About .450 Bushmaster
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to talk about
.450 Bushmaster today. The cartridge has persisted in use for nearly 20 years and is employed by many shooters and hunters. Our goal today is to provide a brief overview of the cartridge while delving into traits, features, use cases, and other considerations. Without further ado, let’s talk about
.450 Bushmaster.
What is .450 Bushmaster?
The
.450 Bushmaster cartridge was developed and introduced in 2007 by Tim LeGendre of LeMag Firearms. Originally designated as the .45 Professional the cartridge was later licensed to Bushmaster Firearms International, or BFI, where it picked up its present name. The
.450 Bushmaster’s parent case is the .284 Winchester and was developed in accordance with the “Thumper” concept proposed by Jeff Cooper. Essentially, this concept outlined the idea of a big bore cartridge designed for use in a semi-automatic rifle like an AR-15.
The length of a
.450 Bushmaster cartridge is quite similar to that of the
.223 Remington cartridge. This overall length was desirable and ultimately chosen to promote reliable cycling in semi-automatic firearms. While the
.223 Remington features a tapered case and prominent neck, the
.450 Bushmaster is a straight-walled cartridge. Projectiles are also considerably larger and heavier on the
.450 Bushmaster than they are in
.223 Remington loadings. Additionally, the
.450 Bushmaster loadings are considerably thicker than those used in
.223 Remington loadings.
The cartridge boasts a flat trajectory out to distances of around 200 yards. Recoil is more than that of a
.223 Remington but less than something like a
.30-06 Springfield and
.308 Winchester. When used in semi-automatic firearms or with the addition of a muzzle brake or suppressor, recoil becomes tamer. .452” diameter projectiles and velocities of around 2,000 – 2,200 FPS ensure effective expansion and considerable energy transfer upon impact. These high velocities also aid in maintaining the cartridge’s relatively flat trajectory. The cartridge is currently employed by shooters of all types for a variety of purposes.
Purchase .450 Bushmaster Ammo
AR Versatility
As mentioned above, the cartridge was purpose-built to provide semi-automatic rifles with a potent large bore cartridge. As the AR-15 is the most popular centerfire rifle in the United States, it is one of the chosen hosts of the
.450 Bushmaster. During development of the cartridge, when it was still called .45 Professional, Tim LeGendre delivered an AR-15 chambered in the new round to Jeff Cooper as a proof of concept.
The round is well-suited to use in AR-15s due to its overall length and fact that it is compatible with standard receivers and magazines. An end user can easily acquire a complete upper receiver in
.450 Bushmaster and convert an existing rifle to accommodate the round. Standard AR-15 magazines will also accommodate
.450 Bushmaster ammunition in a single stacked fashion with a reduced overall capacity.
Most gun owners in the United States own AR-15s, making the
.450 Bushmaster an incredibly accessible cartridge. If an AR-15 owner wanted to keep things simple, they could simply acquire uppers in different compatible calibers for different use cases, such as acquiring a
.450 Bushmaster upper for hunting. All in all, the
.450 Bushmaster cartridge is well-suited for AR use and embodies Jeff Cooper’s “Thumper” concept.
How Available is .450 Bushmaster Ammunition?
At this point in time,
.450 Bushmaster ammo is somewhat elusive when it comes to availability of
ammunition. It is not as available as more contemporary cartridges such as
.223 Remington,
5.56x45mm NATO, and
.308 Winchester. That being said, finding
.450 Bushmaster ammunition is not an impossible task by any means. Various companies produce loadings for the caliber such as
Hornady,
Precision One,
Winchester, and
Barnes. These
ammunition offerings include specialized offerings optimal for use cases such as hunting and suppressed shooting.
While stock of the round may be elusive on store shelves, one may have better luck if they
shop for ammo online. By electing to
buy ammunition online, one essentially frees themselves from the constraints placed upon them by what is in stock locally. Basically, one will have a wider range of options online as opposed to what is on shelves around them in most cases. This can be particularly helpful if one is trying to locate a specific loading for their particular use case. All in all, while the round may be a bit harder to track down, one will ultimately be able to find
.450 Bushmaster ammo if they set their mind to it.
How Available are Firearms Chambered in .450 Bushmaster?
Like
.450 Bushmaster ammo, firearms chambered in
.450 Bushmaster are somewhat limited as far as availability goes. This is not to say it is hard to find something chambered in
.450 Bushmaster, offerings are not as common as firearms in calibers like
5.56x45mm NATO,
.308 Winchester, and
6.5 Creedmoor. Some firearms retailers tend to stock popular, long-standing firearms and calibers exclusively, meaning that newer and more recent products may not be on hand. That being said, one can always inquire about special ordering a firearm or looking online for options.
At this point in time, companies such as Bushmaster, Ruger, Bergara, and Henry Repeating Arms produce firearms in the caliber. Additionally, one can find a number of AR-15 manufacturers offering firearms, uppers, and components which support
.450 Bushmaster. It is quite possible and easy for an end user to build an AR-15 of their own in the caliber. All in all, if you would like to track down a firearm or build a firearm in
.450 Bushmaster, you will be able to. Regardless of whether one prefers traditional designs or modern offerings, one will be able to acquire a
.450 Bushmaster firearm suitable for their needs.
Purchase .450 Bushmaster Ammo
.450 Bushmaster in Hunting Applications
The
.450 Bushmaster is well-suited to hunting applications, especially when pursuing medium to larger-sized game. The cartridge is particularly suitable for dispatching game such as hog, deer, elk, and certain types of bears like black bears. As a straight-walled cartridge, the
.450 Bushmaster allows hunters in areas that restrict typical rifle cartridges for hunting use to still get out into the field.
When it comes to hunting, regardless of the caliber, one should ensure that they are utilizing proper
ammunition, firearms, equipment, and practices to ensure an effective hunt. Not only does one optimize their hunt, but one also ensures that any game dispatched is taken ethically and humanely. All in all, the
.450 Bushmaster will be more than adequate for a variety of hunters and their purposes.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the
.450 Bushmaster represents a relatively new cartridge which is growing in popularity and building its reputation. The versatility of the round in various use cases and firearms paired with its potency as a hunting cartridge make it well-suited to the needs of many shooters. We here at True Shot Ammo offer a range of
.450 Bushmaster ammo for sale. These loadings are available in the form of specialized loadings tailored for purposes such as hunting use and suppressed shooting. Whether you are looking to buy
.450 Bushmaster ammunition or are after another type of
ammo, we here at True Shot Ammo have you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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