New Ruger MPR 450 Bushmaster

[Joec7651]

I traded a mid-grade AR-15 I built, for a new Ruger MPR 450 Bushmaster today. From the looks of the rifle, bolt face, bore, and how tight the action is I don't think it’s ever been fired. The finish is still fully intact on all moving parts.
An acquaintance bought it from a Cashland that sold it as a 5.56. Don’t ask me how but that’s what happened. I know, I know, but if you knew him, and had been to this particular pawn shop you’d understand how the perfect storm happened. LOL.
I told him what he had and made sure he knew how great a deal he had gotten on the Bushmaster ($419) to no avail. It wasn’t what he wanted. He was upset that it wasn’t a 5.56, my mouth was watering at the sight of the unfired Bushmaster, and I just happened to have an AR he had been trying to buy from me for the last year.
The Ruger has a new home.
It has a hammer forged 18.6” 5r rifled barrel, Magpul grip/stock/buffer tube, steel magazine, full floated handguard, and Ruger‘s 452 2 stage trigger which is really very nice. Not a single mark on the entire rifle. I’m looking forward to seeing how it shoots. Now I need brass, bullets, and dies. I’m thinking 1.5x5 for optics.

 

[DrMike]

WOW! Congratulations on a terrific acquisition.

 

[Thebear_78]

The 270gr Barnes is an excellent bullet in the 450. Whatever you get for dies I recommend the lee factory crimp. Lil’gun was the powder of choice in my 450.

 

[gerry]

Sounds like you both ended up happy. Got to love those kind of "mistakes". Should be some serious horsepower, looking forward to seeing what loads you come up with.

 

[salmonchaser]

We had three of the 450 bushmasters at our lodge in Alaska. All of our guides favored it over the 45/70. We used a good tactical sling that allowed the rifle to be held tight to the chest, a quick pull and the rifle deployed. With the stock collapsed you could work on fish, do what ever you needed to do without leaving your long gun on the beach.
This guy and a bunch of porcupines learned how effective the round is at 12 feet.

 

[Joec7651]

We had three of the 450 bushmasters at our lodge in Alaska. All of our guides favored it over the 45/70. We used a good tactical sling that allowed the rifle to be held tight to the chest, a quick pull and the rifle deployed. With the stock collapsed you could work on fish, do what ever you needed to do without leaving your long gun on the beach.
This guy and a bunch of porcupines learned how effective the round is at 12 feet.

That’ll do just fine

My first loads will probably be Hornady Black, but Im going to work with 250gr XTP’s, and Lil’ Gun. That seems to be the powder of choice. It looks like 2100 fps shouldn’t be much trouble according to my manuals. It has 2.5” more barrel than Hornady’s test barrel. I‘ll try that and Win 296. Imr4198 seems too slow but I may try it with 300gr bullet’s.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Nice rifle and trade. Both got what you wanted. Hope it brings lots of fun time. Dan.

 

[JD338]

Excellent. Congratulations on the 450 Bushmaster.

JD338

 

[Joec7651]

Do any of you have any experience with Noslers Sporting Handgun bullets? I was looking at 250gr JHP on SPS, but also seriously looking for a JSP because velocity is up to 1000 fps greater than what the Colt bullets are designed for. It may be time to have another Accurate mold made for hardcast GC bullets.

 

[Joec7651]

Got to shoot it a little bit today, and it did pretty well for factory ammunition. I went through it pretty meticulously. I’m going to say it had never been fired. I say this for a few reasons. Those being that there was no primer shadow on the bolt face, the finish on all the moving parts was intact, and I stripped the BCG and there was no carbon residue on or around the gas rings of the bolt. Even if you clean the bolt thoroughly theres always a color change from carbon and high temp gasses cycling the action. With that being said, I believe it was unfired with the exception of any test rounds fired by Ruger.
I put a Nikon 3-9x40 with a cantilever mount on it and got 6 boxes of Hornady Custom 250gr FTX on sale at Cabela’s for $27.99 each. That starts me with decent factory ammo to get the feel for it, and brass for loading. I ran 20 rounds of through it. It’s a solid 1-1.25” shooter. It may do a little better when I load them. No cycling issues or FTF incidents. It functioned perfectly, and recoil isn’t an issue at all. I think it will make a nice brush gun. The target below is rounds 18-20 without cleaning during the first 20. It’s about a 1 1/4-1 1/2ish group at 100 yards. It may do a little better with hand loads and more rounds down the tube. I’m pretty happy. It’s a really fun rifle to shoot. Also I don’t have the magazine clamped in the vise, it’s a vise block that slides in the mag well. Lol

Edit: In all fairness I wasn‘t very steady at the bench today. I’ve been a little nervous and shaky today. Not sure why.

 

[Joec7651]

I cleaned it well after firing the 20 rounds. I ran the borescope down the barrel before cleaning. It has a very nice bore and crown. It showed no copper fouling. I used Sweets after that and there was no blue on the patches. It was clean with 2 wet patches and 3 dry patches. Once the Hornady ammo is spent I’ll see what I can get out of it with Lil’ Gun and Barnes bullets. Even with me being unsteady today it’s easily hunting accurate. It’s a lot of fun to shoot.

 

[JD338]

I use the 240 gr JHP in the 44 Mags. My S&W 629 Classic will print a ragged hole at 50 yards. The Marlin 1894 shoots 1.5-2" groups at 50 yards, plenty good for deer hunting in thick cover.
I've taken a few feet with both. I've always gotten an exit and a pretty heavy blood trail.
They are good bullets.

JD338

 

[flyingagg]

I traded a mid-grade AR-15 I built, for a new Ruger MPR 450 Bushmaster today. From the looks of the rifle, bolt face, bore, and how tight the action is I don't think it’s ever been fired. The finish is still fully intact on all moving parts.
An acquaintance bought it from a Cashland that sold it as a 5.56. Don’t ask me how but that’s what happened. I know, I know, but if you knew him, and had been to this particular pawn shop you’d understand how the perfect storm happened. LOL.
I told him what he had and made sure he knew how great a deal he had gotten on the Bushmaster ($419) to no avail. It wasn’t what he wanted. He was upset that it wasn’t a 5.56, my mouth was watering at the sight of the unfired Bushmaster, and I just happened to have an AR he had been trying to buy from me for the last year.
The Ruger has a new home.
It has a hammer forged 18.6” 5r rifled barrel, Magpul grip/stock/buffer tube, steel magazine, full floated handguard, and Ruger‘s 452 2 stage trigger which is really very nice. Not a single mark on the entire rifle. I’m looking forward to seeing how it shoots. Now I need brass, bullets, and dies. I’m thinking 1.5x5 for optics.
View attachment 19775View attachment 19776View attachment 19777

I have always wanted a 450. I have three orphan completed lowers, ome is destined to be a 450, one a 350 and one a 6mm ARC?
Enjoy it!

 

[FOTIS]

I have a Ruger also but a different one.

160 yard shot 450 Bushmaster.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

All sounds good Joe. Glad you like it, shoots well and hope you get lots of enjoyment plus a truck load of meat. Dan.