Joined the bolt gun crowd

I know of one so far, let's see if more show up.

Moderator: MudBug

Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Nagantguy » Fri Jul 02, 2021 2:26 pm

So found a killer deal on a slightly used Ruger American 450 Bushmaster, one of the early ones sold exclusively at Randy’s Guns in Bad Axe MI. Came with some extras including ammo and barrel channel had already been tweaked so it is truly free floating and the rail had been tried up and screws lock tightened and properly torqued. Haven’t had it out to play yet but have just mounted glass.
I’ve been wanting to play with heavy jacket and cast bullets- 330grain + and think this is a better platform than my semi auto.
Nagantguy
 
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2020 6:08 pm

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Al in Mi » Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:09 pm

Those first run guns were shooters.
User avatar
Al in Mi
 
Posts: 1982
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:24 am

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Nagantguy » Sat Jul 03, 2021 8:35 pm

Al good to hear from you! Yes that’s what I’ve read as well, and being a MI native myself I was interested in one of the early ones- buy serial # range this one was from the first run or 1000. The FIL (father in law) just bought a large section of land in the UP- so my bear hunting may be back on the front burner, it’s hard to drive that far to scout and bait but if one has a place to stay, and that place needs some work well then it’s not just a 8-9 hour drive to dump
Some donuts and check trail cams.
I’m expecting good things from this rifle , just the feel and balance of it - it feels like the brush gun I’d always envisioned.
Nagantguy
 
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2020 6:08 pm

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Al in Mi » Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:46 am

My daughter bought one last year for her hubby, it has a thumbhole Boyds and a Leo CDS and a Magna brake on it. We ran a couple boxes of factory FTX thru it and the best either of us could get was hair over 2" from it, even my 10yr old ammo shot the same. Seeing this was 2 days before season, it was good enough.

I need to grab it one of these days and see whats up with it. I also wasn't overly impressed with that brake so will put a Ross on it.
User avatar
Al in Mi
 
Posts: 1982
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:24 am

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Nagantguy » Tue Jul 06, 2021 5:08 pm

Well I’m sure you are aware of the usual suspects with this flavor of American, choke points on the barrel channel of the stock, lose action screw and most reported “accuracy bug” and quality control miss seems to be loose scope rail screws.
As weather, work , family obligations, crops and predators have kept me from a range day I have no accuracy report yet, but am still looking for some heavy weight jacketed bullets.
Nagantguy
 
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2020 6:08 pm

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Al in Mi » Wed Jul 07, 2021 4:00 am

yeah scope base screws were finger tight, little irritated the shop didn't check them when they mounted the scope for her. Barrel was free floating in that Boyds stock, but never cracked the action screws to see if there was any twist, but I'll bed those vee blocks before it goes back on the bench.

Heavyweight jacketed, 300gr XTP Mags, 300gr Speers, 300gr Serria's, 275gr Barnes, Barnes also has a 290gr TEZ bullet for ML's that will work. Not sure if Hornady and TC have the 300gr FTX anymore, then there is a bunch of 300+gr custom 45cal ML bullets that will work, Alco, Pittman, Parker, Arrowhead, Fury, but dig deep down into those pockets bud !!!

I'm going to try these 275gr Parker Match Hunters in the 45 Raptor and then in the Ruger #1 450 once it cools down here.

Image
User avatar
Al in Mi
 
Posts: 1982
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:24 am

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Nagantguy » Tue Jul 13, 2021 5:38 pm

So scope mounted - a 1-8 or Tex Strike Eagle I had on hand for another project that has been back burnered for now. Looking forward to a range trip- cause the new glass came for the .450 AR as well! Gonna be trying the some
Offerings from Barnes and Cutting Edge think this little compact bolt gun is the swamp-walking around hunting rifle ive always dreamed of!
Nagantguy
 
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2020 6:08 pm

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Nagantguy » Sun Jul 18, 2021 8:00 pm

So the bolt gun shoots wonderfully! 3/4 inch 3 shot groups at 100 with my 240xtp mag hand loads .
Nagantguy
 
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2020 6:08 pm

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Al in Mi » Mon Jul 19, 2021 2:59 am

great to hear both guns shooting good.
User avatar
Al in Mi
 
Posts: 1982
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:24 am

Re: Joined the bolt gun crowd

Postby Nagantguy » Mon Jul 19, 2021 7:41 am

Al, Al is that you? So glad you are still here and posting this place has become ghost town like . Yes I was very impressed with how the Ruger shot, started with FXTs to get it on paper . Funny to how each rifle is such an individual- here on this board there seems to be some consensus that the 240 xtp mags just don’t deliver in the accuracy department. But I’ve two individual examples that love them, and when I became concerned how the super accurate FTX broke apart on game and went looking for an alternative our local modern inline muzzle loader guru -who builds fantastic rifles and shoots record book game was becoming intrigued by the “black rifle “ and very early bought into the 450 AR when existed one factory load . His simple logic was “Hornady XTP has always preformed well and been accurate in my muzzle loaders - some shooting in excess of 2200fps” so he went with XTPs in his new fangled black rifle and never went back and gave me the same advice and though I’ve yet to take game with new rifle and new hand loads my expectations are high.
On to rifles being individuals - I’ll try and post pics later today in both threads, but the bolt gun loved one powder charge and the AR loved a different powder charge - both set to same OCL and crimped
The same . When I put the load that the AR seemed to love through the Ruger bolt gun it was just “ho hum “ and vice versa . Both loads featured once fired Hornady brass , federal SRP , Hornady 240 XTP mag projectiles and lil gun powder but both had strong preference to one powder charge over another!
Nagantguy
 
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2020 6:08 pm


Return to Bolt Action Rifles

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests