Buy it. After that instance I went to a big bore brush gun and never had such a problem since. Shoot it enough and know what to expect and it shouldnt prove prohibitive, except to the most recoil shy. Generally the 444 uses bullets in the range of 240 grains through 300 grains. It is on the wane and has long ago been supplanted by the resurgent 45-70. Why 450 Bushmaster? | Ruger Forum In essence the rimmed .444 Marlin is an elongated .44 Magnum (the case length is 2.225 inches, with an overall length of 2.550 inches), as it uses the same .429-inch diameter bullets as the classic revolver cartridge, albeit at a much higher velocity. When not at his press or the range he can be found chasing mule deer around the Rocky Mountains. RENE reports 6 different versions of the American Rifle in 450 Bushmaster and now the GSR makes 7. 450 Bushmaster - A Rifle Caliber Overview - The Lodge at AmmoToGo.com 450 Bushmaster vs 45-70 Review & Comparison - Big Game Hunting Blog Online pricing may vary from in-store pricing. Cartridge & Chamber Drawings - SAAMI The .450 Bushmaster is capable of using any .452-inch bullet, which opens a lot more doors for handloaders with the wide range of bullets on the marketincluding some outstanding choices from Barnes. I've shot a couple whitetails now shooting through 1" saplings and when the bullet hits the deer it just destroys them. 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. The ammunition is madeso faronly by Hornady. For a while, nobody was making rifles in .45-70 and the cartridge seemed doomed. Single Shot Rifles For Sale - Vance Outdoors The checkering was very well done, had a pleasing pattern, and it worked very well. Still, we liked the lively feel of the 94AE. If it had been a rimmed case, sales and longevity would be higher still. We cant see the sense of a scope on a short, relatively light rifle, unless its done Scout-style like the Co-Pilot. Like the Marlins, the Winchester had a cross-bolt safety but the owner had locked it out so the rifle would fire every time the hammer fell. Caliber Choice: Straight-Walled Cartridge Resurgence Thats fine and dandy. The .444 Marlin is on par with the 45 Bushmaster at around 2300 ft/s for a 250 grain bullet, but is easily outdone by the 45 Raptor For either cartridge reloading is the route to go if you're able. 450 Bushmaster vs 45-70 (2022 UPDATE) Which Is Better? - Lunde Studio Ohio and southern Michigan are just two examples of areas where the shotgun slug has been replaced by straight-walled cartridges like the .45-70 Government, .444 Marlin and, more recently, the .450 Bushmaster. Newly Accepted Cartridge and Chamber Designs. Ever perceptive, the market has responded by expanding this somewhat forgotten corner of the firearms world. The .450 Marlin and the .45-70 Government are not interchangeable, but are very . Ive used a 308 and hit a branch with it and the bullet broke apart and i thankfully got a lucky hit to the neck with about half a bullet tumbling through the air. The stock finish was very durable and hard, even though the pores were not fully filled. If we worked it briskly, we got slightly better results, but thats not how a rifle is supposed to work. 350 Legend's 8.52 ft lbs recoil energy is less than the 30-30's 9.64 ft lbs and the 243 Win's 10.38 ft lbs. The .444 Marlin has the advantage of using the jacketed and cast bullets for the .44 Magnum, making it a rather flexible design for the handloader. The muzzle velocity is 2200 fps, and the bullet carries a BC of .210. I have a very accurate marlin with the 1/20 twist. At 300 yards, drop is 15.8 and 18.8 respectively. The case is belted, the belt being longer than normal belted magnum brass, though the same diameter. The .450 Marlin and the .450 Bushmaster use very similar sized bullets, as their names might suggest. Big Bore Cartridges Compared! Model: Bushmaster 450 Bullet Size: 250 grains Bullet Diameter: .452 inches Shell Case Length: 1.7 inches Energy (per 200 yards): 1,274 foot-pounds Velocity (per 200 yards): 1,515 feet per second Muzzle Energy: 2,686 foot-pounds Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 feet per second CLICK FOR BEST PRICE 45-70 Brand: U.S. Army's Springfield Armory Mag. At the muzzle they are basically the same, .308 Win has around 2700 ft.lbf and 450 Bushmaster has just a few pounds under that. We assume a clump of grease or a small burr slowed down the firing pin just enough to prevent firing. Adjacent to the hood were a total of 14 portholes in the barrel that did wonders to cut muzzle flip. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Marlin 36 RPP Lever-Action - As Powerful as a .356 Win with Safe 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. Ballistically, the .450 Bushmaster is close to the .45/70 in terms of velocity . The main aim of 450 bushmaster is big game hunting in the long-range distance, so the traditional scope that performs in the mid-long range is perfect for this cartridge so that we've recommended this Vortex scope. We dug it out with a knife, reloaded two more, and again the second round failed to feed. The big difference is that .308 Winchester keeps at least 1,000 ft.lbf out to about 600 yards, 450 Bushmaster loses it by 300 yards. FTX bullet with a factory advertised muzzle velocity of 2,200 f.p.s. For the .350 Legend, the ammo of choice is Winchester 's 150-grain Deer Season XP, with a listed muzzle velocity of 2,325 fps and a BC of .223. 