Best 450 Bushmaster Muzzle Brakes – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

The .450 Bushmaster is an alternative cartridge you can place through your modified AR-15 as a dependable hunting cartridge. Popular in midwestern states for mid to larger game enthusiasts where a long-range shot is within 200 yards, they have become a go-to since bottleneck cartridges aren’t legal. 

We’ve introduced some of the best .450 Bushmaster muzzle brakes below if you are looking to stabilize your barrel for quick, accurate follow-up shots. 

Comparison Table of the 5 Best 450 Bushmaster Muzzle Brakes

The .450 Bushmaster Cartridge

The .450 Bushmaster cartridge isn’t really a go-to round for many hunters. After all, it is a bit lunky overall and only excels within a 200-yard range. However, in midwestern states, a 200-yard shot may very well be considered a long shot due to thick vegetative cover and rolling terrain. The cartridge provides the dependable stopping power and energy needed for games considered larger in the area – such as elk, moose, bear, and even boar where they are bred for outfitted hunts. And since bottleneck cartridges are illegal, it is an excellent alternative. 

The popularity of it is even more qualified as it is designed to be used with a standard, modified AR-15 rifle. All that is required is a barrel and open face bolt design to convert an existing AR to one that can easily handle the .450 Bushmaster round. For safety’s sake, be sure to check with a gunsmith for proper fitting when you take on this build. 

Unique in its design, the slightly tapered, but accepted as a straight wall cartridge allows it to be used in states that restrict bottlenecks (as mentioned) and also allows a large grain weight that can push 350 grains to pack a pretty impressive punch. This provides incredible stopping power in the brush when faced with hog, as well as ethical one-shot drops for a wide variety of large ungulates. 

It also provides excellent accuracy and a flat trajectory within its 200-yard optimal range, providing a dependable choice and efficient choice. Unlike most AR-15 cartridges, the .450 packs a serious wallop in terms of recoil. Considered similar to a 12 gauge, the use of a muzzle brake can make it a much more comfortable round to shoot. 

Muzzle Brakes and Compensator Use

Muzzle brakes and compensators are two highly used muzzle devices designed specifically to help reduce felt recoil and steady barrel lift. Muzzle brakes are specific to reducing recoil, while compensators are designed to control barrel movement, but most of these devices are somewhat hybrid in nature and will provide both benefits through careful design. 

This is done through the various ports that help direct gasses out and away from the muzzle as they move down the barrel. Rather than exiting all at once after the bullet, they are used in a controlled manner to release in various directions to alleviate the recoil and to help reduce muzzle lift or rise. 

For a cartridge such as the Bushmaster, this is the perfect modification for a more enjoyable, accurate shooting experience. 

Top .450 Bushmaster Muzzle Brake Picks

Our top picks are quality options made by some of the best manufacturers in the business. They are dependable picks made to last, and offer the recoil reduction you need for a steady shooting experience to help you get back on target when needed, and avoid the pain and pressure such a heavy load can create.

Next Level Armament is a dependable brand and their muzzle brakes are designed for the excellent stopping power of heavy recoil cartridges. Designed to mitigate muzzle rise and recoil, it is compatible with all AR15 platforms modified for the .450 Bushmaster. Made from a 4140 stainless steel raw stock material, it is precision machined and has a nitride finish for durable use. It does come with a crush washer for a snug fit (be sure to follow manufacturer recommendations) and it is outfitted with a solid ridge up with ports located to help simplify the installation. 

Faxon Firearms provides quality firearm products and their .450 Bushmaster/.458 SOCOM gunner muzzle brake is made from durable steel with a salt-bath nitride for durable, long-lasting quality. The three-port design constantly captures the propelling gasses to redirect them to both sides to help mitigate recoil. Made for quick and easy installation, no crush washer or shims are needed, and rotational timing is easy to adjust with both the device length itself, as well as with the extension nut. This allows for easy on/off in the field, and adjustment when needed. 

This simple, classic muzzle brake design provides five rows of circular ports arranged in a checkered order for incredible management of recoil and muzzle rise. Made for enhanced firing precision, the Aimshot CVA Cascade muzzle brake keeps you on target round after round. A durable stainless steel design with a black nitride finish makes it a durable, long-lasting pick. 

Great Lakes Firearms and Ammunition (GLFA) offers amazing quality firearm products specific to midwestern usage and excellent price points without a sacrifice in quality. They offer a whole series of .450 Bushmaster muzzle brakes, but their Devastator series is made from stainless steel with a black nitride finish to help mitigate the most powerful .450 loads you might use. Created for fast follow-up shots for ethical hunting practices, it comes complete with crush washers to help quickly and effectively time the brake for use. 

The Guntec USA Gen 2 Steel Compensator offers three side-porting slots opposite one another to help redirect gasses in a controlled manner. Combined with the two top porting holes, it is specially designed without a bottom port to minimize dust blowback while shooting prone. Made from durable stainless steel, it is finished with black oxide and offers excellent felt recoil reduction and incredible barrel control in reference to the barrel climb and overall movement. 

Conclusion

Shooting a .450 Bushmaster cartridge you probably want to look into mitigating the power it provides for a more comfortable shooting experience. A muzzle brake or compensator is the perfect solution to avoid a heavy kickback and is worth investing in for your shooting needs. 

These muzzle brake options are some of the best offered to provide varying designs and gas distribution to find exactly what you need for the weight of the cartridge you are shooting. We’d love to hear of your experiences with any of these, and hear which are your favorites below. And, as always, please share!