Does anybody have experience hunting with the .450 bushmaster in Africa?

[LostinTexas_45]

I am looking for an excuse to get one LOL

 

[fsrmg1]

Might be difficult (if not impossible) to bring use an auto loader on safari, and there are many other better options than the bolt version.

 

[LostinTexas_45]

Might be difficult (if not impossible) to bring use an auto loader on safari, and there are many other better options than the bolt version.

My apologies. I didnt specify the type of rifle I am looking into. It is a Ruger bolt-action .450 bushmaster.

 

[LostinTexas_45]

I know there are so many tried-and-true calibers out there... but I would love to see how this relatively new round does on African game

 

[Red Leg]

None - but a 250 gr bullet at a little over 2000 FPS in that large a caliber has the BC and balistics of a dirt clod. And at less than 2k FPs of energy at 100 meters it seems marginal for use on an angry impala. Would not be anything of serious interest to me for an investment like an African hunt.

Many of these new calibers created for the AR platform are designed to bag buyers rather than game.

 

[ChrisG]

I am looking for an excuse to get one LOL

Just sold mine yesterday. It is a solution looking for a problem. It shoots light bullets designed for handguns at rifle velocities. Terminal performance will be hit and miss. Never took anything with it but it jammed up constantly (Ruger bolt gun). Mainly because the action is wayyyy too big for the cartridge. There are just so many better options that will do everything the .450 will with none of the drawbacks

 

[crs]

Mmmm ?
Mostly negative reviews on that cartridge - rifle combination.

Possibly you should revisit your objectives.

For instance, which African animals do you want to hunt? All plains game can be taken with medium bore cartridges.

Do you want a big bore ( .400 or larger) just to shoot for fun? There are many proven cartridges that are available in reliable firearms.

Have fun with your project.

BTW, in what part of Texas are you lost?

 

[LostinTexas_45]

Haha all of it. It’s a big state.

Mmmm ?
Mostly negative reviews on that cartridge - rifle combination.

Possibly you should revisit your objectives.

For instance, which African animals do you want to hunt? All plains game can be taken with medium bore cartridges.

Do you want a big bore ( .400 or larger) just to shoot for fun? There are many proven cartridges that are available in reliable firearms.

Have fun with your project.

BTW, in what part of Texas are you lost?

 

[LostinTexas_45]

Just sold mine yesterday. It is a solution looking for a problem. It shoots light bullets designed for handguns at rifle velocities. Terminal performance will be hit and miss. Never took anything with it but it jammed up constantly (Ruger bolt gun). Mainly because the action is wayyyy too big for the cartridge. There are just so many better options that will do everything the .450 will with none of the drawbacks

Did you have the American ranch model or the guide gun?

 

[ChrisG]

Did you have the American ranch model or the guide gun?

The ranch. But I have owned a scout rifle in the past by Ruger and also wasn't impressed. Other than the iron sights which are nice, the rifle was unwieldy and impossible to carry because of the stupid detachable Mag. They should have just made it out of a standard m77 IMO. Also the brake on these guns is just stupid and unnecessary. With full house loads it kicked about like a .30/06. The cartridge itself is more what didn't impress me. The rifles are OK other than the ranch jammed constantly if you fed it at anything fast that a rushed crawl. The cartridge is neither fish nor foul. It's a pistol round trying to be a rifle round. As such it is neither

 

[sierraone]

Have never fired, (probably never have seen) a .450 Bushmaster. Just another one of many cartridges designed during the last 10-20 years that serve no purpose, and actually replaced zero! Kinda like we need a 500 gr projectile traveling 3300 fps so we can hunt buffalo at 625 yards!!!

 

[ActionBob]

I know there are so many tried-and-true calibers out there... but I would love to see how this relatively new round does on African game

Young Man if you really want to hunt a lot as your profile says, please don't waste your money on such a caliber. Ruger has so many more suitable calibers available.

Now, try reading and researching the huge wealth of knowledge on this site. A lot of the questions you may wish to ask have likely been addressed already.

