.45 Raptor/.460 S&W bolt action Rifle loads?

[TheWhitetailNut]

I'm checking to see if anyone has updated info on handloading this cartridge for a LR Midwest legal deer rifle. I recently drove to Michigan to handle a Gunwerks .450 BM and nearly bought it. I loved the way it felt in hand and realized it would be perfect either from my Redneck Blind in Illinois or one of my treestands in Indiana or SW Michigan. I was struggling with the $10,700 price tag for a one trick pony though and the bolt was really sticky so I left D&R without it.

But I could not get it out of my mind, even though I have a smokeless MZ that is 400 FPS faster already. So I checked my components stash made a couple of phone calls. Obviously hunting is underway and my normal gunsmiths were 3-6 months out. Long story short, I'm persistent and a Pure Precision SKLTN and Brux barrel chambered in .45 Raptor should start making their journey to the Midwest tomorrow.

I plan to shoot the 327gr. Parker Black Max, I also have 275's for my MZ in case. It looks like H110 and Win 296 are the standard powders. Just about everything I can find is geared to Pistols and AR's and short range use. Does anyone here have a high performance load? I have a 21" Barrel and wonder about a slower powder. I shoot IMR 4198 in the MZ, but that charge is 59 gr. It looks like on the dummy rounds I used to set up the 2.850" COAL there is room for 49gr. of H110. I primed with GM215M's for max velocity.

 

[PA farmboy]

I load a 240gr bear creek bullet, believe its 52gr H110 and its going 2700fps. 22" brux barrel. Super accurate gun, have shot groups under .3" with it.

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

I load a 240gr bear creek bullet, believe its 52gr H110 and its going 2700fps. 22" brux barrel. Super accurate gun, have shot groups under .3" with it.

That is very encouraging. Everything I could find on H110 indicated issues with ignition centered around case fill and fire (primer). I filled cases with 41-44gr. which is consistent with most max pistol loads and measured the available case volume. Then I seated the bullets to kiss the powder column to reduce inconsistency. I'm hoping to be able to shoot much bigger charges but want to be disciplined while working up.

 

[Pilsner]

The 450 BM is capable of being a long range round? I thought the entire purpose of the straight wall restrictions was to ensure that only short range rounds would be legal since they were replacing shotgun slugs?
I am assuming that you're going to need to handload the 450 to get any appreciable distance out of it...?
Never really looked into the 450 since I moved out of the Midwest within a year or two of straight walls becoming legal.

 

[PA farmboy]

I looked at my data, I used 52.5gr, and COAL is 2.650". I caution you tho that powder charge fills the case pretty well and bullet compresses the powder, so I would work your way up to it. I use large rifle magnum primers in it as well. Shot 5 deer with it last year, none made it a step.

450 bushmaster you can get semi close to raptor velocities, if you chamber it in a bolt action. The bushmaster I used before I had my raptor built was going around 2450fps if I remember right. It was in a cva cascade, hasn't moved from the safe since I built my raptor.

 

[RockAndSage]

I'm checking to see if anyone has updated info on handloading this cartridge for a LR Midwest legal deer rifle. I recently drove to Michigan to handle a Gunwerks .450 BM and nearly bought it. I loved the way it felt in hand and realized it would be perfect either from my Redneck Blind in Illinois or one of my treestands in Indiana or SW Michigan. I was struggling with the $10,700 price tag for a one trick pony though and the bolt was really sticky so I left D&R without it.

But I could not get it out of my mind, even though I have a smokeless MZ that is 400 FPS faster already. So I checked my components stash made a couple of phone calls. Obviously hunting is underway and my normal gunsmiths were 3-6 months out. Long story short, I'm persistent and a Pure Precision SKLTN and Brux barrel chambered in .45 Raptor should start making their journey to the Midwest tomorrow.

I plan to shoot the 327gr. Parker Black Max, I also have 275's for my MZ in case. It looks like H110 and Win 296 are the standard powders. Just about everything I can find is geared to Pistols and AR's and short range use. Does anyone here have a high performance load? I have a 21" Barrel and wonder about a slower powder. I shoot IMR 4198 in the MZ, but that charge is 59 gr. It looks like on the dummy rounds I used to set up the 2.850" COAL there is room for 49gr. of H110. I primed with GM215M's for max velocity.

Cool project, would love to see build photos as it comes along.