The .450 Marlin has ballistics almost identical to magnum .45-70 Government ammunition and the cartridge fires the same weight bullet approximately 600fps faster than lower pressure .45-70 ammo intended for use in the Trapdoor Springfield. Thats fine and dandy. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. Bushmaster asked Hornady to produce the .45 Professional, but Hornady wanted to shorten the cartridge case to accommodate their .452-inch, 250-grain pointed SST Flex-Tip bullet. If we worked it briskly, we got slightly better results, but thats not how a rifle is supposed to work. We started with 27 barrels for each cartridge and collected velocities cutting one inch off at a time and retesting all the way down to 13 using multiple loads of ammunition. 450 Marlin: Everything You Need To Know - Big Game Hunting Blog Cookie Policy - The same bullet in the 450 Bushmaster at 200 yards still travels at 1524 fps with 1289 ft/lb of energy. While there are hundreds of rifle cartridges suitable for deer hunting, when we add that straight-walled factor into the equation the list grows much shorter. Shoot it enough and know what to expect and it shouldnt prove prohibitive, except to the most recoil shy. In fact, with hot Buffalo Bore loads, the performance of the .444 Marlin would be ballistically better than ordinary loads in the .45-70 Guide Gun. But if you get behind the business end of a gun you dread to drop the hammer on, youre sandbagging your potential in the field. The wood pores of the 444P were no better filled than on the other rifle. Winchester, Hornady, Remington, and maybe a few others offer ammo, but the market is evolving so fast its tough to keep up. 45-70 Govt VS 450 Bushmaster Ballistics (Trajectory, Recoil, History) 1.690 case length, .458 Caliber projectiles As the official military long-arm cartridge from 1873 to 1893when the .30-40 Krag kindled the American love affair with .30-caliber cartridgesthe .45-70 Government was used in both shoulder-fired rifles and the Gatling guns, but like so many military cartridges, it also quickly gained a following among sportsman. Marlin .450 Bushmaster Deer Slayer Legal for Michigan Hunter in Based on that flaw, wed have to say Dont Buy it. Blocker Outdoors Finisher gloves, headcovers and other accessories are available in Mossy Oak Bottomland and Mossy Oak Obsession NWTF camouflage patterns to match various turkey hunting terrain. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Wood-to-metal fit was truly outstanding on both Marlin rifles. Single Shot Rifles for Sale | Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore The higher velocity and energy of the .450 Marlin allows it to shoot a bit flatter than the .450 Bushmaster. While it does not have the power of the .450 Marlin, the .444 Marlin is very similar ballistically to the .45-70, . But, load that bullet to 2300 fps, stick it in a rifle that can handle the pressure, and things change. The .450 Marlin has quite a bit longer case, at 2.10 compared to 1.70 on the .450 Bushmaster. FTX bullet with a factory advertised muzzle velocity of 2,200 f.p.s. We reserve the right to correct pricing errors. the 450 marlin, the 444, 38-55, 375 win, 375 super mag, 445 super, & the 357 maximum will all ruin a deer's day at 200 yds. (450 Bushmaster) 397119 45 Cal .458" 325 gr. We cant see the sense of a scope on a short, relatively light rifle, unless its done Scout-style like the Co-Pilot. Velocity from the 450 will be slightly lower due to the heavier weight bullets thus more of a rainbow trajectory but will give better stopping power on BIG game and more . Out of the muzzle, the .450 Marlin packs another 886 ft-lbs over the .450 Bushmaster, a significant difference. The .30-06 cartridge has a strong but not particularly sharp recoil. Rifle Recoil Table - CHUCKHAWKS.COM CVA Inc Scout V2 .444 Marlin Single Shot Rifle with Stainless Barrel and Dead-On Mount $349.99; Brand: CVA Inc; Item Number: CR4913S-NB; Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter 500SW Mag Katahdin Carbine The 265 Hornady flat point bullet is THE bullet for the .444, The Hornady SuperPerformance ammo is very accurate in my .444 and the bullet performs great. .450 Bushmaster Buffalo Cartridge Co. . Back in the day the only 444 ammo was Remington with a 240 handgun bullet. Newly Accepted Cartridge and Chamber Designs. There were two large panels of checkering on the straight-hand grip. The last doe I hit at about 35 yards after the bullet hit a thumb size bush left a fist sized hole through the deer, and she STILL ran, but the blood trail was 5' wide to where she dropped after a 30 yard run. Today, there is no shortage of them, though the old-timers have mostly died out. Copyright 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. .451 Caliber projectiles Yes, the ported barrel helped cut muzzle flip, but our shoulders got sore from the too-hard pads on both Marlin rifles. Mag..300 RSAUM vs. .300 WSM .500 Jeffrey vs. .505 Gibbs7mm RUM vs. .300 