450 BUSHMASTER necked down to 338 HOWA

[Trevin]

Need some information I’m new to reloading
maybe some long time wildcatters out there can inform me if this will work.

I seen a Howa mini in 450 Bushmaster on a gun rack / it is a 284 win. Case .473 rim and .500 body shortened
So the howa has a .473 standard bolt (on a mini bolt)
Could the 450 Bushmaster be necked down to a 338 bullet Hint (338 Howa) an you have a reamer made for it
Send ream an get pre fit barrel a buy a howa mini in 450 bushmaster pull barrel an put new barrel on
You would have to tweak nothing for it to work in the magazine - I’m guessing

WOULD IT WORK ? Pro’s —-Cons give it to me
Would it be worth doing

I know some are get their mini’s around 51/2 lbs.
put it in one of them Oreguns 18 oz. stock an their monster floor plate with a 19” ultra lite barrel
It would feel like a feather an hit like a mack
truck —- Prefect woods gun for deer - elk -bear
Keepmmmmmm running

 

[Dusty Stevens]

You can do anything if you have a reamer and dies made and have the knowledge to assemble the whole pkg.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Well, if it's a itch that needs scratching....but it may be more trouble that it's worth.

You will have issues in trying to form a neck. Not only do you have to reduce the diameter, you will have to turn the thickness of the brass. Then probably fire form to get decent angles etc. You will certainly need a full size die, so 2 reamers, custom die, and some intermediate dies to reduce the diameter.

A pre-fit barrel may be difficult, as it is a wildcat. I'm sure that it would be better to get a smith to fit one. But I love the idea of a Howa Mini with a barrel nut!

The 338/284 has been done very successfully. A close friend hunted deer with one 20 years ago, and there is nothing wrong with the 338 Federal. Both would work in a normal short action Howa. I suspect that the powder capacity would be less than the 338 Federal, just to run it in the mini action, which is only slightly lighter/shorter that the standard "short". I do like the mini, and I own one, and looking at another.

Again- don't let me put you off if you think that it's a goer...my first wildcat was the 303 ICBM, which did meet it's design objectives, bent a couple of Lee Enfield actions, broke a scope rail, and was a bitch to reload, as the shoulder was too thin and often collapsed when trying to size the case. But it's what we do - and it's often only through men in sheds that significant progress is made, or we just have fun doing it.

 

[Trevin]

Thanks NZ, Yes I thinking it would be just under a 338 federal -just a guess-
I’ve done some gun projects but I’m new to reloading I know the hardest part would be the 450 straight case and forming it down
Thanks again
Keepmmmmmm running

 

[CJ6]

If you want as short an action as you can, I would do a 338/284 on the Howa short action and not the Mini. It's a LOT of work taking a straight walled case from 450 Bushmaster to a bottle necked 338. It's MUCH easier to use expanding mandrels to go up to 338 from 284.

 

[Trevin]

Got y’all CJ6 , You hit the nail on the head for me thanks I can simple neck up the 30 RAR to 338 and bingo since it uses the 284 case an is all ready shortened for me

am I thinking rite you wildcatter?
Will that work I’m new to all this
Information trying to soak it all up

 

[CJ6]

Got y’all CJ6 , You hit the nail on the head for me thanks I can simple neck up the 30 RAR to 338 and bingo since it uses the 284 case an is all ready shortened for me

am I thinking rite you wildcatter?
Will that work I’m new to all this
Information trying to soak it all up

The 30 RAR has a larger Rim/case head .490 something like that .than the 284 case so you'ld need to alter the bolt face dia. (larger))

 

[Trevin]

Thanks CJ6, I was thinking a 30 RAR was on the 284 win shortened but I knew it was rebated
If I opened the bolt on a 450 Howa mini an put a 30 RAR barrel on it do you think it would work?
So I would have a 30 RAR Howa mini
Or neck up 30 RAR to hold 338 bullet an have reamer made ( that probably been done don’t know I look)

still a 30 RAR in Howa Mini would still make a fine deer rifle

 

[CJ6]

Thanks CJ6, I was thinking a 30 RAR was on the 284 win shortened but I knew it was rebated
If I opened the bolt on a 450 Howa mini an put a 30 RAR barrel on it do you think it would work?
So I would have a 30 RAR Howa mini
Or neck up 30 RAR to hold 338 bullet an have reamer made ( that probably been done don’t know I look)

still a 30 RAR in Howa Mini would still make a fine deer rifle

The 30 RAR is based on the 284 case but for whatever reason REM. made the rim dia. about .490 (makes no scense to me) . I don't know much about the bolt dia. on the mini, so so I'd check with a "smith" to see if that part could be done safely. Then there's the magazine part. Fitting a .500 case in a mag well designed for a .447 case could be an issue. COAL.....338 bullets being longer and heavier you'ld need to stay on the lighter side and still have them seated fairly deep into the case to keep within action length limits. A 30 Major (same bolt face as the PPC/Grendle or 30 BR ..473 bolt face. I'd think would suit your needs better as a deer rifle and fit into the mini action better and with a LOT less work.

 

[Trevin]

CJ6 , thanks for your input there rim is different
The 450 Bushmaster outside dimensions is .500 just like the 30 RAR I checked case dimensions on both so it should work in the magazine but I would have to Dermel the load ramp for the pointed bullet the 450 is pretty blunt.
I’ll look into the 30 major
As we speak I seen some threads where the AR guys are necking the 30 RAR cases down an try to fit them in the AR 450 bushmaster semiautomatics I keep checking if they get something to work in it

Keepmmmmmm running

 

[Evan]

It would feel like a feather an hit like a mack

on both ends. Yikes!

Do you have a 338 bullet and velocity that you are targeting for this? I'd go 35 cal instead, especially if it's for hunting. Most 338 bullets are made for big guns like the 338 Win Mag and may be too tough of a construction to expand properly at the slower speeds your 338-450 will produce. 35 cal bullets run a broad range from pistol construction for 357 Mag up to tougher rifle construction for big guns like a 35 Whelen so you'd be more likely to find a bullet that performs great on game at the speeds the case drives them.