My new 450 Bushmester Savage

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
I am in the process of installing the 450 barrel on my savage action. This will be another strictly hunting caliber. If i intend on keeping velocities between 1K and 1800. With most bullets being PC. Would there be any advantage to using an alloy softer that 1.5%sn. / 2.5%sb. / 96% . My concern is to get the best expansion i can get at lower velocities. Or even trying 25 to 1 with PC
 

Ian

Notorious member
The nice thing about .45 caliber is there is no need whatsoever for expansion. You may find that a 65% or so meplat on the bullet to be even more effective than a hollow point at the velocities you mention. WFNs tend to perform better with a little more tough alloy. The mix you mention is fine but might be better if you heat-treated them at the same time you powder-coat by baking a little hotter and a lot longer than the paint requires....then immediately quenching from the oven in a bucket of cool water.
 
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popper

Well-Known Member
That is pretty much new WW alloy. GCd? A wide fps range so you could HT for faster and AC for slower, PC different colors to differentiate. I'm tinkering with a 1% Sb with a tad of Zn & Cu, AC, does pretty good (expansion) in 30/30, 185gr GC FN, BLL pushed hard. If the alloy holds to the rifling the GC keeps the base good. Got good expansion on a pig carcass gut but hard alloy in 40sw TC does the job too. I agree with Ian's comment.
 

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
I am waiting for my Soc. Sec. funds so i can order a Go gauge. Everything else is done but head spacing the barrel. Well i just realized i still have to bed the action.
I have about a hundred loaded rounds ready for fireforming brass. Then i will start searching for my hunting loads.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
one guy I know is running the lyman 200gr swc at about 1500 fps as a fun plinker load.
i mentioned to him I don't quite push it that hard in my 45 colt but he now gets the idea.

if I were to try the 450 I believe I would go to a 300 to 350gr bullet area and work from that area like slim did, then I could mimic 454 casull type speeds.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have been using a couple molds in mine but a favorite is a older Lyman 457191. Drops a 300g 458 Bullet I squeeze to 454 after powder coat. 985A3FDB-FE7D-4552-8C09-892148B87354.jpeg

This past summer I bought a NOE group buy mold that drops a 285g fp, a 270g HP and a 275g CUP point. It shoots good but not as good as the Lyman.
DD5C852D-7EA5-4895-B833-C39BC4919E57.jpeg

Now I have another to try. Its a Classic Lyman 457122 HP. I have high hopes. But havent fired ine yet.

4227 and 5744 have been good for me.

Mine is a Ruger American Bolt.

CW
 

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
I am all set for season. My load is made up both for 450gr. and 305gr. bullets.
The only problem i have finding a magazine that works for the 450 BM. I haven't looked into it yet.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I tried 450’s as I have a good 425 & 450g but they seated so deeply they flaired the case enough they didnt chamber well and encroched so
Much on powder cap I gave up on them F4C8AEC6-1302-4F33-8FDD-645A274C2584.jpegB00B913D-9613-4A35-910E-9A6FB8326FC1.jpeg
 
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CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
Yup!

For me not practical. Ill use them in the 45/70. I had to size down in two steps to get to 454 anyhow!!

I like 275-300 grains max in the bush master. I dont need it for such heavies.

Im a lil excited about my new Gould Express bullet in the BM tho. Its 336g in my alloy. But cast of WW and a hp I should be in the 1300 fps range with my charge of 5744. Hoping it shoots well It will be my hunting bullet!

My second choice is a 260 Barnes solid copper that I found & bought 400 pcs for a steal cost of 60$. They are made for the 454 so Ill target about 16-1700 fps. Hoping 33/35g AA9 hits that.

But I would rather use a cast.

CW
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
solid?
like I'm gonna hunt water buffalo with my casull solid?

after seeing the 450's numbers I am really regretting not buying either that model 92 in 480 Ruger, or the one in 454,,, or both.
I figured I could wait another week or so and get them a bit cheaper.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
Hahahaah. Well YES, SOLID Copper... But they are a deep wide HP thats scored for expansion!!

I shot all today... Was a bit suprized!!

The 335g Gould Express was shooting 1”@100y at a velocity of 1600 fps. Faster then expected.

The 260g HP was traveling 2355!!! ThIs on also shot about 1.25” @100!!

The 260 carries 3200+ FPE while
The Gould Express was almost 2000 FPE.

67DCD026-687A-4CA1-8F3D-2B35FFB06D07.jpegB39D07C7-3F9F-4745-8C1D-AD982124F110.jpeg

Clean cut holes where Copper HP and the tighter group was the Gould Express! Both @ 100 Yards.
 
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Ian

Notorious member
That's pretty good, outshooting copper monos with lead monos. My AR in .458 Socom does about 2" for five at 100 with 500-grain powder coated subsonic, suppressed hammers of Thor, and that's with a cheap 3 MOA red dot. It's amazing how well those big, slow, heavy slugs can group.