Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .450 Bushmaster with .452 | 200gr | LOS SWC bullet and 5 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>> | 84% | 34,650 psi | 88% | 2552 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,482 psi | 63% | 1601 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,467 psi | 60% | 1634 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,417 psi | 85% | 2369 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 92% | 33,765 psi | 86% | 2434 fps | 99.5% |
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% | 30,037 psi | 77% | 2457 fps | 99.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,666 psi | 45% | 1430 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 13.8 gr | 80% | 17,100 psi | 44% | 1463 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 32.9 gr | 80% | 19,667 psi | 50% | 2011 fps | 96.5% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 34.4 gr | 80% | 23,714 psi | 61% | 2192 fps | 96.8% |
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 .452 | 200gr | LOS SWC. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,552 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,601 fps to 2,552 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 60–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 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 .452 | 200gr | LOS SWC they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate No. 11 FS, Vihtavuori N120 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.