Any play with the big bores?

[cwlongshot]

I have had my eye on this Ruger American since I learned about it from a friend in Michigan's U.P. couple years ago. He called me frantic about the rules change to the lower shotgun areas and that I buy this new rifle, as it was special and he knew I would appreciate it... I called CC in hand but learned I was a couple days late and they where sold out awaiting Ruger's shipment in about 6-8 weeks...

I have had them in my hands a couple times and resisted.

Couple weeks back, my new local gun shop bought out a gun shop and all inventory. Well in that inventory was a 450 Bushmaster. I sat and sat, I looked at it a couple times... I did the same Sunday morning and the owner walked past me and said "Buy that Fukcer will ya!? I will give you a deal you wont refuse". He was right, I did not refuse.

The state bkg sys was down so it is still at the dealer waitin' on this weekend.

I have brass and dies on the way in, need to check my books for data. Looks like a fun LWT powerhouse!

CW

[plant.one]

ive had one for a minute now.

lil gun will pretty much be your go-to powder. most guns seem to react favorably right around 38 grains for the 200-250 grain projectiles.

Taper crimp to .475 at the case mouth - right in the cannelure if you use the 225 ftx, or at 2.225 for the 250 ftx and you should be in good shape.


h110/w296 seems to give good results from what i read, and 1680 favor's heavies (300gr) like it does in the blackout, although lil gun will work for those as well.


be careful to use the "mag" xtp's if you play with them - of any weight. the non mag ones are designed for max usage in the 45 LC and the jacket design is not safe for use at 450 bushmaster pressures. you can experience base deformation during firing and potentially get into bad juju according to hornady when i questioned them about it as we had found a deal on the 45200 250gr xtp.



the 1:16 twist ruger is using on those is relatively fast for the caliber (most guns are 1:24), so doubly important to use bullets engineered to withstand what the 450bm does, as well as doing good load development if you start playing with solid copper stuff like the barnes offerings as pressures can spike a bit sooner in the faster twist barrel.

Maker has a nice bullet in .452 as well but i havent played with it. in my expierences the 250 ftx does the job quite nicely on whitetails (we took 3 with it this last year between two of us, all one shot kills) so i've had no need to venture off the farm for premium grade projo's at this point in time.




watch for the 225 ftx to come up on blems and you can load blaster ammo for under $0.40 a round. The last batch of them i picked up netted me ammo coming in right around $0.37.


also, as a wierd thing - this caliber doesnt seem to need much, if any trimming, after the initial time around. however you should put a light flair on the case mouth to get your projo's to seat easily/straight as most of the offerings are pretty much a FB bullet.

the 225 ftx are a prime example. that extra neck tension from not expanding pre-seating sure gives it some gusto though - i was getting high 239x fps with 36.5 gr of LG without expanding the necks before seating - 38 grains w/ expansion came in at 2280 in the same 20" 1:24 barrel.


lots of good solid info on the 450bm forum, but much like the 300blk fb group, i'd suggest avoiding the 450bm fb group. same problems as with the 300blk fb group - every yahoo who doesnt know their elbo from a cleaning rod giving advice on what we all know not to do.


hth

[plant.one]

as a side note - if you start playing with the 300gr XTP - youre gonna appreciate that brake on the RARR. those really do give the 450 its earned name as the "thumper".

as you get to the top end of the load scale those things really pack some recoil behind them

[Naporter]

One benefit to the 450BM is the availability of data. It’s my one complaint about the 458S (besides price). Was really hoping they do that rifle up in that caliber instead.

When I was looking for a big bore (apart from my 45-70) I considered 450BM in an AR. I decided against it because of bullet selection, being hemmed in by the handgun diameter precluding large heavy bullets suitable for subsonic work. In a bolt gun that would be irrelevant though. Ultimately chose the Socom.

I will say this though, with big bore, casting is your best friend in terms of cost.

[cwlongshot]

Thanks guys.

I read some on the bullet vase deformation at higher velocities. Not a new thing for me as I have multiple 45 LC and a couple 454's. I have seen upper end of 45C projectiles in the 454 so no doubts about what the 450 can do. I'll keep velocities under 2K.

I want to shoot some cast... I cannot find my 310 WFNGC mold and only have a few bullets... I must have lent it but cannot remember to whom or when.. GRRRR. I have a couple 45 molds but that was only GC mold.

That 225 FTX is also a 45C intended bullet. Its mighty soft as is the 200FTX that Hornady loads in the 460...this one perplexes me. As its loaded to top velocity in the 460S&W yet I have had them disintegrate at under 1800 on game in the 454. So much so I wont use them anymore.

I was not allowed to use the range again yesterday... another flippin high Power match monopolized the entire firing line... SO I loaded and prepped cases as it was also raining.

I loaded up some test loads, twenty in plain base lead, 10 300 & 10/255swc hard cast. All at about 1300 ish FPS using 4227. I loaded ten 200FTX at about 1900 fps with Lil Gun. I loaded ten 260 SPEER HP's (Discontinued 45C Bullet) with some 1680 lastly some PTX 250g red tips with some H110.