RUM.308 Winchester vs. 7mm-08 Remington6.5 Creedmoor vs. .260 Remington.303 British vs. 8x57 Mauser.30-06 Springfield vs. All Other .30s.17 HMR vs. .17 WSM.450 Nitro Express vs. .470 Nitro Express350 Legend vs. .35 Remington.280 Ackley Improved vs. 7mm Rem. . If you want a powerful lever-action .45-caliber rifle, you probably know what youre doing. The original loading used a 250-grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2200 fps from a. from a 1.70 long cartridge case at velocities over 2000 fps. I'm thinking of adding a 450 bushmaster. The Hornady bullets are heavier and have a higher ballistic coefficient. .350 Legend Vs .450 Bushmaster: Does One Win Out For Hunting? In our estimation, there is no need for the cartridge, and the rifle didnt work properly. Being bracketed by the proven .444 Marlin and .45-70, the belted .450 Marlin doesnt fill a lever-gun niche any better than the other cartridges. Best grouping was with Buffalo Bores 300-grain load, just over 3 inches at 50 yards. The 450 Bushmaster is taking off and new ammo offerings keep popping up. At reasonable straight-wall cartridge hunting distances, for both velocity and trajectory, there is no real out-and-out winner between .450 Bushmaster vs .350 Legend. The cartridge has a cavernous case capacity designed to work with black powder of the era, and it used large-diameter bullets to compensate for the low velocity produced by that propellant. Many of the loads out there are designed to be safe in the trapdoor Springfields that are still around. .444 Marlin - Wikipedia I have worked pretty extensively with this cartridge on the range with three different rifles, and I have talked with a bunch of other gun guys who have been shooting the 350 Legend. Mag. The case length for both rifle cartridges is virtually identical, with the 45-70 measuring 2.10" compared to 2.105" for the 450 Marlin. With a 150-yard zero, the Winchester 160-grain Power Max factory load is 1.92 inches high at 100 yards, 5.05 inches low at 200 yards, and 13.92 inches low at 250 yards. The trigger pull on the 444P was 4.3 pounds with prominent creep but very little overtravel. Its a great round in a Marlin lever action. The Wild West version ($100) has steel wings to protect it, and would a better aperture choice. In days past these included the .348, various wildcats on that theme like the .450 Alaskan, the .45-70, and numerous blackpowder-era cartridges modernized with smokeless powder. The Winchester 150-grain Deer Season XP generates 8.52 foot-pounds of recoil in a 7-pound rifle. The parent case is a modified 284 Winchester, it's simply cut to 1.695 and also utilizes a small rifle primer. Lets look at the similarities, differences and applications of each. It retains 1,000 foot-pounds of energy to just past 235 yards. The 2 deer ive gotten with it they made it less than 25 yards. But in all honesty, it isnt for everyonebe it due to tight quarters or time constraints. SAAMI limits the MAP to 28,000 psi. Toward that end, we obtained a pair of nearly identical Marlins chambered for the .444 Marlin, the Model 444P, and .450 Marlin, the Model 1895M. I wouldn't fret over performance or availability in either case. These drawings will be incorporated during the next revision of the relevant SAAMI Standard. Powder Valley is your Ammunition Superstore . It drops a bear at 100 yards like no ones business if you catch it from your tree stand and it puts deer on the ground fast too. 7 Straight-Wall Rifle Cartridges That Shine During Deer Season What about the need for an idiot-proof cartridge in the first place? We measured the .450 Marlins velocity at 2,045 fps with the 350-grain Hornady Flat-Point Interlock bullet. Out of the muzzle, the .250 Marlin is flying 25 ft/s faster than the .250 Bushmaster. Its big and powerful enough, and with good bullets, it may produce the best external ballistics of the bunch. (45-70 Govt) Why didnt Marlin simply lengthen the .45-70 cartridge as Wild West did? As soon as the cartridge's proprietary status was lifted we ordered a reamer and started building barrels. Its a belted case, not the usual rimmed type one normally finds in lever rifles. The standard load will push a 240-grain .429-inch diameter bullet to 2400 fps for just over 3,000 ft.-lbs. Cooper was not only an icon of modern tactical applications; he was an serious hunter as well. 444 Marlin VS 450 Trajectory Overall, the 444 Marlin is a slightly flatter shooting cartridge than the 450 Bushmaster is. First of all, theres no need for it. It is on the wane and has long ago been supplanted by the resurgent 45-70. 