.450 Marlin

[Reynolds]

What are people's impression of this round?  I have a marlin guide gun advertised in the classifieds at a very good price ($399) and haven't really received any interest.  Is this round 'unliked' for any particular reason?

Jason

[stuffit]

I think that the lack of popularity here is from the resurgent popularity of the .45-70 which essentially duplicates the physical parameters (except for the belted design) and ballistic potential of the .450 Marlin.  A lot of folks don't realize that, just as you can load a .45-70 "up" to do pretty much the same thing as the .450 Marlin, the Marlin round can also be made to duplicate most anything you can load in the .45-70.  The old 45-70 just attracts more folks these days, mostly because of the ambience of it's history and its resilience, I think  Actually it's six  of one and half a dozen of the other as far as I can see.  Though, of course, brass prices are generally inversly proportional to the popularity of the caliber so the 45-70 brass is less expensive. Go figure....
 
stuffit

[Bullseye]

I tnink Wal-Mart has that gun in their special order catalog for $425, so that might not be all that good of a price.

[victorcharlie]

It's the end of July and not the best time to sell a rifle.l.....as the weather cools and hunting season gets closer then there maybe more interest...........and, as bullseye says, maybe you might need to discount the rifle a little more if you need to move it fast.......

[Redhawk1]

Availability of ammo is a problem, price of the 450 Marlin ammo is a problem. A lot of people reload so the 450 Marlin is not a factor for the extra power the factory rounds provide. Also in some of the gun shops I have been in, you can get a used guide gun from $325.00 to $375.00 depending on the condition.

[BUSTER51]

I have one but,it would be a great present for my dad.would you take $300.00for it ?

[Coyote Hunter]

Reynolds -

I paid $350 at a gun show for my Marlin 375 (used but in great condition) and it included a set of Redding dies ($50 worth at the time), two boxes of WW ammo (another $40 worth of stuff) and a shell holder.  The as-new 2 year-old Marlin 1895 SS  .45-70 I bought in 2002 cost me $249.95 at a dealer. 

You might want to rethink the price.

[Echo4Lima]

They were discussing the .450.

[Rev Buck]

I've taken one deer and a very large black bear with mine in the year and half I've owned it.  Never any trouble and great in the field.  It's become my number one hunting rifle.  Love this rifle.  Rev

[reflex264]

I have done extensive ballistic and field tests with the .450. It is a great cartridge. I have done some long range work with it and find it is as accurate with good ammo as most off the shelf bolt guns and that is saying a mouthfull. reflex264

[IntrepidWizard]

when they first came out with the "M" ported I was in negotiations with Tim at Marlin on a 336 that had gone back twice for locking open on me ,the last time in a Bear confrontation so I took one of the first one and within 4 months a maverick bear went down with one and never moved and that is when I use only the "M" and the Ranch Ruger in 223 now days and the Savages and Winnies are rusting.

[WILD_WEASEL]

In Cartridges of the World you'll find the 458 AMERICAN in the wildcat section, developed in the 1960s.  It is my belief that if Marlin and Hornady had standardized the 458 AMERICAN wildcat based on the 458 Win Magnum cases the 450 Marlin would have been a more popular number.  However, I have read due to the fear some green horn would chamber one of these in a small-bore case based on the 458 basic killed this.  Resulting in the 450s proprietary case design with thicker belt.

[Echo4Lima]

Taken a hog, 3 deer, 1 bear.  The deer dropped in thier tracks, hog went about 15 yards, bear went about 30. I have a 4X5 mulie "staked" out  I'm gonna try to drop this weekend. Shouldnt go far!

Took a nice 5X5 mulie in 2001 with a .308 thru both lungs.  He went UPHILL over 100 yards before dropping!  Got tired of looking for deer I didnt shoot in the neck. Looked around at a lot of big bores, even considered the 45-70 for awhile.  Read and read and read.  Fell on to this .450 Marlin. Long story short, got the .450.  Everything I LIKE in a gun.  Guide Gun fits my short barrel like, heavy caliber fits what I was looking for.  Nothing wrong with the 45-70 (except for some of its proponents) just liked the "out of the box" loads for the .450 better.

I handload so price for ammo isnt really a factor.  I have actually grouped a "cloverleaf" with a load I developed with 350g LFP @ 100yds.  Good groups with 350g JFP & 400g JFP, about 1.5" each, on a good day shooting for me.  I'm satisfied. It all works well for me.

