Thoughts on next year's build

[thatguySHM]

While hunting season is here, I have some time to slow down and think about next year's build while sitting in the woods. I have a Ruger American short action that I don't use much right now, with a standard 473 bolt face. I have field rifles set up left and right, only a M88 in 308 for a stalking gun. I live in the northeast, if it's not in the open, most shots are from spitting distance to 150 yards at max. I really don't like taking Grandpa's rifle out when the weather is getting ready to turn, I know he'd kick my ass if he was still around to hear that but it is what it is.

I was thinking about going 45 Raptor in an 18 inch barrel, MDT LSS chassis with either an MDT composite butt stock or a smoke composite carbon fiber butt stock, with a Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4 moa ring scope. Should keep it lightweight and will still be able to shoot quickly in the woods.

I think it would be best to thread it for suppressed use eventually, so I'll need to order the right profile barrel.

Has anyone done this before? Anyone with experience with the 45 Raptor? Any suggestions before I start the process? I'll probably place the barrel order after the holidays, I'll probably just go with x caliber, have had good luck with their barrels in the past.

Thanks!

 

[RL338]

45 cal. and lightweight don’t seem to go hand in hand.
That Raptor would be quite the thumper on whitetails , I’m all for big bores.

 

[Hunter26]

What about the 450 Bushmaster? Same bolt face and Ruger chambered the Americans in that caliber.

 

[thatguySHM]

I've looked into it and honestly helping a buddy pull a deer out after a 450 BM shot was what made me think about it. They are the same basically, just one was designed from the ground up for 38k psi and the raptor is designed for 62k psi. Not saying I would run it that hot, because my exact reasoning for looking at the MDT composite stock is to add a few more oz to the rear for balance and recoil mitigation. Just think the extra room would make it even more flexible.

I like being able to down load and use pistol bullets, then during hunting season I can load up full house loads. We used to do this often growing up with the 44 mag. Light plinking loads then step up to full strength just for the bear hunt, used to be an old 44/77 that I wish we still had. Never liked the 444 Marlin that replaced it.

So I could basically load to 45 Colt levels for plinking, right on up to 460 SW energy. That was the main reason for the Raptor, the other being that most take offs for 450 BM have the big muzzle break still attached, I'm sure it'll be a headache getting it off, let alone retiming and hoping its a common threading if I do choose to get the 45 cal can. I've played with this stuff long enough to know sometimes I don't need to take on other headaches to squeeze a penny from a nickel.