45-70 vs 444 marlin vs 450 marlin | Gun and Game Forum The .450 Marlin case is 2.1 inches long.). Marlin claims 2,100 fps out of a 350-grain bullet. The .450 Marlin has quite a bit longer case, at 2.10" compared to 1.70" on the .450 Bushmaster. This website contains many older reviews. Looking at the ruger American 22 inch bolt. The checkering was very well done, had a pleasing pattern, and it worked very well. However, some shooters like the extra margin of safety, and its there if desired. Marlin 36 RPP Lever-Action - As Powerful as a .356 Win with Safe Like the .450, the .444 Marlin rifle was very well made. GunnersDen.com ~ For that matter, is there a need for the .444 in any gun version, even though they cost $550 MSRP and have a low street price around $400? Though we believe the .45-70 version is a much better bet, many riflemen who also own .44-caliber handguns will want to own the .444 Marlin, and its a pretty good rifle. Its therefore important to keep in mind that we are comparing a 325 grain .450 Marlin against a 250 grain .450 Bushmaster--which are the commonly used bullet weights for each caliber. 12 Gauge 1". The U.S. Army adopted the new cartridge, which replaced the .50-70 cartridge it employed in 1866. Many lever guns have limited accuracy past 150 yards, but the .450 BM is able to perform within MOA all the way to 200 and beyond. There is a difference between the two, and the edge goes to the .350 Legend, but it doesnt have such an overwhelming advantage to say its hands-down better. Marlin Model 444P Our recommendation: Marlin ought to know by now how to make a flawless .444 Marlin. Certainly, some pride themselves in how much recoil they can endure. For .450 Bushmaster and .444 Marlin, you're looking at $41 to $49 per box, and .45-70 Govt. In the late 19th century, the .45-70 would have been viewed as an average-diameter cartridge, as the small bores like the .30-06 and 7x57mm Mauser would take some time to gain ground as the all-around military/hunting bore diameters. I'd also guess that, given similar shoulder fit, you couldn't tell the difference in recoil. 450 Bushmaster 044176 Cartridge. Mag..404 Jeffery vs. .416 Rigby.243 Winchester vs. 6mm Creedmoor.300 PRC vs. .300 Win. Yes, the Legend does tend to shoot a fraction flatter at distance, but not substantially so. .444 Marlin vs my .450 - The Firing Line Forums Offers more range than any commercial lever gun cartridge except the .338 ME The walnut was very decent wood, nicer than that on the .450. These cartridges shoot a bit flatter than slugs and, on average, are more accurate and not anywhere near as squirrely. The cartridge, introduced in 2000 by Marlin for its own lever-action Model 1895M, was designed to provide +P performance of the 144-year-old government round in a more modern case capable of. Heavier bullets are available; they can run as heavy as 335 grains, though the 265- and 280-grain remain the most popular. To totally avoid any problems with hot-loaded .45-70 ammunition, Wild West Guns announced a new cartridge, the .457 Magnum. At the range the Winchester was flawless in function. Ballistics are similar to hot 45-70 loads--which are often downloaded by major manufacturers because they need to be able to not blow up the older weaker guns. A good solution is to install a proper recoil-reducing pad like the Pachmayr Decelerator. The following ballistics tables show a side by side comparison of the 450 Marlin vs 450 Bushmaster based on bullet weight and performance metrics including velocity, energy, usage and recoil. Marlins inletting has been quite good in all examples of the companys rifles weve seen. Heres a detailed look at each step of the process. The case can also be handloaded to impressive figures in a suitable rifle, and there are some excellent bullets like the Swift A-Frame which will further enhance the performance of this old design, yet the classic cast-lead bullets at low velocities are still fun to shoot. These are lightweight rifles that are easy to handle and very fast to get a shot off, which can make them ideal for treks across the backcountry. The .45-70 was a very popular hunting cartridge, even before this straight-walled phenomenon started, but its held back by all of those old guns out there. This is where the differences end, as the 45 70 and 450 are more similar than they are different. The 350 Legend is also designed to work in AR-15 style rifles. Links to technical data and drawings for the newly SAAMI accepted Cartridge and Chamber designs not yet included in SAAMI Standards are listed below. But in my opinion, the sheer flexibility of the .45-70 Government in both rifles and ammunition gives it a definitive advantage. Absolutely, it depends on what rifle you usemore exactly its weightas to how many foot-pounds of energy will jolt into your shoulder. It is on the wane and has long ago been supplanted by the resurgent 45-70. Not that it hurts to have a rifle chambered for one in your arsenal if you live big county out West. While the .450 Marlin sought to improve it with modern ammunition techniques while eliminating the chance that shooters would load high-pressure modern ammunition into vintage rifles and cause catastrophe, the .450 Bushmaster sought to translate the short-distance big game cartridge onto the semi-automatic platform. While the .450 Marlin can be used in bolt action rifles, it is most