Any wildcats bassed on the 450 Marlin cartridge?

[Bigboar]

I was thinking of putting together a custom bolt rifle but want something different.  I was wondering if the Marlin 450 had been necked down to say 40 cal. or .375?  Has anyone heard of anything?

Thanks

[onesonek]

For  me, there aren't many 40 cal bullets to choose from. On the other hand, the 375 has plenty. With that said, I haven't heard on any "cats" on the 450 yet. That's not saying the don't exsist. Somebody else may reply that has heard of something.
My first thoughts were to go with a VVC rounds, based on the 45-70 case. But there is .007" difference in the case heads, with the 45-70 being smaller. Then again you could open the 375 VVC up a little and make it work. Also I don't think VVC has a 40 cal. .  
Now, food for thought. If I were doing something as such. I would neck up 4 new 350 Rem Mag to .375.  Stuff 260 gr NP's in them, (for particular OAL  for action used), and send 2 toe Redding for dies, and 2 to your gunsmith for reamers. The 350 is slightly longer than the 450. Which may not be desirable in your action. You can get forming dies and neck down the 450 also. Either way it could be costly,,,,But FUN.

[Shoot!]

Sounds alot like the .416 Beartooth. As I'm sure you know, the .450 Marlin is little more than the standard H&H Magnum case that has been shortened and made with a taller belt so other belted cases couldn't be used. The .458x2" Barnes is the same thing as the .450 Marlin on a std mag. case and was developed in the early '60s. Personally, I'd opt for a shortened standard magnum case over the Marlin so I could use any belted base brass from .257 Wby. to .458 Win. You'd give up nothing in capacity and brass selection is unlimited. Another idea would be to simply neck up WSM or SAUM brass for more capacity. I suspect a bolt gun would feed either of these much better than the rimmed 45-70. Sounds like a cool project. Keep us posted.

[tw]

The 450 indeed feeds wonderfully through a bolt action I have built 8 of them and they are great rifles.  The reason for the taller belt is to keep people from inadvertantly putting the 450 into the 300 Win mag or Weatherby mag or a number of other guns in calibers that would allow it to be chambered.  With the wider belt the action simply will not close thereby protecting us from ourselves.  Considering our litigous society it is probably a good idea considering a cup of coffee from the drive through was worth a couple million bucks to one lady.  The 450 in a bolt action also allows for some creativity in the handloading dept since the bolt action will withstand higher chamber pressures  ( be very careful in this department).  Barnes offers some fine bullet choices that one could not think about using in the lever gun.  I am not aware of anyone offering a production bolt gun at this time but it is possible.  It does make a wonderful 375 also.  sorry to ramble on good hunting and shooting.

[Gowge]

I was thinking of putting together a custom bolt rifle but want something different.  I was wondering if the Marlin 450 had been necked down to say 40 cal. or .375?  Has anyone heard of anything?

Thanks

Bigboar, why not head in the opposite direction?   Marlin is about to release a new Model 95 in 475Linebaugh/480Ruger.   Swap one of those barrels to your 450, and blow the case out almost straight to .475"!!  You would have essentially the same thing as Gary Reeder's .475GNR (blown out straight 45-70) but in a belted cartridge.  There's some BIG bullets in .475" you could load!  Call it the .475 BIGBOAR MAGNUM!   :wink:

GOOD LUCK!