Thinking 450 BM, but which rifle?

[Necessary_Nutrient]

I am thinking about adding 450 BM for fun and target shooting, possible deer hunting down the road but I also have that covered with other options.

Looks like the following brands have some pretty good options:

Ruger with their 18.63" MPR

Bushmaster with their 20" standard and BOAR rifle

Rock River Arms, 20" upper available, could pair with a lower

Really was thinking about a 20" barrel for velocity reasons. Any strong preferences between those choices?

 

[mcb]

I have a Bushmaster brand 20-inch upper. JMHO but 450 Bushmaster never made much sense to me in a rifle other than an AR-15.

That said I really enjoy my 450 BM AR.

 

[someguy2800]

16" AR15 would be my pick. I saw Bear Creek Arsenal had a couple 450 uppers for sale this morning for like $200

 

[BreechFace]

JMHO, I would go with a 16" in 450BM, it doesn't need the additional length or extra weight, and will make it easier to handle, especially if using as suppressor.

I have both an AR and a Ruger GSR in 450 BM and my Ruger gets a lot more use. But I prefer bolt guns, especially for hunting.

If you have a desire for subsonic heavies like 400gr+ projectiles that are long, then you'll want to make sure your twist rate is 1:16"; if no desire for subs than there is no issue with 1:20 or 1:24 that is typically found.

 

[Ks5shooter]

I went the AR route I love it.

 

[mcb]

The 20-inch barrel gets the muzzle blast 4-inches further from you face which makes a noticeable and pleasant difference (at least until you put a brake on it ). It will also get you another 100 to 200 fps depending on bullet weight. Worth it if you are a reloader and can use slightly slower powders to take advantage of the extra barrel length. I was pushing Barns 200gr PXB at 2600 fps from mine. (that's 3000 ft-lb of muzzle energy)

I have a 1: 24 twist barrel and I have never had any stability issues up to and including 405 gr subs just fine.


Barnes 200gr XPB, Barnes 275gr TSX (my personal favorite), Hornady 240gr XTP Mag, 300gr XTP Mag, 225 gr FTX, 250 FTX, Remington 405gr SP (resized from .458 to .452)


Not bad for sub sonics, ~2.5 inch 5-shot group at 100 yards.

 

[Lo-Profile]

16" AR15 would be my pick. I saw Bear Creek Arsenal had a couple 450 uppers for sale this morning for like $200

I have a Bear Creek upper. You want to disassemble it and make sure it was put together properly.
Their QC can be lacking.

 

[jmorris]

The first one I got was a 16” cheap one from Delta team tactical. I didn’t have it long before a friend talked me out of it. It shot just over an inch at 100 yards with factory Winchester ammunition.

 

[someguy2800]

I have a Bear Creek upper. You want to disassemble it and make sure it was put together properly.
Their QC can be lacking.

I’ve bought several assembled upper from them. I take them apart and sell the barrel and handguard and keep the rest. Other than the handgaurd nuts sometimes being torqued to 970 ft lbs I haven’t seen any other issues.

 

[BreechFace]

I’ve bought several assembled upper from them. I take them apart and sell the barrel and handguard and keep the rest. Other than the handgaurd nuts sometimes being torqued to 970 ft lbs I haven’t seen any other issues.

Probably the most cost effective way to get their side charging receivers and a BCG; if one likes those. After selling the handguard and barrel one is probably into the receiver and BCG $80 or so.

 

[someguy2800]

Probably the most cost effective way to get their side charging receivers and a BCG; if one likes those. After selling the handguard and barrel one is probably into the receiver and BCG $80 or so.

Yep, that's exactly why I do it.

 

[mountain_man]

The 20-inch barrel gets the muzzle blast 4-inches further from you face which makes a noticeable and pleasant difference (at least until you put a brake on it ). It will also get you another 100 to 200 fps depending on bullet weight. Worth it if you are a reloader and can use slightly slower powders to take advantage of the extra barrel length. I was pushing Barns 200gr PXB at 2600 fps from mine. (that's 3000 ft-lb of muzzle energy)

I have a 1: 24 twist barrel and I have never had any stability issues up to and including 405 gr subs just fine.

