As the .450 Bushmaster travels downrange, a 250-grain bullet loses its speed rapidly due to its large blunt profile, dropping to roughly 560 fps at 1,000 yards. At the muzzle, velocities measure roughly 2,200 fps for standard 250-grain hunting loads and 1,900 fps for heavier 300-grain projectiles. The charts below detail these velocity measurements across extreme distances and varying barrel lengths.
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.450 Bushmaster Velocity Chart at 100 to 1,000 Yards
Note: The .450 Bushmaster is a dedicated short to medium range hunting cartridge optimized for shots within 250 yards. Data beyond 300 yards represents mathematical model extrapolations. Firing this cartridge at extreme long range requires mortar like trajectory angles.
| Distance (yards) | Distance (meters) | Ammunition / Bullet Weight | Barrel Length (inches) | Estimated Velocity (fps) | Velocity Loss from Muzzle (fps) |
| Muzzle (0) | 0.0 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 2,200 fps (Published) | 0 fps |
| 100 yards | 91.4 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 1,840 fps (G1 Calculation) | 360 fps |
| 200 yards | 182.9 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 1,520 fps (G1 Calculation) | 680 fps |
| 300 yards | 274.3 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 1,250 fps (G1 Calculation) | 950 fps |
| 400 yards | 365.8 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 1,050 fps (Transonic) | 1,150 fps |
| 500 yards | 457.2 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 920 fps (Extrapolation) | 1,280 fps |
| 600 yards | 548.6 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 820 fps (Extrapolation) | 1,380 fps |
| 700 yards | 640.1 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 740 fps (Extrapolation) | 1,460 fps |
| 800 yards | 731.5 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 670 fps (Extrapolation) | 1,530 fps |
| 900 yards | 823.0 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 610 fps (Extrapolation) | 1,590 fps |
| 1,000 yards | 914.4 m | 250-gr Hornady FTX (BC: ~0.210) | 20.0 | 560 fps (Extrapolation) | 1,640 fps |
.450 Bushmaster Muzzle Velocity Chart
| Ammunition Type | Bullet Weight (grains) | Barrel Length (inches) | Muzzle Velocity (fps) | Muzzle Energy (ft-lbs) |
| 250-grain Polymer Tip Hornady Custom FTX [Manufacturer Spec] | 250 | 20.0 (Standard Rifle) | 2,200 (Advertised) | 2,686 |
| 250-grain Polymer Tip Hornady Custom FTX [Independent Estimate] | 250 | 16.0 (Carbine) | 2,050 (Estimated) | 2,332 |
| 250-grain Polymer Tip Winchester Deer Season XP [Manufacturer Spec] | 250 | 20.0 (Standard Rifle) | 2,200 (Advertised) | 2,686 |
| 250-grain Polymer Tip Winchester Deer Season XP [Independent Estimate] | 250 | 16.0 (Carbine) | 2,050 (Estimated) | 2,332 |
| 260-grain Soft Point Remington Core-Lokt [Manufacturer Spec] | 260 | 20.0 (Standard Rifle) | 2,180 (Advertised) | 2,743 |
| 300-grain Soft Point Federal Power-Shok [Manufacturer Spec] | 300 | 20.0 (Standard Rifle) | 1,900 (Advertised) | 2,404 |
| 300-grain Soft Point Federal Power-Shok [Independent Estimate] | 300 | 16.0 (Carbine) | 1,780 (Estimated) | 2,110 |
Factors Affecting Velocity
- Straight Wall Cartridge Design: The .450 Bushmaster is a straight-walled cartridge designed to provide massive stopping power in states that restrict the use of bottleneck rifle cartridges for hunting. Because it pushes a very wide and heavy bullet, it relies on high initial energy rather than sustained downrange velocity.
- Aerodynamics and Ballistic Coefficient: The wide .452-inch diameter bullets used in the .450 Bushmaster have very low ballistic coefficients. Even with polymer tips added to improve aerodynamics, a typical 250-grain bullet has a G1 BC of roughly 0.210. This blunt shape acts like a parachute, causing the bullet to hit a wall of air resistance and shed its velocity incredibly fast.
- Barrel Length: The cartridge uses fast burning magnum pistol powders to get the heavy bullet moving quickly. Because the powder burns entirely in a short distance, long barrels are not required to maximize performance. Dropping from a 20-inch barrel to a 16-inch barrel only results in a modest loss of roughly 150 fps, making it highly effective in short carbines.
- Bullet Weight: Lightweight bullets are extremely rare for this caliber. Shooters generally choose between standard 250-grain loads traveling around 2,200 fps or heavier 300-grain loads moving closer to 1,900 fps. The heavier bullets start slower but carry more momentum for deeper penetration on large game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the effective hunting range of the .450 Bushmaster?
For ethical hunting on medium to large game, the effective range is generally considered to be 200 to 250 yards. Beyond 250 yards, the bullet drops dramatically and loses the necessary kinetic energy to guarantee a clean harvest.
At what distance does a .450 Bushmaster go subsonic?
Due to poor aerodynamics, a standard 250-grain bullet launched at 2,200 fps will drop below the speed of sound (roughly 1,125 fps) near the 350 to 400 yard mark.
Is a 16-inch barrel long enough for the .450 Bushmaster?
Yes. A 16-inch barrel is ideal for the .450 Bushmaster because the cartridge utilizes fast burning powders. The bullet reaches near peak velocity quickly, and a shorter barrel makes the rifle much easier to handle in thick brush or from a hunting blind.
How does the velocity compare to a shotgun slug?
The .450 Bushmaster is often compared to 20-gauge or 12-gauge sabot slugs. It offers significantly higher muzzle velocity and a much flatter trajectory than a traditional slug, allowing hunters to easily stretch their shots past 200 yards where a shotgun would struggle with excessive bullet drop.