450 Bushmaster drawback

[Albritton]

I purchased a Ruger ranch rifle in 450 Bushmaster, short, light and clover leaf accurate. I love carrying and climbing with it but I am use to using flinging light higher velocity bullets at White tails and learned a valuable lesson in slow large bore rifles. I decided to take my new "thumper" to a stand that I have that consistently produces big does for my freezer. I needed two does to meet my yearly venison needs. At first light a 145 lb doe showed up and as I usually do I placed a 250 grain bullet through the crease behind her shoulder. She hunched up, kicked and ran into the thick. decided to stay a while and see if the second doe I needed would show. 2 hrs later she did and I placed another 250 grn in the same place as the first one. she also ran into the thick. Expecting to find them both within 20 to 40 yds in the thick where most of my .308 shot deer fall I got down and walked into the briars. No deer. Good blood trais but no deer. I followed the blood trails and found them both about 50 yards apart.......................about 90 yds from where I shot em. Both rounds were dead on behind the shoulder and both passed through. Was like stabbing em both with a piece of #5 rebar LOL.
I am using Hornady black ammo with the 250gr FTX ballistic tipped bullets. If I was shootin bear I would have been happy with the penetration but the entry holes were basically the same as the exit holes in size.
Guess I am gonna have to find some hollow points for my Thumper if I am gonna continue to shoot shoot my meat deer behind the shoulder. I know I could shoulder shoot em and most likely they will DRT but don't like doin that on my meat does.
oh yeah the second drawback is this little rifle with its 16.5' barrel and needed muzzle brake is extremely hard on the ears. I am 63 years old and am already mostly deaf from a lifetime of huntin but I would not allow my grandkids to hunt with it without hearing protection LOL.

 

[RT2506]

Yep same result shooting cast bullets out of my 1874 Sharps copy 45-70. It is like the old timers used to say, "you can eat right up to the bullet hole". They do run off a ways before they bleed out. If you want to kill them DRT most of the time load up some Sierra 300 gr HPs. They usually have fist size holes as exits also. You need to do what I do to save your hearing. I wear a pair of the ribbed rubber ear plugs that are attached with a string around my neck. When I see a deer I just pop them in my ears quickly. Yep I am 61 and half deaf also so I need to preserve what hearing I have left.

 

[Albritton]

I do wear a game ear with gunshot cancellation in one ear, I truly do need to get another one and wear in both ears. I can't tell you how many deer I hear comin long before I see em. It's definately an advantage I don't wanna give up by wearing plugs but I do hear you and prolly will buy another game ear this off season.
I haven't had a chance to shoot a big hog with the 450 but I am sure it will pass through, I have never hunted with a big bore rifle before and am definately impressed with the penetration aspect of the round, not so much with the wound channel though.

 

[J E Custom]

Starting out at 2200 ft/sec they lose velocity fast and depending on the distance, if they encounter only soft tissue they may not expand very well. but if you clip the back of the shoulder they will knock deer on there ***. On hogs (What I use my 450 for) they will roll a 300 lb hog.

If you reload, you can try the 250 grain Hornady FTX Magnum. Be sure and buy the FTX Mag because they are made for higher velocities for the 454 Casull the regular FTX is made for pistol velocities and may be
to explosive. Bullets for the 450 bushmaster are .452 diameter (Like many of the pistol bullets) so the selection is limited for rifle velocities.

I also use the FTX magnums for my 460 S&W at comparable velocities with good success.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Albritton]

First doe was at 30 yds, second was at 80. I actually thought about the back edge of the scapula might be enough bone to transmit the rounds energy better while also double lungin em.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I have the same rifle and love its' accuracy. It's my first rifle with a brake and this series of posts has convinced me to carry some foam plugs all the time when I shoot it in the field. That and the need for other bullet types for the 450BM.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I have shot several deer with the 450.

In general, I expect any deer to run no matter what I use, unless I'm lucky enough to get a spine/CNS shot, which I don't usually try for. It's just what they do. One of mine this year dropped, spun around and was DRT but that was only one of them.

I purposely purchased the Ruger from Randy's Hunting Center with the 22 inch NON-braked barrel to get a bit better velocity and avoid the exact noise/flame problem that you noticed. I have worked on my hunting partner's Rugers WITH the brake and shot them many times. I hate them compared to mine, and recommend the non-braked version to anyone looking to buy a Ruger in 450 BM.

 

[Albritton]

I have shot several deer with the 450.

In general, I expect any deer to run no matter what I use, unless I'm lucky enough to get a spine/CNS shot, which I don't usually try for. It's just what they do. One of mine this year dropped, spun around and was DRT but that was only one of them.

I purposely purchased the Ruger from Randy's Hunting Center with the 22 inch NON-braked barrel to get a bit better velocity and avoid the exact noise/flame problem that you noticed. I have worked on my hunting partner's Rugers WITH the brake and shot them many times. I hate them compared to mine, and recommend the non-braked version to anyone looking to buy a Ruger in 450 BM.

Oh I could shoulder shoot em and dump em on the spot but I don't shoot my meat deer deer (does) in the shoulder due to meet loss. Our average meat processing cost here in the South East is up to $70 so I try to get the most for my money. The farther they run down here the better the chance of non recovery due to thick terrain, standing water in the swamps and losing the blood trail. Yes I have shot deer with my 300 mag through the lungs and have em run but not 90 to 100 yards. I have long ago mothballed my 300 for white tails, it's overkill LOL.
Reason I bought the Ranch version with the 16" barrel is the ease of maneuverability in a climber. I even purchased a Ruger youth stock to further shorten the rifle, makes it a lot easier to shoulder when wearing a heavy jacket and reduced the rifle length to 36 1/2". I can remove the brake if I really wanted to but with break I can see bullet impact which I like to do. I agree that buying the 22" barrel version would help with noise but I would lose maneuverability, not a choice I personally am willing to give up.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Zero problems with maneuverability here in a treestand with the 22 incher. I've used longer barrels than this in the past. These rifles don't kick enough, in my experience, to not see the deer react and know what happens.

And, I don't shoulder shoot them either. Well, not intentionally, but can't recall the last one that was hit in the shoulder either.

 

[twister]

yeah definitely more like archery hunting when you shoot through the ribs with the heavies. they need something good to expand a lot. or you can always shoot them the long way.

 

[Albritton]

Exactly what I thought of initially. No biggie like I said I have never hunted with big bore Ammo except my muzzleloader and it was just a new learning experience for me. Ballistics are the same as my muzzleloader basically ya think I would correlated the two but it got past me somehow. Like I said it will really shine when I send it through a 250lb boars shoulder, am sure it will pass through.