View attachment 1179921
Barnes 200gr XPB, Barnes 275gr TSX (my personal favorite), Hornady 240gr XTP Mag, 300gr XTP Mag, 225 gr FTX, 250 FTX, Remington 405gr SP (resized from .458 to .452)

View attachment 1179922
Not bad for sub sonics, ~2.5 inch 5-shot group at 100 yards.

How well do the 240 xtp mag bullets work on deer sized game

 

[BreechFace]

How well do the 240 xtp mag bullets work on deer sized game

Not sure about the 240gr XTP Mag bullets work, I have some I need to load up.

But the 250gr FTX work great, as long as you don't shoulder shoot as they destroy most of the shoulder and thus ruin 1/2 the shoulder meat depending on location on western whitetails.

 

[InTheSwamp]

16" AR15 would be my pick. I saw Bear Creek Arsenal had a couple 450 uppers for sale this morning for like $200

I bought the BCA Upper over a year ago. For what it is, it's a very accurate riffle.

 

[someguy2800]

If you want to minimize meat damage and get several feet of guaranteed penetration try a hard cast gas checked bullet.

45 Colt, LBT, 280gr, LFN-GC - Montana Bullet Works

Pistol bullets are sold in quantities of 100 & 500/box

www.montanabulletworks.com

 

[mcb]

How well do the 240 xtp mag bullets work on deer sized game

I have not shot a deer with the 240gr XTP-Mag yet, but I have little doubt they would work pretty well, they might even expand at 450 Bushmaster velocities. I have shot deer with the 300 gr XTP-Mag from my muzzle loader but I do not get reliable expansion at that lower velocity (~1350fps). After testing a bunch of bullets in 450 BM I ended up liking the way the Barnes 275 gr TSX performed and I have stuck with that so far.


This one went through a raccoon at about 18 yards and then about three feet of loamy forest floor. 100% weight retention. It did not do the raccoon anything positive. I took a Texas heart shot on an big old armadillo at about 40 yards and split all nine bands of that 9-banded armadillo.


This one went through a fairly large doe from just behind the ear to exit just in front of the hind legs through the belly and then about a foot of packed chert. I found it two weeks later with my metal detector. The bullet lost one petal but still weighs in at ~95% of its original weight.

The Barnes 275gr TSX is not a cheap bullet but it works so well at 450 Bushmaster velocities I keep using it.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

I have a Bushmaster brand 20-inch upper. JMHO but 450 Bushmaster never made much sense to me in a rifle other than an AR-15.

That said I really enjoy my 450 BM AR.

Appreciate all the replies. How well does that bushmaster 20" group and is it from the new Bushmaster or the New, New bushmaster (After the 2021 Franklin Arms acquisition)?

 

[mcb]

Appreciate all the replies. How well does that bushmaster 20" group and is it from the new Bushmaster or the New, New bushmaster (After the 2021 Franklin Arms acquisition)?

Mine is a bit pieced together but started as an upper kit bought in 2014 when Remington owned Bushmaster (Tim LeGendre with Remington and Hornady developed the cartridge). The muzzle break and stock on mine are actually off one of the last versions Bushmaster released just before Remington went belly up.

Its not spectacularly accurate but with the TSX shoot reliable 5-shot 2 to 2-1/4-inch groups at 100 yards. It actually shot the lighter PXB a bit more accurate but the TSX is much more pleasant to shoot. The lighter bullet had lots of muzzle blast and a much sharper recoil.

 

[CraigC]

I can tell you that the Hornady 398gr subsonic works very well on whitetail and my Ruger Ranch piles them into one ragged hole. Just had to find a weird adapter to put my TiRant .45 on it.

 

[LoonWulf]

Not sure about the 240gr XTP Mag bullets work, I have some I need to load up.

But the 250gr FTX work great, as long as you don't shoulder shoot as they destroy most of the shoulder and thus ruin 1/2 the shoulder meat depending on location on western whitetails.

Ive run those out of my muzzleloader at 1800ish and they work well at that velocity, tho expansion isnt fantastic at 100yds +/-

 

[BreechFace]

Ive run those out of my muzzleloader at 1800ish and they work well at that velocity, tho expansion isnt fantastic at 100yds +/-

I will say they are a bit thin skinned when pushed to 2,200fps+. They’ll expand to .75” and traverse stem to stern on a white tail.