450Bushmaster.net

Hello, I have all the components necessary to start my load development project for the Barnes 275 grain TSX for a 450 Bushmaster Ruger AMERICAN bolt action rifle. The following items will be used: Remington 7 1/2 primers, LIL’gun powder,and once fired cleaned and prepped Hornady brass. Now to get to my point, all the reloading manuals have the initial start charge and maximum charge weights set low due to AR platforms rifles. Now my questions is what initial charge weight should I start with using Lilgun and were did you feel Max Load is? I plan to load in 3/10 grain increments from initial start to Maximum charge while monitoring for pressure signs. Thanks for any help or suggestions!

My Ruger American 450 Bushmaster really likes 35gr of lil gun. I use everything the same as you have. Hornady brass, Rem 7 1/2 primers, Barnes 275gr TSX. I'm getting sub 1 inch groups at 100 yards. Chrono around 2100 fps.

Years ago, decades actually, I had a 44mag Contender with a 14" barrel. My usual loads for my Ruger 44mag were too hot in the Contender. I figured no cylinder gap, longer barrel no play in the chamber, etc raised pressure. May have to taylor your loads for the rifle. I'm loading some 275TSX for my Bushmaster upper with 40gr of LilGun. I don't recommend this load to anyone else w/o working up until you have pressure signs. These are obviously HOT!

I just ordered some 275 grainers to load up for my AR my 200 grains were going 2600 fps which might be to fast for the bullet, still remember the doe I heart shot last year at 70 yards and you could hear the bullet whizzing along after exiting her. I'd love to get 2200 fps but don't think that's possible.

Dunno where the velocity cut off is on a 200gr Barnes. This one came from a 120yd ish lengthways shot on a buck a couple years ago with my 45 Raptor bolt gun. Muzzle velocity was 2965fps.

Yeah the 200gr XBP is a tough bullet. It has an 1800 fps minimum velocity and poor b.c., so I say crank it out as high as you safely can.
I and a few others have taken the 275 TSX way above what it should do. So far, no one's having an issue.

I have a ruger american in 450 bushmaster but have no experience with reloading the caliber. I am using the barnes 275 gr TSX and h110. I have read in several sites that the caliber is loaded to pressures consistent with the ar15 platform, and can be safely loaded warmer. Not chasing high velocity, but would like to know generally what is safe. Hodgens says 37.6 grains is max with this bullet in an ar. I have gone to 40.0 gr with no signs of pressure, and don't want to go farther, but would like to get the groups feelings on this load. Have reloaded rifle, handgun, and shotguns for 50 years including all the magnum handguns, and rifles up to the 458 Lott.

Welcome Aboard Tom!

QuickLoad says that though 40gr is a little hot, it is not crazy hot, especially in a bolt action. QuickLoad errs on the side of caution for obvious reasons. You didn't say to what COL you load the round. The seating depth has a bearing upon chamber Pressure. When I modeled your 40gr load, I left the COL default at 2.26 inches.

Hoot

my COL is 2.30

average chrono velocity 2,155 fps at 15 ft