Best .450 Bushmaster Barrels | 2022 Buyer’s Guide

Best Overall:
Brownells Premium - AR-15/M16 .450 Bushmaster Barrel

Brownells has been producing a lot of great components for a while and this partnership between them and Satern Barrels is no exception. Machined from 416R gun barrel steel with 5R button rifling, it is tough and capable of handling more powerful rounds. With a stainless-steel finish, it looks as great as it performs and is resistant to moisture.

With a 1-20 twist, it performs very well with a large variety of bullets. You’ll get a mid-length gas system and a muzzle threaded for 3/4-24..936 gas blocks which are accepted by the gas shoulder. On the opposite end of the gas port, there are dimples which help secure the gas block set screws to prevent movement. You’ll also get a .450 Bushmaster bolt included and assembly is rather quick and painless.

All this attention to detail and quality pays off when shooting. Even with more powerful rounds, the barrel performs comparably to what you are used to, with minimal recoil. If you’re already shooting with a scope, you’ll find minimal adjustments are needed to your setup.

It is 16” in length, which combined with the solid metal construction lends a heavy profile that provides great balance. While most should find this advantageous, compared to longer barrels, this will introduce a greater need for ear protection, so be ready.

It is notable that the barrel does seem somewhat over-gassed, which is certainly preferable to the problems that under-gassing presents. For those bothered by this, it is a simple fix courtesy of an adjustable gas block.

Bottom Line

The Brownells Premium AR-15/M16 450 Bushmaster Barrel is an excellent opportunity for owners of these rifles to take advantage of Bushmaster .450 with minimal compromise to their existing shooting style or setup and handles beautifully in the field.

Best .450 Bushmaster Ballistics 16-inch Barrel: 
.450 Bushmaster Barrel Stainless Steel

This barrel from Brownells bills itself as more of a budget solution, but it’s still an excellent value compared to similarly priced barrels. It offers great construction and durability, as well as performance without costing too much.

It features a button-rifled design machined out of stress-relieved 4150 GBQ mil-spec steel, a stainless steel that resists corrosion and moisture and provides a cleaner experience. Brownells has further provided a black nitride coating which adds additional protection and looks great to boot.

It also uses a .875-inch gas-block that will work just fine with many aftermarket products. You also get an 11-degree target crown. With a 1:14 rate of twist and an 11/16x24 muzzle thread pitch, it’s ready to deliver powerful and accurate shooting.

You wouldn’t expect anything else from Brownells with these specs and great performance, and it handles accordingly. With an existing setup, recoil and accuracy are quite comparable. While not quite as spot-on as the Brownells Premium reviewed directly before this barrel, it certainly comes close.

Brownells includes a bolt, as well as a three-port muzzle brake, further enhancing an already great value and low price. If you’re looking for a budget solution that still provides great quality, this is your barrel. It’s hard to find a better value in a 16-inch solution. If you're looking to swap it out for your own muzzle brake you can check out our .450 Bushmaster muzzle brake guide.

Bottom Line

For those who’d like to hunt larger game with their AR-15, without spending too much on a new barrel, the 450 Bushmaster Barrel from Brownells is an excellent option, providing a lower price tag but high standards.

Best .450 Bushmaster AR Barrel:
Gunner Big Barrel Bore .450 Bushmaster

Faxon Firearms never seems to disappoint, so it was inevitable that at least one of their barrels would be on our list, and it just so happens that they have, in our opinion, the very best .450 Bushmaster barrel for your AR. That’s a tall order, but Faxon Firearms chose only the best materials and construction, ensuring optimum durability for handling the higher power behind the .450 Bushmaster.

Starting off with a 4150 CMV steel, one of the most durable metals that makes sense for a barrel, Faxon sets the bar high. They further finish off the barrel with a black nitride finish and top it off with a nitride salt-bath. This provides optimum durability and corrosion resistance as well as less build-up. Less importantly, but still notable, the design and finish provide a beautiful and sleek aesthetic that’s reflection-proof.