commonly found in lever action rifles. Big bore cartridges in particular can make lever action rifles a great choice for a bear defense gun. I am currently building a bolt action .444 Marlin that I am expecting good things from this fall. 460 has more horsepower, as runs at higher pressures than the 450. The two Marlins had ported 18-inchers. The performance all the way around was very impressive. Why 450 Bushmaster? | Ruger Forum The choice between these calibers for many will come down to a choice between rifle platforms. Another benefit the .450 has it that it is generally pretty accurate. Marlin 1895M .450 Marlin, $560. vs. .458 Lott7mm Rem. 460 S&W vs 444 Marlin vs 450 BM vs 45-70 Govt Match Grade Machine 3.95K subscribers Subscribe 2.5K 209K views 3 years ago Match. Still, one wonders: Is there a need for a .444 Guide Gun, the 444P? Save big on firearms, accessories, tactical gear, clothing, and ammunition from now until March 29. .444 Marlin for Grizzly Or Brown Bear Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load The .450 Marlin and the .450 Bushmaster are very similar cartridges: both are big bore cartridges intended for big game hunting at close quarters, and lose steam after about 150-200 yards. 450 bushmaster, anybody shooting it? | Ohio Game Fishing In factory loads for the 45-70 you have to mind what you are buying. One would think that would have to play in to your decision making. The 450 Bushmaster is taking off and new ammo offerings keep popping up. Ejecting the round, after a suitable wait, we found the primer soundly indented (see photo). What kind of gun writer are you? However, if we found a gun which didnt have ejection problems like those we note below, wed upgrade that recommendation to a Conditional Buy for the pistol shooter who already owns .44 Magnums or Specials. All rights reserved. The old Trapdoor rifles are restricted to a lower pressure level than are the modern, strongly-built lever guns like the Marlin Model 1895 and Winchester Model 1886; though the case may be thin, it can generate impressive numbers in a modern gun. Just $1 per month , Thinking about swapping your slug gun for a rifle this fall? The models chambered for the .35 Whelen, .444 Marlin, .45-70, and .450 Bushmaster come with a muzzle brake to help dampen recoil. And when it comes to straight-wall Midwestern deer options that would be the .450 Bushmaster. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -. Hot-loaded .45-70 ammunition is currently available from Buffalo Bore in three different bullet weights. 450 Bushmaster vs 45-70 Review & Comparison - Big Game Hunting Blog We didnt like these, having become thoroughly used to the half-cock position on hammer rifles. Dont knock the .450 marlin. That is not a problem, the 45-70 is way to much capacity for smokeless powder. Throw a moose in then I would lean to the .450 but realize that these lightweight .450 carbines kick like a .375 H&H. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Dont knock the 450 Marlin round. Marlin 1895 (.450 Marlin) My uncle carried a .45-70 when he guided brown bear hunters, and several times stopped charging bears with it at close range. With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady 265-grain Flextip ammo is 1.55 inches high at 100 yards, 4.08 inches low at 200 yards and 11.16 inches low at 250 yards. Depending on the weight of the gun, recoil for the 450 varies between 15 and 20 ftlbs. They were solidly made of steel and walnut, and looked like they would hold together for a long time. Learn how your comment data is processed. It cant. But does it deserve the attention? To fill the void, Marlin Firearms teamed up with Remington to develop a cartridge which would see the light of day in 1964: the .444 Marlin. The case should come out every time, no matter how the lever is operated. The .450 Marlins additional energy will allow you to take larger game out to 200 yards, while the .450 Bushmaster should be used only for medium game at this distance. Their 265-grain Superformance load ramps up the muzzle velocity to 2400 fps with a BC of .189. As it concerns .350 Legend vs .450 Bushmaster, the smaller-caliber cartridge has a decided advantage. 444 MARLIN 45-70 GOVERNMENT 450 BUSHMASTER 475 LINEBAUGH 500 S&W Magnum 6.5 CREEDMOOR [+] Show more. It in no way increases the amount you pay and helps us stay in business. We eventually decided there was something seriously wrong with this rifle, and though we liked its feel, looks, and accuracy, we wouldnt buy this one. Deer Hunting Ammo: The 4 Best Straight-Walled Rifle Cartridges Bottles & 12-oz. Summary: Factory ammo is not a great choice for rifle length barrels, hand loading gives better performance. Reloading Brass. Ballistically, the .450 Bushmaster is close to the .45/70 in terms of velocity . This was adjusted by means of a stepped elevating slide, a design as old as rifles and still functional today. It retains 1,000 ft-lbs of energy to just past 140 yards. We stock a