Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .450 Bushmaster with .452 | 240gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Fracturing bullet and 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,012 psi | 89% | 2080 fps | 95.9% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 86% | 33,750 psi | 86% | 2244 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,467 psi | 60% | 1368 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,084 psi | 87% | 2087 fps | 99.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,452 psi | 57% | 1398 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,835 psi | 79% | 2044 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 34,983 psi | 89% | 2169 fps | 99.8% |
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>> | 88% | 32,866 psi | 84% | 2041 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,209 psi | 69% | 2116 fps | 99.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,752 psi | 43% | 1220 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,155 psi | 82% | 2051 fps | 98.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 11.4 gr | 80% | 16,201 psi | 41% | 1250 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 27.1 gr | 80% | 18,057 psi | 46% | 1726 fps | 96.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 28.3 gr | 80% | 21,495 psi | 55% | 1880 fps | 96.4% |
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 | 240gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Fracturing. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,244 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,368 fps to 2,244 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 57–89 %, 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 .452 | 240gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Fracturing they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate No. 11 FS 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.