It offers 11/16-24 muzzle threads, a carbine-length gas system, and a 1:16 rate of twist. Any .875” size gas block is compatible with this barrel. It is 16” long and provides a great, balanced profile. In the field, it operates exceptionally smoothly with minimal recoil and an intuitive and straight projection.

We also like the price, which is very competitive. There aren’t options to choose from here, but that’s okay, as the barrel is perfectly constructed and adapts very smoothly to your setup. Just as importantly, the unmatched construction quality and materials ensure that this barrel will keep taking a beating from high-powered .450 Bushmaster cartridges and still perform faithfully for a very long time.

If you need a solid answer to .450 Bushmaster compatibility for your AR, look no further than this barrel from Faxon Firearms.

Bottom Line

If you need to upgrade your AR barrel to support .450 Bushmaster capabilities, Faxon Firearms has set the bar high with a tank-like product that’s priced very well.

Best .450 Bushmaster Pistol Barrel:
.450 Bushmaster Barrel & Bolt Combo

You might not be too familiar with Tromix, as they’re a lesser-known brand, but these barrels are a great opportunity to expand your horizons and change that.

For those who want to bring out the best in high-powered shooting, this barrel not only supplies the quality you need but does so with a plethora of length and weight options. Don’t settle on a balance you’re not comfortable with or that doesn’t suit your setup. You can choose from an 18” light-weight barrel at 1.61 pounds, a 16” light-weight barrel at 1.51 pounds, a 16” mid-weight barrel at 1.97 pounds, or a 12.5” mid-weight barrel at 1.60 pounds.

Regardless of your choice, you’ll receive a 1:24 twist Chromoly barrel that has an 11/16-24 threaded muzzle. Additionally, the bolt head has gas rings, an extractor, and an ejector. However, it does not offer a bolt carrier or a firing pin.

Depending on which barrel you choose, there are different gas blocks. The 18” barrel and the light-weight 16” barrel both feature a .750” gas block, whereas the remaining two barrels offer a .865” gas block.

Machined from stainless steel and finished with a black nitride coating, these barrels are corrosion-resistant and provide exceptionally smooth operation.

Additionally, these barrels are very competitively priced. If you’re looking to customize your length and weight to best complement your setup, look no further.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking to best customize your setup with a complementary barrel of a specific length or weight, this competitively-priced barrel provides a quality solution.

Best .450 Bushmaster 10.5-inch Barrel:
.450 Bushmaster 10.5″ Length

Sometimes, the best barrels come from boutique manufacturers and many gun owners are prone to missing them due to the difficulty in finding trustworthy reviews. In this case, Ritch’s Precision Guns has produced the best 10.5” long AR-15, .450 Bushmaster barrel, hands down, without charging boutique prices.

Machined from 416R stainless steel and featuring three-polygonal rifling with a 1x18 twist, since the 10.5” barrel doesn’t feature fluting due to its length, as there is no room in front of the gas block. That said, at this length, the difference is negligible.

What we really like here are the options. Because barrels are custom-ordered, each is made to your specifications. You can choose a .450 & .458 standard without the aforementioned fluting, a semi-bull with an  .875” gas block or bull with a .936” gas block.

Additionally, you have options when it comes to the threads or crown. You can choose a target crown of 11 degrees, 11/16x24 threads per inch, or 5/8 x 32 threads per inch.

The barrel also comes in a variety of finishes. You can choose from a black shot peened, a light machine polish with laser engraving, or a cerakote barrel finish. The cerakote finish is available in dozens of colors. You may also choose no finish if you prefer to have it finished elsewhere to your own specifications.

Needless to say, you will not get this many options with a mass-produced barrel. For AR-15 owners who are looking to take advantage of .450 Bushmaster capabilities, these options provide the ability to truly customize the transition. It is difficult enough to find a solid 10.5”, .450 Bushmaster barrel for the AR, but these options will allow you to really make it your own.