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. And when it comes to straight-wall Midwestern deer options that would be the .450 Bushmaster. The walnut was very decent wood, nicer than that on the .450. of energy. Wood-to-metal fit was truly outstanding on both Marlin rifles. First of all, theres no need for it. This one didnt work. The weight of the present version was about as light as wed like to see a .444 rifle. Cookie Policy - Does a belted case make sense for a lever rifle? Top Load: Buffalo Bore Heavy Bullet Weight: 220 grains Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 fps Muzzle Energy: 2,364 ft/lbs Almost forgotten, the .35 Remington is a favorite of hunters who chase black bears with. This cartridge is useless, and it may have caused a host of ejection problems in our test gun. Its been the hot ticket in town over the past few years, and new rifle and deer hunting ammo introductions are happening pretty fast. Marlin .450 Model 1895M Our recommendation: Dont Buy the $560 Marlin .450 Model 1895M. 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. 1.790 Case length. A box of .357 Mag. Just $1 per month , Thinking about swapping your slug gun for a rifle this fall? Then Hornady brought out two loads for the cartridge and things changed. The 44 Magnum and 45 Colt are 125 yard rifles. If the ring had been nearer the eye, the front sight would have been forced into the center of the ring, and we would have gotten better accuracy. We measured the .450 Marlins velocity at 2,045 fps with the 350-grain Hornady Flat-Point Interlock bullet. The two Marlins had ported 18-inchers. Rifle Ammunition :: Guns.com Deer, hog, black bear size game. We didnt like these, having become thoroughly used to the half-cock position on hammer rifles. . This is where the differences end, as the 45 70 and 450 are more similar than they are different. 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 .450 Marlin, by the way, is a ringer for the .458 American except for that longer belt. The Buffalo Bore .45-70 load, same weight bullet, was faster than the .450 Marlin. 350 Legend vs 450 Bushmaster, Pros and Cons of Each Explained Why didnt Marlin simply lengthen the .45-70 cartridge as Wild West did? The recoil of the .450 was a bit stiffer than the .444 Marlin with Buffalo Bore ammunition. Back to the wood. At 100 yards, the .450 Marlin is moving 52 ft/s faster. 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. A good aperture sight would be lighter, just as fast, and nearly as effective in most conditions as a scope, assuming the shooter has reasonably good eyesight. Yes, this includes the mighty .444 and .45-70, as well as the .338 ME and its bolt action analog, the venerable .30-06. However, some shooters like the extra margin of safety, and its there if desired. Cooper was not only an icon of modern tactical applications; he was an serious hunter as well. Each cartridge has its own benefit and ultimately is your choice. The action was slick, about as good as the .444 Marlin. The data in both cases are from a 20-inch barrel, which is somewhat common in the field and is the standard test length utilized by most ammunition companies. The front sight was a gold-faced bead on a ramp underneath a protective hood. While .308 can reach out accurately to 1,200 yards (if you're pretty good), 450 . So youll have to buy your ammunition from the one-and-only maker, Hornady. Pick the. Specifically, the hot .45-70 Buffalo Bore (BB) ammunition gave a 405-grain bullet the astounding velocity of 1,900 fps, compared to 1,200 fps with the ordinary loading of that bullet by Remington. Factory ammo must be safe to use in them, so the .45-70 rarely reaches its full potential. Disclaimer: Sportsman's Warehouse assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions of the information on this page. The Ashley was drift-adjustable using opposing screws, though we could see no easy way to adjust it for elevation. (460 S&W Mag) 397118 45 Cal .452" 250 gr. Of course, if you are planning to shoot in very close ranges (within 100 yards), trajectory may be less of a concern that stopping power. 450 Bushmaster vs. 308: Which is Better for You? - Bear Creek Arsenal I'm thinking of adding a 450 bushmaster. That makes it a good option for recoil-sensitive shooters who must abide by tapered cartridge restrictions. Thats alright. 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. If, instead, the case had been developed around a standard belted brass case, we feel consumers would ultimately be better served by the Marlin 1895M. Offers more range than any commercial lever gun cartridge except the .338 ME 10 Best Scope for 450 Bushmaster - Night Vision Gears Throw a moose in then I would lean to the .450 but realize that these lightweight .450 carbines kick like a .375 H&H. With the Buffalo Bore 335-grain load, the Winchester made two groups, each about 4 inches apart. I'd also guess that, given similar shoulder fit, you couldn't tell the difference in recoil. We reserve the right to correct pricing errors. But in all honesty, it isnt for everyonebe it due to tight quarters or time constraints. Big-Bore Lever-Action Hunting Guns: Pass On Marlins New .450 The same bullet in the 450 Bushmaster at 200 yards still travels at 1524 fps with 1289 ft/lb of energy. 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. All rights reserved. Marlins introduction of the Guide Gun didnt acknowledge Wild West Guns, so perhaps the reason for Marlins new cartridge stems from a desire to avoid copying Wild West yet again. However, the primer was apparently not struck soundly enough. 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. The models chambered for the .35 Whelen, .444 Marlin, .45-70, and .450 Bushmaster come with a muzzle brake to help dampen recoil. Learn more . Looking at this product line, youll be inclined to give the nod to the .444 Marlin, especially coupled with the Hornady Superformance load of the 265-grain InterLock at 2400 fps. The 450/460 have proven to be , accuracy wise, about equal with boolits.