a look back at that stuff and edited my earlier post to correct some weight and velocity info.
http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.p...f578f3a48d1e4b

[michael.birdsley]

so here is the new mold NOE 452-304-rf . this NOE mold drops really nice looking boolits. with my lymen #2 alloy it drops just a couple tenths over .454. I was able to find a .452 and .454 lube sizer on ebay for about $36 bucks shipped for the pair. With the lee boolit either .452 or .454 diameter seemed to work with out leading. i bought both sizes to hedge my bets in case this boolit decided to be finicky.

Sages was out of 45 cal gas checks. so i decided to give mid south a shot and they havnt shipped yet and i ordered on friday. so i have everything but, i’m doubting i’ll get to the range to shoot before the 15th to shoot the new cast bullet. i’m going to the range in the morning with the .450 but, i’ll be doing my final warm up before deer hunting on the 15th.

as a realistic goal i’m thinking if i can keep groups below 2 inches at 100 yards i’ll consider this project a success. Next year hopefully i’ll hunt with them. obviously smaller is better and what we all want jacked groups size. my .450 will shoot 1 inch at 100 if i do my part with the ftx bullet.






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[BD]

That looks very close to my design, but with two small lube grooves instead of my single big fat one. It should be just the ticket!

[michael.birdsley]

finally some success. getting back to the range after taking almost a month and half off for deer hunting.

i loaded up those NOE 300 grain gas checked bullets with 31.00-35 grains of 5744. 1st group was at the bottom running on average of 1675fps, 2nd group which is around the bulls eye was running 1781 fps. i’m using the yellow lube from white lable

i did move the scope up after the first group. i may have pulled the upper one in the 2nd group.



i’m happy with both groups. definitely can work with this. might take some tweaking but, it’s like 80% there. i’ll load up another batch of 2 grain increments between 31.00-32.00 and see what happens.

there was a third group running at about 1850 gps but the group opened way up. so i’ll pull the bullets i had at 34.00-35.00 grains.

definitely a healthy kick at 1781 fps. these bullets should be like thors hammer on a deer in the big woods.





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[murf205]

Pretty successful I would say. Now, all you need is a sharp knife and a drag rope!

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I shoot the RCBS 300 FN GC out of my Marlin 45-70 at 2100fps. Very effective on game, Recoil is very unpleasant in an 8lb rifle. Win case, Fed 215, 58g Accurate 2015, 50-50 COWW/range lead, NRA Alox/beeswax. Stays under an 1.5" at 100yards until the recoil interferes.

[Petander]

Michael,congrats for your success!

I shoot the RCBS 300 FN GC out of my Marlin 45-70 at 2100fps.

For whatever it's worth:

I always try to avoid gas checks,especially now that I coat everything.

My fav Marlin practise load is RCBS 45-325-FN-U plain base @ 1950 fps, PC:d. Shoots the same as my 350 Hornady hunting J-load. I have other, heavier 45-70 loads past 2000 fps too, all plain base and PC / Hi Tek.

My 470 NE cast practise loads (300 to 420 grains) all go past 2000 fps only the light Lee (2400 fps) uses a gas check. The most interesting is a bevel base 400 (?) bullet from Accurate. I double PC it and push well past 2000, barrel is clean and accuracy good. 470 NE being low pressure cartridge,is very forgiving.

[michael.birdsley]

Michael,congrats for your success!




For whatever it's worth:

I always try to avoid gas checks,especially now that I coat everything.

My fav Marlin practise load is RCBS 45-325-FN-U plain base @ 1950 fps, PC:d. Shoots the same as my 350 Hornady hunting J-load. I have other, heavier 45-70 loads past 2000 fps too, all plain base and PC / Hi Tek.

My 470 NE cast practise loads (300 to 420 grains) all go past 2000 fps only the light Lee (2400 fps) uses a gas check. The most interesting is a bevel base 400 (?) bullet from Accurate. I double PC it and push well past 2000, barrel is clean and accuracy good. 470 NE being low pressure cartridge,is very forgiving.

i tried shooting that lee 452-255-FN powder coated and with out a gas check with abysmal results. I believe the base of the bullet was getting deformed after ignition. i tried the lee bullet with lil-gun and the slower 5744. results were better with 5744 but, nothing all that great. I may still try and powder coat the NOE bullet with a gas check. I don’t really know if i need to go faster than 1740isu fps it’s definitely has good recoil at that speed.


Like i said im not done tinkering with it. i want to try this gas’s checked bullet with lil-gun as that powder is about $23 cheaper a pound than 5744. i may also try sizing at .452 so i can seat the bullet out a bit farther. right now im about .005 off the lands. some of boolits ive loaded will have groove marks on them from the rifling.


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[BD]

I got nowhere with about 10 different non gas check designs in the .450 B in an AR. I think the gas port dictates the need for a check.

[michael.birdsley]

I got nowhere with about 10 different non gas check designs in the .450 B in an AR. I think the gas port dictates the need for a check.

i think also with the pressures that the .450 BM runs at it deforms the base of the bullet pretty quickly. i have known some people to have success with plain base bullets on the .450 bm reloading page on facebook. however, they are running around the 1200-1300 fps I believe. I’m not sure what powder they were using definitely not using lil-gun.


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[Petander]

I got nowhere with about 10 different non gas check designs in the .450 B in an AR. I think the gas port dictates the need for a check.

This is probably true. I struggled with an AR 458 Socom and eventually gave up on cast. I also felt stupidly undergunned, shooting the same bullets from a Marlin SBL much faster. Ended up selling the Socom.

[Old Two Wars]

They sure are Shiney all of mine are lee moulds and frosted.its a lee 255 no gas check I bought some 230 round nose powder coated and 255 PC RFNs with a good dose of lilgun they go through 1/4 in mild steel at 25 yds in a bolt gun