# Ruger American 450 Bushmaster review



## Muddy

Let me start by saying that I am a big fan of the 444 Marlin for its ballistics and terminal ballistics. The 265 grain Hornady flat nose jacketed bullets kill animals with authority. But I am also a big fan of bolt action rifles, so the 450 Bushmaster has peaked my interest. I won a $500 gift card to a gun store in a local fire department raffle. I really did not have a need for any specific firearms, so I debated on what to buy. I was not a fan of the 5.5 pound American rifle with the 16” barrel. I like 22” barrels, and 6-7 pound rifles. I also wanted to get that muzzle break as far away from my ears as possible. Then I saw that the American rifle came out with a 22” barrel with a cerokote finish and weighed 6.5 pounds. It fit my desire quite well. I ordered one with the gift card. I topped it with a Leupold VX III 3.5-10 and bought 4 boxed of Hornady Black ammo. I shot it for the first time today off a bench on my backyard range. I started at 25 yards and used Lundy’s prescribed sight in method for the first time. I took one shot and then adjusted my scope to the point of impact. That worked great and conserved ammo Next 2 shots were dead bulls. Then I moved back to 100 yards. Next group was 1” center to center, dead center, and 3 inches high. I wanted to be 1” high at 100 yards. I adjusted down and shot a 3/4” group dead bull. I adjusteded up 3 clicks, but that went higher than I wanted. I adjusted again to get down to 1” high and shot a 3 shot group dead center, 1” high, and measured 7/8” center to center. I shot a total of 12 rounds. I had already shot my 444, so my shoulder was getting sore and I called it a day. I recovered 6 bullets from my log back stop. 5 rounds had almost full weight retention, one round lost some weight but still mushroomed nicely. Recoil was much less than a slug gun or a 444. I would rate the trigger as good. It has a slight amount of creep and then it firms up and has a clean break. It almost feels like a 2 stage trigger. I adjusted the pull down from the factory setting and it’s pretty light now. The factory setting would have been fine for a hunting rifle. If Ruger could eliminate the small amount of creep I would rate the trigger as excellent. The Ruger copy of the Savage Accutrigger just isn’t quite as good as the Savage trigger in my rifles. The muzzle break definitely helps to dissipate quite a bit of energy out to the side rather than straight back into your shoulder. The magazine inserts and releases perfectly. There is no slop or play in the magazine/magazine well connection. I am pretty happy with this rifle and would recommend it anyone looking for a straight wall rifle. It will be hard to leave the 444 behind opening day, but I think that the Bushmaster needs to kill some deer.


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## Jtom

It's incredible to think of how accurate production rifles are now. Think back even 20 yrs ago, you pretty much had to go custom to get sub MOA groups.

Thanks for the review.


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## Muddy

You are exactly right. My first rifle was a Remington 700 .308 in the early 1990’s. Today’s bargain priced guns out shoot my iconic model 700.


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## mike hunt

Great review, did you look at the Savage 110 Wolverine in 450BM?


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## Muddy

I did look at the Savage. I really wanted to buy a Savage, but there were a few things that I did not like. I did not like the extended magazine profile. I generally carry bolt guns in my right hand at the magazine well. This is generally the best balance point. I could not carry the Savage this way due to the long 5 round magazine. The shorter 3 round Ruger mag allows me to still carry the rifle in my right hand. I couldn’t justify paying $200 more for the Savage. And I really wanted a little longer barrel. Sometimes I hunt from a ground blind or wood box blind. I like a longer barrel so that I can sit back in the shadows and get the end of my muzzle outside the blind window. I also wanted to get the muzzle break as far away from my head as possible.


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## firemanmike2127

The Savage is also 2 lbs heavier but does have an excellent trigger assy along with multiple adjustments on the stock. Mike


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## firemanmike2127

Additionally, the MSRP on the Savage is $ 300.00 higher, but I haven't researched what either gun is available for on the market. Been looking at them both...Mike


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## fireline

Thanks for a good range report, let us know how it works on deer.


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## Muddy

firemanmike2127 said:


> Additionally, the MSRP on the Savage is $ 300.00 higher, but I haven't researched what either gun is available for on the market. Been looking at them both...Mike


I found the going market price to be around $200 higher for the Savage. The Savage Accutrigger is about the only benefit I could see over the Ruger, and the Ruger trigger isn’t too bad. It’s just once you buy a Savage rifle you get spoiled by the factory trigger and you compare all other factory triggers to it.


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## Muddy

Here’s pictures of recovered bullets and final 3 round group @ 100 yards. I wanted to be 1” high, but settled for 1/2”. This was with just 12 shots. I will tweak it further later in the year. I’m trying to limit my shooting right now due to deer activity.


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## Leekle55

This a great laser sights,but i want to find out the best one to choose because it seems to me that the prices and qaulity differs, so it will a great pleasure to get the knowledge about the one to go for.


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## Drm50

Personally I think the new Rugers with plastic stocks are butt ugly. I've no experience yet with the
Ruger 450 but the Ruger Americans, and 77/44, 77/357, and Synthetic stocked 77s surprised me
with their accuracy. If I was going to buy a rifle of this type it would be the Ruger. I know a guy
who is going to get one for Christmas so I'll be getting some experience with the 450.


