Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .450 Bushmaster with .451 | 230gr | Nosler FMJ bullet and 7 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Lovex S053, Vihtavuori N110 and SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,635 psi | 88% | 2231 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,447 psi | 88% | 2402 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,366 psi | 62% | 1496 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 96% | 33,678 psi | 86% | 2313 fps | 97.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,163 psi | 59% | 1526 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,215 psi | 90% | 2260 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 90% | 33,518 psi | 86% | 2290 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,601 psi | 73% | 2106 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,850 psi | 81% | 2352 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,260 psi | 44% | 1335 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | 40.5 gr | 90% | 28,050 psi | 72% | 2192 fps | 95.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,520 psi | 42% | 1365 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 33 gr | 80% | 20,030 psi | 51% | 1923 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 34.4 gr | 80% | 24,424 psi | 62% | 2096 fps | 98.7% |
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 15 powders for .450 Bushmaster loaded with the .451 | 230gr | Nosler FMJ. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,402 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,496 fps to 2,402 fps. ADI AR 2207 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 15 of the 15 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (270 MPa), the top charges use 59–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. ADI AR 2207, Hodgdon TrailBoss, 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. Lovex S053, Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 rank at the top here: for .450 Bushmaster with the .451 | 230gr | Nosler FMJ they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, ADI AR 2207, IMR 4227, Lovex D063 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.