The most important thing, overall, is your happy with whatever you get.  If not, get rid of it!!

[dawei]

Taken a hog, 3 deer, 1 bear.  The deer dropped in thier tracks, hog went about 15 yards, bear went about 30. I have a 4X5 mulie "staked" out  I'm gonna try to drop this weekend. Shouldnt go far!

Took a nice 5X5 mulie in 2001 with a .308 thru both lungs.  He went UPHILL over 100 yards before dropping!  Got tired of looking for deer I didnt shoot in the neck. Looked around at a lot of big bores, even considered the 45-70 for awhile.  Read and read and read.  Fell on to this .450 Marlin. Long story short, got the .450.  Everything I LIKE in a gun.  Guide Gun fits my short barrel like, heavy caliber fits what I was looking for.  Nothing wrong with the 45-70 (except for some of its proponents) just liked the "out of the box" loads for the .450 better.
I handload so price for ammo isnt really a factor.  I have actually grouped a "cloverleaf" with a load I developed with 350g LFP @ 100yds.  Good groups with 350g JFP & 400g JFP, about 1.5" each, on a good day shooting for me.  I'm satisfied. It all works well for me.

The most important thing, overall, is your happy with whatever you get.  If not, get rid of it!!

Bingo! The big advantage of a 450 Marlin® is that it's ready to go right from the box; the ammo box that is. In order to get the full potential from a 45/70 you must handload; or, shoot the real exotic, premium stuff like Garrets®. The 450 is like the 444; everything you need is avilable in factory ammo. Just my $.02

[Redhawk1]

Taken a hog, 3 deer, 1 bear.  The deer dropped in thier tracks, hog went about 15 yards, bear went about 30. I have a 4X5 mulie "staked" out  I'm gonna try to drop this weekend. Shouldnt go far!

Took a nice 5X5 mulie in 2001 with a .308 thru both lungs.  He went UPHILL over 100 yards before dropping!  Got tired of looking for deer I didnt shoot in the neck. Looked around at a lot of big bores, even considered the 45-70 for awhile.  Read and read and read.  Fell on to this .450 Marlin. Long story short, got the .450.  Everything I LIKE in a gun.  Guide Gun fits my short barrel like, heavy caliber fits what I was looking for.  Nothing wrong with the 45-70 (except for some of its proponents) just liked the "out of the box" loads for the .450 better.
I handload so price for ammo isnt really a factor.  I have actually grouped a "cloverleaf" with a load I developed with 350g LFP @ 100yds.  Good groups with 350g JFP & 400g JFP, about 1.5" each, on a good day shooting for me.  I'm satisfied. It all works well for me.

The most important thing, overall, is your happy with whatever you get.  If not, get rid of it!!

Bingo! The big advantage of a 450 Marlin® is that it's ready to go right from the box; the ammo box that is. In order to get the full potential from a 45/70 you must handload; or, shoot the real exotic, premium stuff like Garrets®. The 450 is like the 444; everything you need is avilable in factory ammo. Just my $.02

The other reality is, your hard pressed to find a box in most hunting stores for the 450.  It is not a common stock item in most gun shops. Now a 45-70 you can get almost anywhere.
I have not shot factory ammo for almost 20 years now, why should I start if I can reload and have better quality ammo than factory ammo. 

[Mac11700]

In order to get the full potential from a 45/70 you must handload; or, shoot the real exotic, premium stuff like Garrets®.. The 450 is like the 444; everything you need is avilable in factory ammo. Just my $.02

Seems your dislike of the 45-70 is really effecting your judgement my friend...

Go here and take a look...you might even find something nice for your 444...http://www.cpcartridge.com/premiumrifle.htm...their prices are reasonable for the quality of ammo produced...and you don't have to pay as much as what Garrett charges either...

Mac

[Coyote Hunter]

They were discussing the .450.

A good used Marlin 375 is much more difficult to find than a 450 in similar condition.  Around here (Denver), the 450's and the .45-70's command pretty much the same price.  I've turned down a lot of used Marlins at $400.  All of them, in fact.  In .444, 450, .45-70, .356 Win and .375 win.  The seller's $399 asking price is not that attractive.

