Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .450 Bushmaster with .451 | 260gr | MAGTECH FMJ Flat bullet and 8 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Lovex S053, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,171 psi | 87% | 2067 fps | 98.1% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,403 psi | 88% | 2241 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,368 psi | 67% | 1401 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,287 psi | 88% | 2159 fps | 98.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,788 psi | 66% | 1437 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,026 psi | 87% | 2070 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,272 psi | 88% | 2129 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,027 psi | 89% | 2218 fps | 97.8% |
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% | 32,256 psi | 82% | 2031 fps | 97.7% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 30,501 psi | 78% | 2159 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,276 psi | 49% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | 35.7 gr | 82% | 25,846 psi | 66% | 1978 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 13.3 gr | 80% | 18,623 psi | 48% | 1283 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 31.9 gr | 80% | 23,482 psi | 60% | 1860 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,645 psi | 73% | 2024 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 92% | 27,702 psi | 71% | 2064 fps | 95.1% |
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 16 powders for .450 Bushmaster loaded with the .451 | 260gr | MAGTECH FMJ Flat. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,241 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,401 fps to 2,241 fps. ADI AR 2207 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 16 of the 16 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (270 MPa), the top charges use 66–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. ADI AR 2207, Hodgdon TrailBoss, IMR 4198 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, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .450 Bushmaster with the .451 | 260gr | MAGTECH FMJ Flat they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Alliant Reloder-7, IMR 4198, IMR 4227 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.