Ruger American predator in 450 bushmaster

S

stagpanther

New member
Handled one of these at the LGS yesterday--looks like a real winner and a hunter I know who has one says he loves it--great fun. I just decided to build a 458 socom AR so I will pass (for now)--anyone tried one out yet?

PS--I think they have a cheaper synthetic stocked one--which is the one I looked at--called the ranch (felt like it weighed around 5 lbs). GoG has it for about $425
 
All of the Ruger American series are winners. I have Predators in 308 and 6.5 as well as a Compact in 223. My brother has the 6.5 and a Ranch rifle in 5.56. Every one is a tack driver. I can get the Predator or Ranch rifle locally for $389 out the door. Standard rifles are $329 out the door. The stainless ones are $459.

I've not shot the 450, but have had a chance to handle one. Reports I've read indicate they are the same.

They were introduced to meet legal requirements in some states that used to be shotgun or muzzle loader only. Several have recently allowed rifles, but they require straight walled cartridges. The 450's have been selling like crazy in those places.

I can't think of any logical reason to choose one where there are no restrictions on rifle cartridges, but some just like the idea of big guns. I'm pretty sure the 450 is only available in the Ranch rifle. The only difference between the Ranch and Predator is barrel length, stock color and some different offerings in cartridges. Both have the same barrel profile and both are threaded. The standard rifles have a thinner barrel and stock color.
 
models

I am not certain, but I think the Ranch Rifle is the ONLY model of the American line that is chambered in .450BM. I believe a big gun shop in our area ran them on sale over Memorial Day weekend for $389.oo. I resisted, but the idea of a bigbore, affordable bolt thumper is appealing. The BM gains on the .44 mag by a good bit, and I've found the .44 mag from a carbine adequate for deer as long as it's used within its limitations, so the BM should be even more of the same. The Ranch Rifle provides an affordable way to get introduced to the cartrige.

Now that Ruger is in the .450BM business, I wish they would chamber their AR rifle in the same caliber from the factory.
 
I am not certain, but I think the Ranch Rifle is the ONLY model of the American line that is chambered in .450BM. I believe a big gun shop in our area ran them on sale over Memorial Day weekend for $389.oo. I resisted, but the idea of a bigbore, affordable bolt thumper is appealing. The BM gains on the .44 mag by a good bit, and I've found the .44 mag from a carbine adequate for deer as long as it's used within its limitations, so the BM should be even more of the same. The Ranch Rifle provides an affordable way to get introduced to the cartrige.

Now that Ruger is in the .450BM business, I wish they would chamber their AR rifle in the same caliber from the factory.
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There are several AR makers as well as barrel manufacturers doing 450 BM for AR's--in fact I'm gathering parts now to start a 458 socom AR build. I decided on the socom instead of the BM only because it has a slight shoulder--and in the long run I figure that means fewer headaches in maintaining consistent COL in the dynamic environment inside an AR. The bullet options for the 458 seem to include more pointy rifle type bullet options as well.

My lgs has an annoying habit of charging full msrp or even more--and I found the ruger rifle for almost $200 less on line. I see the main competitor to a rifle like this as something like 44 mag, 45-70 or 454 causul lever carbine--which I already have and was really the only turn-off that prevented me from buying one of these. If I didn't already have a lever gun in a big bore pistol caliber--I'd be all over the 450 BM ranch in a heartbeat--seemed like a great handling rifle, ready to go with a rail too--which can be a bit of a pain setting up on a lever gun.
 
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