450 Bushmaster
11-25-2015, 05:52 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,186
450 Bushmaster
Indiana's turned down proposal of allowing most high powered rifles had me secretly hoping to use my 7mm-08 bolt action for deer hunting. I use it for coyotes but I won't be deer hunting with it. I can understand the decision however I have been wanting a rifle that will shoot to 200 yards with brutal stopping power and is flat shooting, something my 357 or 44 magnum rifles cannot do. So I bought a complete 450 Bushmaster this week, installed a scope on it and swapped my timney drop in trigger from my 5.56 AR to the 450.
This thing is scary accurate and recoil is way tamer than I thought. It has exceeded my initial expectations in terms of shooting. It also appears to have tons of power seeing what it does to water jugs and concrete blocks. I am positive this rifle will do what it is adverised to do. I can't wait to drop the hammer on some deer or hogs.
Has anyone had any hunting experiences with this cartridge. I am dying to hear some stories while I am waiting to make my own.
This thing is scary accurate and recoil is way tamer than I thought. It has exceeded my initial expectations in terms of shooting. It also appears to have tons of power seeing what it does to water jugs and concrete blocks. I am positive this rifle will do what it is adverised to do. I can't wait to drop the hammer on some deer or hogs.
Has anyone had any hunting experiences with this cartridge. I am dying to hear some stories while I am waiting to make my own.
11-25-2015, 06:09 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,746
I know a guy that uses one down in FL for hogs. He told me they usually don't move after being smacked with it.
I don't understand the logic behind some of these hunting restrictions! What is their description of a high powered rifle? Yet still allows the use of a 450 Bushmaster? Stupid politicians at work again.
Another thing I was just looking at is the fact that the 450 used .452" handgun bullets vs the .458" rifle bullets. Actually the article I was reading says they swag down .458" bullets to .452" . That seems like a lot of work when you can just use something like a 300 grain Hornady XTP Magnum bullet already at the .452" diameter.
I don't understand the logic behind some of these hunting restrictions! What is their description of a high powered rifle? Yet still allows the use of a 450 Bushmaster? Stupid politicians at work again.
Another thing I was just looking at is the fact that the 450 used .452" handgun bullets vs the .458" rifle bullets. Actually the article I was reading says they swag down .458" bullets to .452" . That seems like a lot of work when you can just use something like a 300 grain Hornady XTP Magnum bullet already at the .452" diameter.
Last edited by bronko22000; 11-25-2015 at 06:14 PM.
11-25-2015, 06:45 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,186
Or the Hornady 250 grain FTX bullet at .452 diameter. Both are bullets I have used in my inline muzzloaders so reloading will supply me with BP bullets. Also the same powders I reload 357 and 44 mag are used for the 450. It made sense to go this route when I can mix shooting components. Hornady rates both these bullets up to 2200 FPS so they will work at 450 velocities.
The 458 Socom is another popular AR rifle round in Indiana. It uses the heavier .458 rifle bullets but is a short range rifle so it didn't seem a plus. That and cost is way more as a rifle and to shoot than I am comfortable with.
The 458 Socom is another popular AR rifle round in Indiana. It uses the heavier .458 rifle bullets but is a short range rifle so it didn't seem a plus. That and cost is way more as a rifle and to shoot than I am comfortable with.
11-26-2015, 08:21 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,903
It's not that much work to swage .458" bullets down to .452". To do it right, a guy should swage at least two steps, better 3, only taking 2thou down each step. It goes quickly. Or maybe I'm just used to it. I used to swage down for .450B, and currently swage down some .358" bullets for use in .357" loads. If you ever get into shooting lead, especially casting your own, you'll get used to resizing bullets really quickly.
Indiana's reg's - and I only looked this up recently because of another thread about the .375 Socom - only allow .357" and larger caliber cartridges with a maximum case length of 1.8" or less.
The idea behind their regulations is to limit range. Think about it - .357" cartridges require a pretty heavy bullet due to their large bore, and a short 1.8" or less case doesn't hold enough powder to throw them super fast. There's no combination of those two restrictions that would yield a 100grn bullet running 3000fps.
Not surprisingly, the .450B is a hammer. Great big bullets tend to have that effect. Absolutely pounds pigs, and puts deer down fast.
Indiana's reg's - and I only looked this up recently because of another thread about the .375 Socom - only allow .357" and larger caliber cartridges with a maximum case length of 1.8" or less.
The idea behind their regulations is to limit range. Think about it - .357" cartridges require a pretty heavy bullet due to their large bore, and a short 1.8" or less case doesn't hold enough powder to throw them super fast. There's no combination of those two restrictions that would yield a 100grn bullet running 3000fps.
Not surprisingly, the .450B is a hammer. Great big bullets tend to have that effect. Absolutely pounds pigs, and puts deer down fast.
11-26-2015, 09:08 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
Yeah it's dang near as mean as my .458 SOCOM. You will like that BM D80. Especially when you smack a deer. Don't fool yourself on one thing though, it's not got any more range really than the .458. I go out to 200 with my .458 on hogs with devastating results. Never hit a deer with it but I've killed a pretty big pile of hogs with that monster.
11-26-2015, 10:46 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,186
True that my state is about restricting range. The best I can load the .357 magnum is 1550 FPS with a 180 grain XTP. That bullet has killed many deer but with a 20" drop at 200 yards that caliber is restricted to very close range. I was thrilled today after shooting the 450 when I hit dead center at 150 yards after sighting a little high at 50 yards.....I have a flat enough trajectory to shoot at 200 yards without holdover.
11-26-2015, 11:35 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
Yep you should be fine both in drop and power out to 200. Another thing I have noticed is you wont have a whole hell of a lot of meat damage either. That's one advantage of big and slow verses small and fast. You want to see a DRT result, go for a high shoulder shot. That big ole bruising bullet will pound the spine like the hammer of Thor! Miss a little low, you get both lungs and decimate both shoulder bones. Win Win!
11-27-2015, 02:38 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,186