450 bushmaster vs 50 Beowulf

I have 6.8 spc and 7.62x39 uppers which worked well for hunting last year. I am looking at getting a new big bore upper for my AR15, either 450 bushmaster or 50 Beowulf. Something with power that I can hunt deer and pigs. I won’t be shooting long range so shots are usually 50-75 yards avg. 100-150 yards would be a unusual long shot for my hunting situations.

Does anyone have any experience/recommendations with 450 bushmaster or 50 Beowulf hunting deer and hogs?

I have shot both and hunted with the Beowulf. I don't know that you could go wrong with either one for your situation.. Both are pretty significant calibers. I would also add .458 Socom to the mix (which I have also shot). Recoil is stout on all three, but nothing terrible by any means.

If you aren't reloading, it looks like .450 Bushmaster has more numerous ammo offerings and slightly cheaper than the other two calibers.

As I don't think you will be able to tell the difference in lethality between the three at those distances, and given the lesser cost for the .450 Bushmaster, I would lean in that direction.

I had a 458 socom,sold it and bought a 450 bushmaster for ammo availability,(can get it at academy,cabelas,bass pro..etc..)never fired a 50 beowulf.

I agree with the others that the .450 BM is the marketplace winner; you'll find it noticeably easier to feed, and I very seriously doubt that there's any practical difference in on game performance.

I have a 450 bushmaster although it's a Ruger American and I love it,I've killed hogs and deer with it and it will hammer em .What surprised me most of all was how accurate it is,with handloaded shockwaves an honest 1 inch groups all day . It will knock the squeal right out of a boar hog 😝

I just bought a Ruger AR 350 Legend that I plan on using for deer hunting. I haven't even shot it yet but I was told it had plenty of knock down power for deer.

I don't own a 350 Legend and have never shot one but an extremely knowledgeable friend of mine just bought one and he loves it. He call me yesterday and wanted to know if I wanted a pig he had just shot. Pig was not a big pig, about 60-75 lbs but my friend dropped him in his tracks at 160 yds.

.450 BM will be easier to find (on shelves) no doubt. But the .458 SOCOM has far and away more offerings (types and weights of bullets) commercially loaded than the Bushy. But.....ammo for the bushy is significantly less costly.

Anyone choosing the 50 Beowulf or 458 SOCOM should handload to take advantage of the many different bullets available to keep costs reasonable.

I DO agree that at distances of 150 yds. and less that all three will perform similarly (with like bullet weights and types).

The SOCOM and Beowulf leave the Bushy in the dust when it comes to using heavier bullets (not necessary for Deer or Hogs in most cases).

For economy, reasonable recoil, ammo (off the shelf)....the 450 BM is a good choice. I use the SOCOM but I hand-load. It will shoot anything from a 100 grain bullet (yes 100) up to 600 grains.

If you roll your own, I think the 458 Socom is the only way to go. My built AR with 16" barrel and Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6X will make one ragged hole at 100 yds with any 300 gr bullet I feed it. No special magazine requirements ( just use a metal AR mag), wide variety of bullets and hits like the hammer of Thor. I'd compare recoil to a 3" 20 gauge slug, very manageable. Have only had the chance to kill one deer with it so far. Good size doe at about 125 yards, bullet hit facing shoulder, passed through far shoulder and may still be going. Exit wound was roughly 3/4". Deer dropped in her tracks and didn't even twitch. No excess meat damage either. Like I said I think you'd have to reload to take full advantage of this round, but it'd be worth the effort.