Help us get off on right foot..

Talk about your 450b reloading experience, ask questions, etc...

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Help us get off on right foot..

Postby jccinohio » Wed Mar 14, 2018 3:03 pm

I'll be helping a friend work up 450 Bushmaster loads for his dad's new Ruger American Ranch rifle. I've done a bit of research, but would like whatever thoughts you have. I reload for 45 ACP and 444 Marlin (as well as a bunch of others) so do have some experience.

Still haven't settled on which die set to get? Is one favored over the others?

Right now thinking of Lil' gun and Rem 7 1/2 primers. What's second best powder in case we can't find lil' gun?

Still out on what bullet to get . Was thinking either the 250 FTX, or 300 XTP-mag. What are the thoughts for those? Rifle will be used in Michigan for deer.

Was looking at Starline brass, is that pretty much the standard? I see cases usually shrink after firing, what's a recommended trim length for new brass to account for this?

I was planning on a taper crimp, I saw where you want the mouth to be ~.473-474". Any other things I should know?

Thanks for any help!
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Re: Help us get off on right foot..

Postby Texas Sheepdawg » Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:15 pm

Welcome aboard!
Hornady dies are perfect.
And LilGun is the best starter powder for anything 250 Grain bullet or lighter down to 200 Grain.
But remember that you will have to work up your own load for the bolt actions 1:16 twist.
AR 15 loads for the 1:24 twist barrels that we’ve played with will be too hot for that 1:16 twist.
Start at 37.0-38.0 grains of Lil Gun with your 230-250 grainweight bullets.
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Re: Help us get off on right foot..

Postby Herker » Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:08 am

Welcome! To answer a couple more of your questions.

296 or H110 would be decent backup powders if you can't find lil'gun, however, I can tell you after alot of shooting that I messed with ALOT of loads with 296, all kinds of primers and bullets from 200-225-250-275-300-350 and I never could get the accuracy that Lil'gun brought me almost right out of the box.
Only other thing I would with the bolt action loads is that you may also have some more flexibility on your COAL and extending past the 2.26-2.28 that our AR actions really limit us to.

I try to keep all of my brass trimmed to the longest measurement I can find in common for the brass and yes, Starline has always been my go-to brass as I love it.

The 250 is made for this round, the 300 will do you fine to.

You may want to look at the thread here about the 45-70 crimp die modifications to add an additional sidecrimp in addition to your taper crimp...it really does wonders.
Some of the copper bullets 200/275 xtps I have had slide around during recoil with just a taper crimp and the addition of the stab really helps hold them in place and yield smaller SD on velocity.

None of this was learned on my own....so my last piece of advice is to read every post that Hoot has written. The amount of knowledge there is tantamount to a book entitled, "How to best learn to load the 450 Bushmaster".

Welcome to a wonderful caliber, I have used mine in AR on a deer in ohio and a hog in mississippi and both have been bang-flops with excellent results at 100yds and 70yds.

Rockedem
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Re: Help us get off on right foot..

Postby jccinohio » Thu Mar 15, 2018 7:12 am

Thanks all..

Will probably wait on modding a side crimp die. See what it shoots first. Is the bullet slippage more common in the AR version than bolt? I know the drill for my 308 AR, takes a GOOD crimp... because of the massive BCG slamming the round into the breech like an inertia bullet puller. Wondering if a bolt action needs as much in 450b?

We'll definitely start at the bottom and work up, take the first good node we find to help save his dad's shoulder as much beating as possible ;)
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Re: Help us get off on right foot..

Postby Texas Sheepdawg » Thu Mar 15, 2018 9:45 am

jccinohio wrote:Thanks all..

Will probably wait on modding a side crimp die. See what it shoots first. Is the bullet slippage more common in the AR version than bolt? I know the drill for my 308 AR, takes a GOOD crimp... because of the massive BCG slamming the round into the breech like an inertia bullet puller. Wondering if a bolt action needs as much in 450b?

We'll definitely start at the bottom and work up, take the first good node we find to help save his dad's shoulder as much beating as possible ;)

Bolt slam on ARs definitely is the major cause.
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Re: Help us get off on right foot..

Postby Bmt85 » Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:01 am

I would recommend picking up the Hornady and Lyman AR reloading manuals. They have some info on the 450B. Also look at western powder and hodgdon reloading data online.

Win 296/H110 would be a good alternative, though there are others.

Max case length is 1.700", Trim length is 1.690", so far I haven't found a new case I've had to trim.

I've only used Hornady dies for the 450B, and have been very happy.

Hornady and Starline are both GTG, just don't push em too hard on the first go around.

You will usually see case shrinkage, but for some reason, I have had more grow after firing in 2 of my AR's (so far). That's using both Hornady and Starline brass, but like I said, I'm loading for AR's.

There are a lot of bullet options out there. Currently, I highly recommend the Barnes 200XPB and 275 TSX. I've used both to take game and both performed very well! If he's only going to be deer hunting and shooting inside 100yds, the 200XPB should do it. If you need longer range and/or going after biggerr game, then step up to the 275TSX.
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