Ruger Scout in 450 BM Loads

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Ruger Scout in 450 BM Loads

Postby FSJeeper » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:11 pm

Just picked up a Ruger Scout in 450 Bushmaster and wondering if there is a general consensus on loads for it.

It appears the 39 grains of Lil Gun in front of the 225 FTX is the accuracy load of choice here for the 16" Scout.

Is this correct?

Just looking for a starting place when I load this weekend.

Thanks
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Re: Ruger Scout in 450 BM Loads

Postby Al in Mi » Thu Dec 20, 2018 7:37 am

welcome aboard. hopefully Thom will chime in, he's done some load work with his scout.

I don't think I've ever seen a horrible shooting 450 load in any platform from anybody over the years. Lilgun with those 225 or 250gr FTX seem to be the go too loads for accuracy. With the bolt guns you can throttle them up some.
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Re: Ruger Scout in 450 BM Loads

Postby Thom28 » Sun Dec 23, 2018 7:55 pm

Welcome FSJeeper. You got a nice rifle there and I am sure that you will be happy the way it performs. I had mine for about a year,
If I am just doing range shooting I use the 225FTX or the 250FTX both with 38gr Lil Gun. Sub moa groups at 100yards.

I know there are people that swear by this bullet for hunting and I am not trying to step on any toes. I am just speaking from my own personal experience and how I would like a bullet to perform.

If I am hunting I have found that either of those bullets are pretty fragile. I hunted with them for 2 years and was lucky enough to get 2 deer. Yes, they did kill the deer but left a lot to be desired. First deer was a heart shot and deer still went about 150 yards with no blood trail. Had to use my dog to find that one. Entrance and Exit hole same size, When I gutted it the body cavity was full of blood. Heart was nothing but mush. Next year was a double lung shot. Again no blood trail. Deer ran into the woods and died Went about 50 yards. No exit wound. Bullet fragmented, shed the copper jacket, Piece I found weighed 144.2 grains. That is almost a 48% weight loss. That is when I started experimenting with the Barnes XPB 200gr and the 275gr bullets. Totally different results this year. Excellent blood trail, exit would about the size of half dollar. Lungs found in small bits. Piled up within 40yards. That was with the 200gr using Lil Gun.
Been doing some experimenting with the 275gr bullet. Buddy Al gave me info on a load he uses with the 275 bullet using 300MP powder. Quarter size group at 100yards. Will be using that for late doe season here in Michigan.
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Re: Ruger Scout in 450 BM Loads

Postby FSJeeper » Mon Dec 24, 2018 10:24 am

Thanks!

I'll have the rifle this week and deer season closes in the North Zone after this weekend and through Jan. 20th in the South Zone. May have a chance to actually drop a deer with it this season but it will be used mostly for hogs.

The Lil Gun loads seem to be the general consensus on all around performance and accuracy so I am going to start there.

I bought a 1000 225 FTX's a few years ago when they were dirt cheap for my 45 Long Colt revolver and lever rifle. In the revolver and lever rifle at 45 Colt load levels, the 225's perform excellent on hogs in my experience and I am happy with them. Dead right there every time and the bullets exited with a significant exit hole. Never had to track one using the blood trail but they definitely bled enough out of the exit wound to track in deep brush if I had to. Maybe the 450 BM is pushing them too fast for them to work the way they were designed to.

I am going to start with 225 FTX's and with all of he bullet development going on for the 450 Bushmaster, I bet we see some new bullets that will be interesting and perform well in 2019.

I went with the 450 Bushmaster over the other choices because it used pistol diameter bullets I already have and because of the lower pressures it produces over the other choices. I do not need 300 grain or heaver bullets for anything we have in South Texas. My plan is to build a custom Savage 99 lever rifle in 450 BM which I think would be the perfect brush and all around ranch rifle.
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