I ordered some 300g Muzzle loader bullets form Midway for 45$ so I'll have those later this week. I haven't even picked up the rifle yet, I have consignment $$ due me form the shop and decided I might just use that and make purchase invisible to the finances.

As for the comp...I shoot my 45/70 with a 400g Speer at 1900+ fps... This lil bugger don't fear me at all with recoil. The comp will come off straight away.

I am not a big fan of Lilgun... but after reading and reading only to have it come up over and over, I will try some. I do like it in the Hornet and my 180g 357Mag loads...

I need to locate my mold, that one bothers me.

Thanks again guys,
CW

[Naporter]

Thanks guys.

I read some on the bullet vase deformation at higher velocities. Not a new thing for me as I have multiple 45 LC and a couple 454's. I have seen upper end of 45C projectiles in the 454 so no doubts about what the 450 can do. I'll keep velocities under 2K.

I want to shoot some cast... I cannot find my 310 WFNGC mold and only have a few bullets... I must have lent it but cannot remember to whom or when.. GRRRR. I have a couple 45 molds but that was only GC mold.

That 225 FTX is also a 45C intended bullet. Its mighty soft as is the 200FTX that Hornady loads in the 460...this one perplexes me. As its loaded to top velocity in the 460S&W yet I have had them disintegrate at under 1800 on game in the 454. So much so I wont use them anymore.

I was not allowed to use the range again yesterday... another flippin high Power match monopolized the entire firing line... SO I loaded and prepped cases as it was also raining.

I loaded up some test loads, twenty in plain base lead, 10 300 & 10/255swc hard cast. All at about 1300 ish FPS using 4227. I loaded ten 200FTX at about 1900 fps with Lil Gun. I loaded ten 260 SPEER HP's (Discontinued 45C Bullet) with some 1680 lastly some PTX 250g red tips with some H110.

I ordered some 300g Muzzle loader bullets form Midway for 45$ so I'll have those later this week. I haven't even picked up the rifle yet, I have consignment $$ due me form the shop and decided I might just use that and make purchase invisible to the finances.

As for the comp...I shoot my 45/70 with a 400g Speer at 1900+ fps... This lil bugger don't fear me at all with recoil. The comp will come off straight away.

I am not a big fan of Lilgun... but after reading and reading only to have it come up over and over, I will try some. I do like it in the Hornet and my 180g 357Mag loads...

I need to locate my mold, that one bothers me.

Thanks again guys,
CW

1300 FPS with 300grn? Either those are timid or I made the right choice. I’ve had the Lee 459-500-3R cast bullet up to that speed in my socom. Had to dial it back some to get subs. I’ve had the 300 grn Barnes TSX bullet for 45-70 (the big flat nosed one) up to 1800 in it. It only has a 12” barrel.

Unless the load data precludes, maybe gas check and a good lube will let you push them much faster. I think some of White Label’s lubes have been used to push stuff well past 2000.

[plant.one]

for some reason those 225 ftx cooperate well with the 450. as noted that 38gr load of lil gun should get you damn close, and supposidly there's another node up around 41 grains with them too. i never went that far outside the box as the 100yd POI is almost matched perfectly to my 250 ftx load that i hunt with so i left well enough alone.

i havent put one through meat yet, but i buy them as blems for cheap plinkers and they shoot just fine. gotta love being able to fire a bigbore for what the cost of cheap plinking 5.56 ammo runs you at the store.

i may give it a go on a summer crop damage hunt this year just to see how one does on a doe and if they come apart or not.


there have been some complains i've read about with the 250ftx and jacket seperation, but the bullets dont seem to be coming apart otherwise. the lead core seems to come out the other side pretty consistently.




make sure you measure those 300 ML bullets from midway carefully. some of the guys at 450bm forum ordered them recently and they came in at .458 iirc :/

[cwlongshot]

Well THAT aint good!! I will measure them carefully! I grabbed a 30 box of yellow tip Shock Waves 250's I saw too.

I have a buddy with a good .458 mold of 300(ish) says he will cast all I want and I can size down to 452.

Naporter,
I'm purposefully loading them to 1300 ish. Yes it is completely capable of much more velocity... I am not a velocity guy. Meaning, I don't need to push every caliber to its limits. If I really feel I need more power I will choose a larger caliber. I have killed a couple pickup truck beds full of deer and pigs with a 45 Colt. Many of those with a 255g SWC or a 310g WFN lead bullet, going less then 1300 fps.

[plant.one]

upon further digging - the mis-marks were back in feb and were measuring .499.

looks like these might be the real deal. please keep me posted so i can update on the other site too if they're correct this time.


fwiw - if you didnt order a bunch and they ARE the right dia, hold off a bit until they bump the price down. its not uncommon to see these down in the $0.3x price point. i know its not a HUGE thing but yea.


midway has been playing games with its seconds/blems recently (like the last 6 months or so) where they list them at nearly full retail and then as they dont sell, lower the price until they do start to sell.

[cwlongshot]

It was 47$ shipped to me for 100 pcs...so 20 something for fifty... I thought pretty good. BUT I ASSUMED correct diameter...

I should get them in a couple days and will measure and post up.

CW