And if you are really just looking for some kind of "kick" from a big bore gun, let us know what general region of Texas you spend most of your time being lost in and one of us just may may help arrange to let you shoot one of our true big bore African hunting calibers. If the logistics work out, I'll let you shoot one of my 505 Gibbs guns sometime... And if you like, even explain how. Or let you take a shot first, and then explain it to you

I have seen you called a Troll a couple times already, and by some very respected members..... Yet so many of us give lip service to wanting young hunters recruited and brought into the sport. So do a nice introduction (maybe I missed it?) and maybe go to the jobs thread and tell us about what you do. Tell us more about yourself, and do more research before asking some of the redundant questions, and then perhaps you can come back with more of your own questions. If you are for real, many on here will want to help you succeed.

 

[IvW]

In .450 cal you want to shoot 500 or 550 gr bullets, if not buy a smaller caliber.

 

[ChrisG]

In .450 cal you want to shoot 500 or 550 gr bullets, if not buy a smaller caliber.

I agree. The problem with the .450 Bushmaster is that it uses .452 caliber pistol bullets not .458 rifle bullets. So you're limited to bullets that can be used in the .460 S&W Magnum or .454 casull. For fun you can shoot any .451-.452 bullets including cast. But the Sectional Density on all the jacketed bullets you will find for it is abysmal and they are all almost universally designed to work at 1,200-1,800 fps. Not at 2,200 fps. They tend to come apart. This is born out by the use of these bullets in a modern muzzleloader. They almost always over expand. not what I would stake a $15,000 trip on that's for sure.

 

[LostinTexas_45]

Young Man if you really want to hunt a lot as your profile says, please don't waste your money on such a caliber. Ruger has so many more suitable calibers available.

Now, try reading and researching the huge wealth of knowledge on this site. A lot of the questions you may wish to ask have likely been addressed already.

And if you are really just looking for some kind of "kick" from a big bore gun, let us know what general region of Texas you spend most of your time being lost in and one of us just may may help arrange to let you shoot one of our true big bore African hunting calibers. If the logistics work out, I'll let you shoot one of my 505 Gibbs guns sometime... And if you like, even explain how. Or let you take a shot first, and then explain it to you

I have seen you called a Troll a couple times already, and by some very respected members..... Yet so many of us give lip service to wanting young hunters recruited and brought into the sport. So do a nice introduction (maybe I missed it?) and maybe go to the jobs thread and tell us about what you do. Tell us more about yourself, and do more research before asking some of the redundant questions, and then perhaps you can come back with more of your own questions. If you are for real, many on here will want to help you succeed.

Thanks for the advice. I don’t know anybody who owns a .450 bushmaster and I had heard a couple good things about it and I was curious.

I apologize for my apparently redundant questions. Not only am I new to the world of African hunting, but I am also new to this website.

Well, you wanted an introduction and this is as good a time/place for one as any.
I have zero experience in hunting in Africa. However, I have been hunting in Texas for most of my life. I have hunted deer (of course), hogs, upland fowl, and the occasional exotic (blackbuck and Texas dall ram). However I am still learning and I always will be learning.

You also asked about what my job is. I promise I’m not a troll that works for Ruger or what ever y’all were thinking. I am a dockhand at Pelican Rest Marina. That’s pretty much it....

 

[ActionBob]

Thanks for the info Lost. A quick google look at this round came up with the following Hornady data... .452-cal. bullets weighing 250 gr. or 260 gr. from a 1.70" long cartridge case at velocities over 2000 fps. The resulting round boasts performance on par with the .45-70 Gov't but in a more compact configuration.

