Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .450 Bushmaster with .454 | 255gr | Hornady Lead Bullets 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>> | 88% | 35,230 psi | 90% | 2014 fps | 96.7% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,693 psi | 89% | 2178 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,598 psi | 63% | 1329 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 98% | 33,736 psi | 86% | 2083 fps | 96.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,757 psi | 61% | 1362 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,286 psi | 85% | 2011 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 92% | 33,895 psi | 87% | 2073 fps | 99.9% |
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>> | 84% | 31,241 psi | 80% | 1942 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,139 psi | 77% | 2096 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,970 psi | 46% | 1191 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 30,081 psi | 77% | 2014 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 11.3 gr | 80% | 17,303 psi | 44% | 1217 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 27 gr | 80% | 19,870 psi | 51% | 1716 fps | 97.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 28.2 gr | 80% | 23,931 psi | 61% | 1870 fps | 98% |
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 11 powders for .450 Bushmaster loaded with the .454 | 255gr | Hornady Lead Bullets. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,178 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,329 fps to 2,178 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 11 of the 11 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (270 MPa), the top charges use 61–90 %, 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 .454 | 255gr | Hornady Lead Bullets they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate No. 11 FS, IMR 4227, ReloadSwiss RS 36 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.