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450 bushmaster

R

Reit38

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So now that iowa has had the straight wall now and seems to be sticking around I want to get one in AR platform by next deer season. I have used my Ruger bolt now the past 2 deer seasons and really like it but want to switch over to the AR route.

Thinking of keeping my S&W m&p lower and just getting a new upper. Not sure if I want to buy a complete upper or if it would be better to build. Who is having luck with what length barrel. Any companies to stay away from. Most shots will be 200yds and under. Looking to stay under $500

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Would also like to see everyone's opinions on these guns I've been reading good things on the new ruger AR 450 priced at $850 seems like a well built gun or jump to the black rain for $1200 not sure if it's worth the price difference
 
Would also like to see everyone's opinions on these guns I've been reading good things on the new ruger AR 450 priced at $850 seems like a well built gun or jump to the black rain for $1200 not sure if it's worth the price difference
 
ArrowSlinger said:
Would also like to see everyone's opinions on these guns I've been reading good things on the new ruger AR 450 priced at $850 seems like a well built gun or jump to the black rain for $1200 not sure if it's worth the price difference
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Bought a used black rain 450 at a scheels last week and returned it the next day. Darn expensive gun that won’t even load or function right with a full clip. I was told that’s kind of normal no thanks.
 
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ArrowSlinger said:
Would also like to see everyone's opinions on these guns I've been reading good things on the new ruger AR 450 priced at $850 seems like a well built gun or jump to the black rain for $1200 not sure if it's worth the price difference
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Both of my brothers and a friend bought rugers this year. All 3 are tack drivers. I bought a 450 from a member here and its a game changer. I killed 2 bucks and 3 coyotes last week from 15-200 yards.
 
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This is a budget build and it shoots 1” groups at 200 yards (for me- might be better in the hands of a really good marksman).

Not my first build, but really fun and satisfying to take a deer with a gun that I built. I harvested a deer in Wisconsin and one in Iowa. I wanted a 22” barrel, but working on a strict budget I couldn’t pass up this Bear Creek Arsenal 18” barrel- I think it was under $100 on sale and it’s a tack driver. Trigger is Rock River Arms 2-stage varmint. I made my friend build one and he also tagged a nice buck just yesterday. I’d say build it- so satisfying to fill a tag with one that you built piece by piece!


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srjdsmith said:
108a241f38aa16a8ef8bff43b0569d72.jpg


This is a budget build and it shoots 1” groups at 200 yards (for me- might be better in the hands of a really good marksman).

Not my first build, but really fun and satisfying to take a deer with a gun that I built. I harvested a deer in Wisconsin and one in Iowa. I wanted a 22” barrel, but working on a strict budget I couldn’t pass up this Bear Creek Arsenal 18” barrel- I think it was under $100 on sale and it’s a tack driver. Trigger is Rock River Arms 2-stage varmint. I made my friend build one and he also tagged a nice buck just yesterday. I’d say build it- so satisfying to fill a tag with one that you built piece by piece!


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Where'd you find an upper first cheap?
 
The upper was a stripped upper and I enlarged the ejection port. My buddy bought an upper with an already enlarged port. I don’t remember where I bought mine- Anderson? And I don’t know where he bought his.


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chipterp said:
Bought a used black rain 450 at a scheels last week and returned it the next day. Darn expensive gun that won’t even load or function right with a full clip. I was told that’s kind of normal no thanks.
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When I was buying my shotgun license (night before season), a guy behind the counter was on the phone with someone having a feed problem. Over hearing the conversation, seemed like a spring in the clip issue. Sounded like a common flaw, wonder if is brand specific?


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JNRBRONC said:
When I was buying my shotgun license (night before season), a guy behind the counter was on the phone with someone having a feed problem. Over hearing the conversation, seemed like a spring in the clip issue. Sounded like a common flaw, wonder if is brand specific?

Could be, but for a $1300 gun from black rain there shouldn’t be any issues. I could have made it work but why would I want to. Maybe I got one with issues which is why it came back in after being bought and sold back to scheels in a few weeks. And also when people put 450 uppers on 223 lowers the spring needs to be changed out otherwise there are feeding problems I’ve been told.

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I bought the GLFA upper from Boyd and put a PSA lower on it and am having all kinds of trouble with it. Not feeding correctly, not ejecting shells, etc.

I'm not experienced in the AR platform so if anybody has a lot of experience and would be willing to help me find and fix the issue I would really appreciate it.

Love the caliber and accuracy vs my slug gun. Think the AR platform seems like it will be great if I can get it running dependably. If not will probably look for a bolt gun in this caliber. Maybe the Ruger Ranch rifle.
 
Hardwood11 said:
What’s the maximum # of shells you can use in Iowa? For deer?
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Presently no magazine restriction. Don’t count on that continuing forever. Also, the Bushy magazine (5 rounds) has a centered follower rather than the offset follower for .223/5.56. I have very little trouble with mine.


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At the DNR listening posts last spring many people requested the DNR place limits on magazine capacities. I don't recall anyone speaking in favor of unlimited capacities. I can't recall if the magazine capacities would need to be legislated or if the NRC could change the capacities through the rule making process. There was a plan to limit capacities until a nonhunting group got involved and as a result there isn't any limit on magazine capacities today.

When I bought my 450 in '08 some folks were trying to convert the 30 round .223 magazines to 450. They couldn't get them to feed because of the curve in the magazine. I would imagine since then there have been higher capacity magazines produced.

Good, bad or indifferent, that's up to you to decide. Attend meetings and voice your opinions.
 
I haven't purchased any ammunition for the 450 in several years. Back then it was hard to come by and there was only one commercially available load. There were folks reloading and experimenting with different bullets and loads and I wonder today if there is anything besides the original Hornady 250gr. FTX available. I suppose a quick googler would tell me, but is anybody here using a different bullet/load combination than the original?
 
Fishbonker said:
I haven't purchased any ammunition for the 450, a quick googler would tell me, but is anybody here using a different bullet/load combination than the original?
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Wow, you should google. You’ll either shake your head or LOL.


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Most of the cycling issues Ive heard of are from under gassed guns short stroking... Ejecting the empty shell but the bolt doesnt come back far enough to grab the next round out of the magazine so it closes the bolt appearing to be locked and loaded but its actually empty.
Ive fixed a couple of mine and a few other peoples by putting a better quality gas block on it to stop gas leaks at the block and or by drilling out the gas port in the barrel to give it more gas. Its not really hard to do just get a good set of numbered machine drill bits find out what size its currently drilled out to and try the next size bigger reassemble and test fire... Just put one round in the mag, load that shell and shoot... If it doesnt lock the bolt back on the empty mag tear it apart and drill it out the next size bigger and test fire again... Start small and drill slow, some barrels are extremely hard depending on material and coatings.
 
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Fishbonker said:
I haven't purchased any ammunition for the 450 in several years. Back then it was hard to come by and there was only one commercially available load. There were folks reloading and experimenting with different bullets and loads and I wonder today if there is anything besides the original Hornady 250gr. FTX available. I suppose a quick googler would tell me, but is anybody here using a different bullet/load combination than the original?
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The main issue seems to be bullet ‘toughness’. Many .452 bullets were designed for an 1890’s cowboy revolver (.45 long colt) and won’t perform well with the greater breech pressures and velocities of the 450B.


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