full range of bulk rifle ammunition to meet . One recurring problem, however, was the guns poor ejection. Ive used a Remington 1100 with a slug barrel on it before that but had problems getting out to the 100-150 yard mark accurately. Maybe the 450 Bushmaster is the next big thing? I don't like the factory 450 loads though. Were not sure, but we would guess that Wild West, in Alaska, had a lock on the idea. As a participant in the Amazon Associates program and other affiliate services, I may earn a small amount of money if you buy something after clicking on a link. All of these walnut-stocked rifles had iron sights only, which is how we tested them. At the range, the first shot told us that the Marlin .450 was a powerful rifle. It had a red cast in direct sunlight and was very attractive. | Tested: Winchester M94 TE Lever-Action In .450 Marlin A 265 grain 44 Mag is measured at 1180 fps with 741 ft/lb at the muzzle. The forests around here are always thick brushed with all sorts of not only leafy brush but full of little twig saplings and raspberry bushes and the like. Velocity Tests and more! I own a 450 marlin and have been happy with it. A full-length 22-inch Marlin gave us only 2,064 with that load, so we doubt that youll ever see 2,100 fps out of the .450 Marlin. With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady ammo is 1.54 inches high at 100 yards, 4.68 inches low at 200 yards and 8.49 inches low at 250 yards. While we applaud Marlin for adapting the lever-rifle concept to belted cases (this is probably not the first instance of this, but we cant think of another), we reloaders dont appreciate the fact that we have only one source of brass for our new rifle. The idea took off, and now many of those states are allowing straight-walled cartridges to be used as deer hunting ammo. Ours didnt. Thats alright. You have two cartridges that are headed in opposite directions. How can a bit of brass added to a cartridge case make up for the exact same amount of steel removed from the chamber that holds it? .450 Bushmaster - Wikipedia The straight-hand stock had a sling swivel stud in the butt, and another on the steel that attached the wood forend. 450 Bushmaster can be found on the shelves at most large outfitters but don't expect to . We didnt make an effort to eject slowly or quickly, just operated the lever in a normal manner. Wild West was also the originator of the short, handy, powerful lever-rifle concept. All of it is excellent ammunition, and it is packaged in clearly marked boxes as to what it is, and in which rifles it can be safely used. The 45-70 never done much for me, but if you like them then so be it. 450 Bushmaster vs 45-70 Review & Comparison in 2023 - Tradoc News! For 450 Bushmaster, AR 15 is always the best choice. Winchester put decent walnut on this all-steel rifle, and did a great job of finishing and checkering the wood. The rear buckhorn blade did a grand job of obscuring everything on both sides of the target, and shooters would be much better served with a flat-top rear sight, or an aperture. Bullet Diameter: .452 inches (All .450 Bushmaster) Shell Case Length: 1.7 inches (All .450 Bushmaster) Bullet Size: 250 grains (Bullets range from 245 to 300 grains) Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 feet per second. Winchester has also chambered their XPR line of bolt-action rifles for the cartridge, and other major gun manufacturers are producing rifles for it as well. We believe the development time used up by Marlin on that rifle could have been spent promoting the grand versatility of the .45-70 Guide Gun, letting folks know that it can handle good stout loads like those from Buffalo Bore, and making the Guide Gun exactly the way it should be, with an aperture rear sight right from the factory, softer recoil pad, and the slickest possible action. Pro's Con's 450 Bushmaster AR VS 460 S&W Single Shot - Gunloads.com Formally known as the .45-70-405relating caliber-powder charge-bullet weight specificationsthe cartridge was commercially known as the .45-70 Government, and that 405-grain lead bullet travelled at a muzzle velocity of just about 1400 fps, though a heavier 500-grain bullet was soon employed. Medium-bore lever rifles are made by Marlin and Winchester. Well, I gotta respectfully disagree with that statement. Of all the ammo available, the highest muzzle energy of the Socom is 2380 ft/lbs of energy. In Stock Only Rossi Wizard 223 Rem Single-Shot Rifle . any 450 bushmaster shooters on here | Long Range Hunting Forum The original rifle featured a 24" 1:38 twist microgoove (12 groove) barrel. Its at the lower weight limit for maximum loads in the .444, and even with a muzzle brake we dont believe a shorter version would be all that good an idea. The .444 Marlin was available in a svelte Marlin lever-action riflethe Model 444 and proved to be a thumper on big game from whitetails to moose and bear, though like the .45-70, the range was limited by the low velocity and bullet profiles.