Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .450 Bushmaster with .451 | 185gr | Hornady HAP bullet and 6 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,113 psi | 87% | 2657 fps | 99.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,278 psi | 57% | 1647 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,621 psi | 88% | 2493 fps | 98.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 20,958 psi | 54% | 1680 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,283 psi | 75% | 2388 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,041 psi | 89% | 2572 fps | 99.3% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,237 psi | 64% | 2448 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 15,664 psi | 40% | 1473 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,487 psi | 78% | 2402 fps | 97.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 13.8 gr | 80% | 14,852 psi | 38% | 1503 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 34.6 gr | 84% | 18,753 psi | 48% | 2083 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 36.1 gr | 84% | 22,553 psi | 58% | 2270 fps | 95.5% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 9 powders for .450 Bushmaster loaded with the .451 | 185gr | Hornady HAP. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,657 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,647 fps to 2,657 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 9 of the 9 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (270 MPa), the top charges use 54–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, Lovex S053, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .450 Bushmaster with the .451 | 185gr | Hornady HAP they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate No. 11 FS, ADI AR 2205, Lovex S053 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.