You’d expect this to cost quite a bit, but in fact, Ritch’s Precision Guns is incredibly competitive. The only downside is that unless you’re purchasing an unfinished barrel, it will take 2-4 weeks to produce, on top of shipping time.

Bottom Line

Sometimes, finding the best component requires looking into smaller sellers, and getting a quality 10.5” length barrel for the .450 Bushmaster is one such case. Ritch’s Precision Guns not only produces an excellent option but provides many customizable features and a competitive price.

Best Remington 700 .450 Bushmaster Barrel:
Glfa Barrel/Bolt Combo .450 Bushmaster

GLFA barrels are made in Michigan and each is produced to the quality and specification standards that their local hunters need and want. If you have a Remington 700, like GLFA you may very well want to take advantage of the .450 Bushmaster, but options are relatively limited for a great build that can take the increased pressure. Often, converting a Remington 700 properly requires a lot of research and potentially more intrusive changes to the build.

Thankfully, this barrel comes to the rescue with a solid construction specially designed for the .450 Bushmaster. If you have a Remington 700, don’t waste time with researching how to build up your gun, as this barrel makes a great instant solution.

This barrel will work with a mil-spec AR-15 upper receiver and brings an 18-inch, stainless steel construction in a barrel and bolt combo set. You’ll need nothing else to turn your Remington 700 into the build you want. It features a 0.750” diameter gas block journal with a mid-length gas system. Threading is 11/16X24 and you get a 1:24" rate of twist. It also offers M4 feed ramps.

Recoil and accuracy are great and are about on par with our non-Remington 700 builds on this list. Additionally, it adds very little weight for an 18” barrel at about two-and-a-half pounds. You’ll be able to maintain maneuverability without sacrificing accuracy or between-shot recovery time.

We also appreciate that although this is a barrel that arguably fits a niche market, and has little competition in terms of quality and specs, GLFA has made it very affordable. That said, there are resellers taking advantage of this by substantially upping the price, so be wise and always follow our links, as we always point you to the best prices around.

Bottom Line

Affordable and built to the specs you need for .450 Bushmaster handling on a Remington 700, this barrel is a no-brainer. There are better barrels for other builds, but if you have a Remington 700 then look no further.

Best .450 Bushmaster 20-inch Barrel:
Thompson Center Encore MGM SS Heavy Contour (Ebay)

While it can be hard to find a shorter barrel for the .450 Bushmaster, it can be just as hard to find a longer one, but Match Grade Machine has you covered with this excellent 20-inch barrel. If you’re not familiar with Match Grade Machine, you should know that they’re a very highly-regarded boutique manufacturer. This barrel has been produced in partnership with Haus of Arms as a special, limited edition batch, meaning there is a small supply and you’d better move fast if you want to secure yours!

Made from stainless steel with a 1-in-20-degree twist and 5R rifling, these barrels are ready to fit on any factory rifle fore end.

While most barrels top out at 18 inches, the additional two inches supplied by Match Grade Machine make a huge difference and if you’re looking for a longer barrel you probably know why. A longer barrel makes for a more accurate shot and the added heft produces less recoil.

With stronger ammunition, this makes a massive difference and you’ll need minimal adjustments to your setup and can use very precise sights along with this barrel to hit your mark accurately.

Of course, the downside of getting an exceptionally uncommon barrel length made from a special manufacturer and produced from high-quality parts, is going to be the price. While certainly higher than other barrels on our list, when factoring in the expense of producing a longer barrel with more materials and how uncommon  20” barrels are, we think it’s very fair.

Just be sure to act soon if you’re interested in a 20” barrel because these are limited and you’ll have a hard time finding a quality barrel without spending significantly more once these are all gone!

Bottom Line

Match Grade Machine has produced the best 20” barrel on the market and is asking a very fair price for its quality product. Unfortunately, supplies are limited, so don’t delay!