[Coyote Hunter]

The big advantage of a 450 Marlin® is that it's ready to go right from the box; the ammo box that is. In order to get the full potential from a 45/70 you must handload; or, shoot the real exotic, premium stuff like Garrets®. The 450 is like the 444; everything you need is avilable in factory ammo. Just my $.02

I checked availability and pricing for the 450 and .45-70 ammo at four places – Midway, Conley Precision, Garrett and Buffalo Bore.  (I could easily have gone to places like Cabelas and picked up some more .45-70 ammo, but they only list the 450 Marlin Hornady 350g FP ammo.) 

The Hornady LE (LeverEvolution) ammunition for the .45-70 at 2050fps is within 50fps of the original Hornady 450 FP ammuniltion at 2100fps and delivers better downrange ballistics.  And in this sample the .45-70 LE ammo was cost $5 less expensive.  The new 450 LE ammunition puts the 450 somewhat ahead of the .45-70 with LE ammo but game would have a hard time telling the difference.

Once we step away from the Hornady LE ammo and performance, the advantage of the .45-70 begins to show up – a much wider range of ammo choices and availability, from inexpensive cowboy loads at $13.29 per box to Garrett 500g Exiter ammo at $180 per box. 

Let’s see…
Midway offers TWENTY-ONE  .45-70 loads and TWO 450 loads.
Buffalo Bore offers FIVE .45-70 loads and TWO 450 loads.
Conley Precision offers ELEVEN .45-70 loads and EIGHT 450 loads.
Garrett offers FIVE .45-70 loads and NO 450 loads.

One might also notice that the Buffalo Bore 300g Speer Uni-Cor load at 2350fps is faster than any 450 load except the Conley 250g Barnes XFN, also at 2350fps but with a lighter bullet.  The Buffalo Bore load is a tad less expensive.

If you want bullets like the 300g Partition, 350g A-Frame or Speer 350g FP or 350g Woodleigh Weld-Core, or any bullet in the 460g weight or up, the .45-70 is the only choice.


450 Marlin @ Midway
$25.99 Hornady 350g LeverEvolution Elastomer Tip (Midway USA)
$28.99 Hornady 350g FP (Midway USA)

450 Marlin @ Buffalo Bore
$47.29 405 gr. JFN. (1975 fps / M.E. 3507 ft. lbs.) (Buffalo Bore)
$48.29 430 gr. LBT-LFN  (1900 fps /M.E. 3446 ft. lbs. (Buffalo Bore)

450 Marlin @ Conley Precision
$28.06  450 Marlin 300 Gr. HP , 2290fps
$28.80 450 Marlin 405g JFP, 1980fps
$29.66  450 Marlin 350 Gr. Hornady Interlock , 2080fps
$37.94  450 Marlin 300 Gr. Nosler Partition , 2270fps
$43.10 450 Marlin 300g Barnes Original FP, 2250fps
$43.58 450 Marlin 400g Barnes Original FP, 1950fps
$46.45 450 Marlin 250g Barnes XFN, 2350fps
$46.45 450 Marlin 300g Barnes XFN, 2200fps

450 Marlin @ Garrett
None




.45-70 @ Midway USA
$13.29 American Ammunition 45-70 Government 405 Grain Lead Flat Nose Box of 20
$19.99 Lancer Ammunition 45-70 Government 405 Grain Lead Round Nose Flat Point Box of 20
$21.99 Ultramax Ammunition 45-70 Government 405 Grain Lead Round Nose Flat Point Box of 20
$22.99 Goex Black Dawge Blackpowder Ammunition 45-70 Government 405 Grain Lead Flat Nose Box of 20
$23.49 Hornady LEVERevolution Ammunition 45-70 Government 325 Grain Elastomer Flex Tip Box of 20
$24.99 Black Hills Cowboy Action Ammunition 45-70 Government 405 Grain Lead Round Nose Flat Point Box of 20
$24.99 Remington Express Ammunition 45-70 Government 300 Grain Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point Box of 20
$24.99 Remington Express Ammunition 45-70 Government 405 Grain Jacketed Soft Point Box of 20
$28.49 Federal Power-Shok Ammunition 45-70 Government 300 Grain Speer Hot-Cor Soft Point Box of 20
$28.99 Winchester Super-X Ammunition 45-70 Government 300 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box of 20
$39.99 Goex Black Dawge Pinnacle Blackpowder Ammunition 45-70 Government 405 Grain Lead Flat Nose Box of 20
$40.99 Buffalo Bore Ammunition 45-70 Government Magnum Levergun 350 Grain Jacketed Flat Nose Box of 20
$40.99 Buffalo Bore Ammunition 45-70 Government Magnum Levergun 405 Grain Jacketed Flat Nose Box of 20
$41.99 Buffalo Bore Ammunition 45-70 Government Magnum Levergun 430 Grain Lead Long Flat Nose Box of 20
$46.99 Grizzly Ammunition 45-70 Government +P 405 Grain Cast Performance Lead Wide Long Nose Gas Check Box of 20
$46.99 Grizzly Ammunition 45-70 Government +P 420 Grain Cast Performance Lead Wide Long Nose Gas Check Box of 20
$46.99 Grizzly Ammunition 45-70 Government +P 460 Grain Cast Performance Lead Wide Flat Nose Gas Check Box of 20
$48.99 Grizzly Ammunition 45-70 Government +P 350 Grain Hawk Bonded Core Jacketed Flat Point Box of 20
$48.99 Grizzly Ammunition 45-70 Government +P 350 Grain Hawk Bonded Core Jacketed Hollow Point Box of 20
$48.99 Grizzly Ammunition 45-70 Government +P 405 Grain Hawk Bonded Core Jacketed Flat Point Box of 20
$51.99 Buffalo Bore Ammunition 45-70 Government Magnum Levergun 500 Grain Full Metal Jacket Flat Nose Box of 20