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## Muddy

I like synthetic stocks on hunting guns. I'm a utilitarian. I sat in pouring rain and snow for 3 days during gun season, and didn't care a bit about my gun getting wet and muddy. I still haven't cleaned it. I just took the barrel off the stock and set it in the corner by the woodburner. I'll clean it after the second weekend of gun season. If you think they are ugly, then get out the rattle can and change the color!


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## Drm50

I've hunted in rain, sleet and snow my whole life and never had any trouble keeping my gun clean.
Like everyone else we cleaned it back at camp or home. It was never a major problem, It was just
done. You can't cure ugly with a rattle can. If I had one of these rifles I would still clean it at the end of the day. That's why I have guns that have been hunted hard in foul weather by 4 generations that may have thinning blue and a few dings in stocks but are still in A-1 shape. If you
want to treat your rifle like a ball bat more power to you.


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## MrFry

Stretch it out at 200 and 250yds, you will be very pleased with the accuracy. Mine will shoot under 2” at 200 all day with no wind. Furthest I’ve hit a deer was 178yds and it buckled. Plowed one thru the chest at 165 to. Drt


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## Muddy

I'm going to stretch it out next summer. I plan to shoot it a fair amount. The recoil is so light that it's really an enjoyable gun to shoot. This is a really efficient round.


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## fastwater

A couple months ago when we had the ml'ers at the range, there was a fella there with a 450 in a scoped AR platform. He was shooting well out to 200yds. Said he liked it a lot and killed a deer out to 170+ yds. His buddy had a brand new scoped 450 bolt action they were getting ready to dial in. 
Both of them commented about the loud report of the rifles....and they weren't lying. The sharp, more piercing crack was attention getting for sure. Other than that, they said they really liked all the other aspects of them.


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## Muddy

The 22” barrel Ruger American that I have has a different muzzle break than the 16” version. The 22” version is not as loud as the 16” version. My buddy brought his 16” barrel American over to shoot, and it was louder than mine. The 16” break puts more gas out to the side. Here is what mine looks like.


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## Morrowtucky Mike

Drm50 said:


> Personally I think the new Rugers with plastic stocks are butt ugly. I've no experience yet with the
> Ruger 450 but the Ruger Americans, and 77/44, 77/357, and Synthetic stocked 77s surprised me
> with their accuracy. If I was going to buy a rifle of this type it would be the Ruger. I know a guy
> who is going to get one for Christmas so I'll be getting some experience with the 450.


You can get the Ruger with a wood stock just cost more.


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## dwmikemx

Muddy said:


> View attachment 286227
> The 22” barrel Ruger American that I have has a different muzzle break than the 16” version. The 22” version is not as loud as the 16” version. My buddy brought his 16” barrel American over to shoot, and it was louder than mine. The 16” break puts more gas out to the side. Here is what mine looks like.


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Is there an advantage to having a 22 inch barrel over the 16??? 
I'm very interested in buying one for deer hunting and have been trying to learn more about them.


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## Muddy

The 22" has a cerakote finish, more weight(almost a pound), and a less aggressive muzzle brake. The 16" gun is like 5.8 pounds, the 22" is 6.6 pounds. That makes a big difference in recoil. The 22" brake is not as loud as the 16" break. I like the longer barrel because I hunt from brushed in blinds. I like more barrel to clear the blind and brush. I also like more barrel to get the muzzle blast from the brake further away from my head. It doesn't make your ears ring like the 16" barrel does. The 16" gun has some recoil to it, the recoil from the 22" version is very tolerable. I've shot my 22" side by side with a buddies 16" gun, and there is quite a difference in noise and recoil. It's a real pleasure to shoot. The 16" gun is really hand to pack around though. I like a little heavier gun in bolt actions though.


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## Morrowtucky Mike

Velocity mainly I’d say and like Muddy pointed out, helps get that muzzle blast further from the face. Personally I prefer a little longer barrel. They just feel better when I shoulder them, extra front weight helps the balance when shooting offhand and I feel they swing better on follow up shots.


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## dwmikemx

Thanks Muddy and Morrowtucky Mike for the info. Just getting into this 450 Bushmaster thing. Your input was very helpful.


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## Saugernut

Great guns and a great cartridge for deer


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## eyecat

When we hunt with our Ruger American 450BM I unscrew the muzzle brake and leave it at home. I have an expensive Featherweight Thumper 450 BM that is a tack driver, but I personally think the Ruger 22" barrel cerocoated in copper is a good looking gun, it is accurate, light, and is a good value. I do not like the plastic trigger guard, that's cheap, I wish it was metal.


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## Muddy

I don’t like the plastic trigger guard either, but that’s what you get on today’s inexpensive bolt guns. Have you sighted in both with and without the muzzle brake? I was wondering if removing the brake changes the point of impact or not?


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## eyecat

We sighted it in with the break and hunted without it, but I did not shoot it at the range with it off. We were 3 for 3 on deer with the Ruger this year. I have done that with other braked guns and have always harvested the deer I shot at. We also try to wear the electronic muffs when hunting to save our hearing. That Ruger is a good value for an Ohio rifle.


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