Wall thickness of 450 Bushmaster

[brstevens]

Does anyone know the wall thickness of 450 Bushmaster brass at the web, a little above and were taper stops on inside of case. How does this compare with the thickness of brass made from 284 Win ?

[Texas Sheepdawg]

Straight off SAAMI website

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[brstevens]

Maybe I am missing something, I do not see any thing about case wall thickness.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

Sorry. SAAMI specs is about the best I can do for now. I don’t have any way to measure the case wall thickness any deeper than about a 1/2” down into the case mouth. Maybe someone else has a caliper or mic that can measure down deep into the case wall itself.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

If I remember correctly Timothy told me that the case wall thickness for a 284 Winchester cut down to a 450Bushmaster case was a little bit thicker. But that would also cause a reduced Max powder load capacity if you started getting up there in your charges. I also think Timothy said that the 284 Winchester uses a large rifle primer not a small rifle primer. But I don’t remember for sure. That conversation took place a long time ago. I only know one person in my whole world that’s ever had a 284 Winchester and he is very stingy with his spent brass. I haven’t seen that particular rifle out here on the range in over 16 years. You can cut down a 284 Winchester and resize it to make it the dimensions externally of a 450Bushmaster. Seal the primer pocket and then seal the primer pocket of a Hornady 450 bushmaster case and then use a syringe to fill it with water and then measure the weight of the water from each case and that will tell you some idea of what type of reduction in volume/powder charge you would be facing. I don’t think it’s much. But if you’re loading a little hot, it could become an issue. I think that the dummy cartridge that Gun Nut sent me that was a prototype for the 450 LeGendre magnum is a 284 Winchester case. Yes it is a 284 Winchester and it does have a large primer pocket so I can confirm that.

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[Hoot]

Hoot to the rescue.

To be honest, I expected the Winchester .284 case to have a thicker web area than the Hornady 450b case since the 450b case is thinner up at the mouth than a .284 case cut down to the same 1.70 inches.

My Neck Wall mic is not designed for measuring case walls down at the web but it had to do.



I cut both new cases down to where my Neck Wall gauge could reach the web. Keep in mind, the Neck Wall gauge is an oval shape, so the measuring part (widest) could not get all the way down flat against the web, as that's not it's normal job. So, you'll have to take a measurement about .125 above the actual web.

Again, much to my surprise, they both measured .039 thickness.



Unfortunately, that was my last .284 case that I had been saving as a reference. I know from experience that different lots and brands of .284 cases vary in their wall thicknesses. i tried going that route about 12 years ago and gave up on it because the touch labor content was not worth it. Take my advice...

Hoot

P.S. Both cases were new, unfired.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

Well. There ya go!

[brstevens]

Thanks, that is what I needed to know. You guys are great.
Sometimes this old man needs a little help.