.45-70 @ Conley precision
$24.99  45/70 Government (Marlin) 405 Gr. JFP , 1900fps
$27.08  45/70 Government (Marlin) 300 Gr. HP , 2100fps
$27.08  45/70 Government (Marlin) 350 Gr. Hornady Interlock , 1970fps
$34.50  45/70 Government (Marlin) 300 Gr. Nosler Partition , 2100fps
$38.87  45/70 Government (Marlin) 460 Gr. Cast Performance WFN GC , 1725fps
$38.97  45/70 Government (Marlin) 420 Gr. Cast Performance WLN GC , 1950fps
$43.54  45/70 Government (Marlin) 250 Gr. Barnes XFN , 2200fps
$43.54  45/70 Government (Marlin) 300 Gr. Barnes X FN  2100fps
$46.66  45/70 Government (Marlin) 300 Gr. Barnes Original FP , 2100fps
$46.66  45/70 Government (Marlin) 400 Gr. Barnes Original FP , 1900fps
$56.46  45/70 Government (Marlin) 400 Gr. Swift A-Frame , 1900fps


.45-70 @ Buffalo Bore
$46.19 430 gr. L.B.T.- L.F.N. - G.C. (1925 fps / M.E. 3537 ft. lbs.)
$45.14 300gr. Speer Uni Core @ 2350 fps (3678 ft. lbs.)
$45.14 405 gr. J.F.N. (2000 fps / M.E. 3597 ft. lbs.)
$45.14 350 gr. J.F.N. (2150 fps / M.E. 3592 ft. lbs.)
$56.69 500 gr. FMJFN (1625 fps /M.E. 2931 ft. lbs.)



.45-70 @ Garrett
$55.00 420-GR SUPERHARDCAST GAS-CHECKED HAMMERHEAD AT 1650-FPS
$55.00 420-GR SUPER-HARD-CAST GAS-CHECKED HAMMERHEAD AT 1850-FPS
$55.00 540-GR SUPER-HARD-CAST GAS-CHECKED HAMMERHEAD AT 1550-FPS
$65.00 350-GR WOODLEIGH WELD-CORE JSP AT 2000-FPS
$180.00 500-GRAIN SPEER TUNGSTEN SOLID AT 1530-FPS

While the situation with 450 factory ammo options and availability is slowly improving, especially with the Buffalo Bore and Conley offerings, the .45-70 retains a significant advantage in these areas.

[GAWI]

Back to your question, its a good brush round but your price is a little high for used.

[BUSTER51]

NICE JOB,Cyote hunter. if the rifle is still for sale I can go $325.00.

[sig232]

I have the Marlin 450 also and like it a lot. Kicks pretty hard but there is a lot of safety factor in the woods with that extra power.

I do think that you have to sell them for the market price and you can take a look at the various gun auction sites to establish a fair price. The $300 range it right in there in my opinion.

[Syncerus]

Has anybody compared the Marlin rifle to the BLR in .450 caliber? When you shot the two, how did they compare in head-to-head comparison? I had a .308 BLR back in the day and liked it very much. I assume the BLR is the long action version of the rifle.