Furthermore there was a picture of the Ruger American chambered in it and it had a muzzle brake. If you research this issue on this site you will find that Muzzle Brakes are not quite but almost universally hated. If you don't already know this, a muzzle brake directs not only part of the gas (thus reducing recoil) to the sides and back, but also the noise. Now imagine you are a PH in Africa and your client has such a device on his rifle. As a PH, you very likely do not have hearing protection in because 1.you need to be listening for game and on a DG hunt especially, be completely aware and using all your senses at all times. 2.Hearing protection that allows you to still hear is expensive and may require hard to get batteries. 3. May be uncomfortable and sweaty to wear. 2. May reduce your image of being the tough PH

And as a PH, it is your job to be watching through your binos to make last second trophy evaluations, direct your hunter to shoot the correct animal, watch for shot placement, animal reaction, and to follow the animal after the shot.... So you often cannot put your fingers in your ears.

Now you will find many instances where a client with one of these hated devices on his rifle making a claim that his PH did not mind him using a muzzle brake... When the truth is the PH was pissed to see him show up with, or swore under his breath when asked if it was ok to bring it, and then in the interest of acquiring a paying client, mumbled something about it being fine

Back to that round, It certainly can kill animals at close range. But is has terrible ballistics so long shots are definitely out, unless you do artillery calculations and drop it like a mortar shell. You will be much better off with a simple 30-06 or 300 WM.

Not that it would be my first choice, but if you want a big bore low cost Ruger, get a Guide Gun in 416 Ruger (or possibly the more practical 375 Ruger).

 

[Divernhunter]

And I may point out that it really is not like a 45-70 because the 45-70 uses a heavier bullet designed for a rifle. Often in the 405-500gr weight area. Yes it is slower usually but the 45-70 will be more effective as a hunting cartridge. I have a 45-70 and a 454Casull and can tell the difference when using them.
My 2 Cents

 

[mdwest]

If you absolutely must have a bolt gun in one of the new fangled 45 calibers, I'd consider .458 socom before I would 450 bushmaster.

.458 rifle bullets are used on the socom rather than pistol bullets, and you'd be looking at pushing a 250gr bullet 2150fps, or a 300gr bullet 1900fps.. (a little better than factory loaded 45-70 performance, using the same projectiles that a .45-70 uses)..

It still wont be a DG gun.. but it would work just fine on any PG you would want to hunt out to 100 yards or so I am sure..

That said, if youre seriously talking about a hunting rifle, and specifically a hunting rifle for Africa, my recommendation would be the same as others in this thread.. drop the idea of a 45 cal cartridge designed for use in an AR type rifle, and just get yourself a .45-70 if you are limiting yourself to close in PG hunting, or if its truly a big bore that is what is appealing to you, take the plunge and buy a .375 ruger or .375 H&H instead..

The .375's can be used to hunt anything from duiker to elephant if youre so inclined in Africa.. and also make good medicine for quite a bit of game in the Western Hemisphere as well..

 

[RStien321]

450Bushmaster has taken off for hunting primarily due to states like Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa allowing them for whitetail deer hunting when traditionally only shotgun slugs were allowed. For all the calibers shortcomings it sure does beat the heck out of shooting slugs! I wouldn’t hesitate to use a 450 on a baited Black bear hunt either. Some like it for hogs, but I’d venture that would be in the AR platform.

I think you would be disappointed with the caliber in Africa. While it may perform well on some game on short shots in the bushveld, you’d be very limited if a longer shot was required due to the low velocity and low bullet sectional density.

 

[19_A_CPT]

I have a 450 Bushmaster and love the round but not neccesarily what I would take to Africa.
With that being said, a .30 caliber (308, 30-06, 300 WinMag) will kill all the plains game minus what's deemed the dangerous game.

If you're thinking about dangerous game with the 450, will it kill a buff or hippo? Probably....however, does the 450 have decent bullets for penetration for those animals? Probably not. Again, I have an AR in 450 Bushmaster and shoot Remington Accutips majority of the time through it. As long as the guide is ok allowing you to take it, which he probably would, by all means fire away. The shells are much cheaper than the normal Africa rounds (375H*H, 9.3x62, 416 Rigby, 404 Jeff, etc), but I would stick to a more suited cartridge. If all else fails, rent the guide's rifle (probably a 375) and enjoy the hunt during and not have to worry about bringing your own rifle in.