450Bushmaster.net

i would suggest emailing maker and asking them for load data as well.

they dont always post it, but they've almost always got data they'll share if you ask for their bullets.

So I did a small ladder and got some interesting results. Sorted brass by weight and times shot. Side crimped to .474 and mouth at .475. 450 cci primers. OAL is 2.185. 3 shot groups at 100 using the magneto speed.
35.5 lil gun 2118fps 24sd
36.0 lil gun 2159fps 19sd
36.5 lil gun 2164fps 16.4sd
37 lil gun 2175fps 4.7sd
37.5 lil gun 2185fps 27sd

I’m not really concerned with speed as any of these would work for a hunting load. The SDs tightened up from what I’m used to maybe because of the side crimp? The target results are interesting in that with each group I got 2 touching and one around 1.25 inches to 1.75 inches from the shots touching. So do I switch powders to win 296 which worked really well with the 250ftx or what?

pwoller wrote:So I did a small ladder and got some interesting results. Sorted brass by weight and times shot. Side crimped to .474 and mouth at .475. 450 cci primers. OAL is 2.185. 3 shot groups at 100 using the magneto speed.
35.5 lil gun 2118fps 24sd
36.0 lil gun 2159fps 19sd
36.5 lil gun 2164fps 16.4sd
37 lil gun 2175fps 4.7sd
37.5 lil gun 2185fps 27sd

I’m not really concerned with speed as any of these would work for a hunting load. The SDs tightened up from what I’m used to maybe because of the side crimp? The target results are interesting in that with each group I got 2 touching and one around 1.25 inches to 1.75 inches from the shots touching. So do I switch powders to win 296 which worked really well with the 250ftx or what?

"If it works, don't fix it"
Per the latest iteration of QuickLoad, 37gr is a good, safe load. If the Velocity SD is that low, that's a sign that your reloading consistency is excellent and more importantly, your rig likes it. Stay with a winner and work on your benchrest technique to tighten up fliers.

Hoot

Which shot number was out?

Thanks Hoot. If I had to pick 2 loads based on the target results they would be 36.5 and 37.0. The shots out side of the 2 touching are almost completely horizontal. Should I load up 10 at 37 and see what it does? Without the magneto on the gun.

Al in Mi wrote:Which shot number was out?

I didn’t record that. I knew I should of but didn’t.

pwoller wrote:Thanks Hoot. If I had to pick 2 loads based on the target results they would be 36.5 and 37.0. The shots out side of the 2 touching are almost completely horizontal. Should I load up 10 at 37 and see what it does? Without the magneto on the gun.

A true test of a suspected good load is repeatability. Not just groups but also velocity SD. The latter reflects a good balance between the gun, the recipe and the reloader's attention to detail. Good, repeatable groups are testing you, the shooter. AR's are not like bolt actions. I can pick up a bolt action after a month or two offline and it'll shoot just as well as when I last handled it. IMHO, AR's require constant re-familiarization with what it takes to keep them honest. Obviously, much is like riding a bike but when it comes to precision performance, like playing a musical instrument well, it requires constant attention. At leasty it does for me. If you load up 10 of those 37gr rounds, try shooting the first 5 for velocity. That should warm you up and relax you to where you can give a good 5-shot group a go without the magnetospeed. You want numbers that are statistically significant. Some and for good reason, will argue that 5-shot groups are still a small sample. I don't know about you but I know that I'm not a rich man and those bullets aren't cheap. Come to think of it, reloading isn't cheap anymore.

Hoot

Hoot wrote: Come to think of it, reloading isn't cheap anymore.

Hoot

when broken down to cost per round though - its still one helluva lot cheaper than buying the same components factory ammo