What does the future hold for the .450 Marlin?

[sd550]

Not being a reloader, I only shoot my .45-70 a couple or three boxes of ammo a year. The BB and Garrett ammo is beginning to break me. I was just wondering about moving up to the .450 Marlin.  Anyone have any suggestions on this round?  Any info would be appreciated.

[Buckeye]

Stick with 45/70 ,PMC 350gr. Same vel. of the 450 @ low prices.

Buckeye

[leverfan]

Not being a reloader, I only shoot my .45-70 a couple or three boxes of ammo a year. The BB and Garrett ammo is beginning to break me. I was just wondering about moving up to the .450 Marlin.  Anyone have any suggestions on this round?  Any info would be appreciated.

I hate to talk anyone out of getting another rifle, but I would recommend that you take the money that you would have used on a new 450, and get set up to reload instead.  45-70 brass has a greater internal capacity than .450 Marlin cases, so a careful reloader with a strong gun can get more power out of the 45-70.  Not much more, but it's there.  

If you also give bullet casting some attention, you can make your own premium ammo for next to nothing.  If you're always buying Garrett and Buffalo Bore ammo, a reloading set up will pay for itself in no time flat.  Tinkering with loads and casting bullets can be a great deal of fun, just in itself.

That being said, the .450 was invented with folks just like you in mind.  It offers similar performance to semi-custom/handloaded 45-70 ammo, but it offers it to the non-reloader.  .450 ammo still has to be ordered in my neck of the woods, so it doesn't offer any advantage as far as being more available than Garrett or BB.  Since you've already found high-performance 45-70 ammo that you like, and you seem to want to stick with factory fodder, I still can't come up with any real good reasons for a new rifle, other than it's always fun to get a new rifle. :grin:

[Cabin4]

The 450 Marlin, I just don't understand this thing !

I do understand how it came about and all the hoopla over someone loading hot loads in an an old antique 45-70 and it blowing up in thier face. But anyone can still do this if they buy ammo from Buffalo Bore, so whats the 450 all about ?

I really think the 450 will go away very quietly over the next few years.

[oso45-70]

sd550,
I would hate to see you sell your 45-70 and buy a 450. Frankly i think the marlin 450 is on its way out. Some one mentioned getting set up to load for the 45-70 which i think would be your best bet. With the 450 you get what you get and with the 45-70 you can do a world of things, From hammering loads to soft ones. I would do a lot of pondering before i made the leap to the 450. Good luck to ya sir and stay safe.....Joe......

[Lawdog]

sd550,

I own 2 .450 Marlin's but neither are lever actions.  One is a Win. M70 and the other is a Ruger No.1(my modern day buffalo gun).  At this point in time there are limited number of factory loads available for the .450 so reloading is the way most of us .450 owners go.  Will the .450 Marlin ever go away?  I don’t believe it will.  More and more firearms are being manufactured for this cartridge because of demand.  According to Marlin itself they are selling almost as many .450’s as they are .45-70’s.  Browning chambers their BLR in the .450 Marlin and it is selling very well.  Winchester already chambers their M70 in it and Ruger(according to their own technicians) is rumored to be bringing the .450 out in their M77 and No.1.  The .450 Marlin is a very good cartridge, especially for reloading due to the slightly thicker case(this is according to Hornady so all you .45-70 fans argue with Hornady not me).  It really comes into it’s own when used with pointed or spitzer type bullets, which you can use in the Browning BLR but can’t in a Marlin.

But do I think you should sell your .45-70 just to buy a .450 Marlin?  ABSOLUTELY NOT.  Recoil wise you would just be changing one big kicker for another with the same recoil.  Why not do as others have stated and get into reloading?  Doesn’t take up much room and is a great way to pass some time.  Small groups and tight lines to you.  Lawdog
 

[sd550]

One of the reasons I was thinking about the .450 was it was the only caliber offered in the Win.94 Timber and the other was of the price of the factory loads.

I doubt I'll get into reloading,because of time and the small amount of ammo that I shoot a year. I may try it latter on in the future though.

Thanks for all the input.

[RIFLERANGER]

I don't think it is going to die a quick death either.
The beauty of the 450M is that it is RIMLESS.
I don't know about anybody else, but the rim on the 45-70 is a royal pain in my @ss to get through the gate.
I have Marlins in both calibers, but I will sacrifice that 1 grain of extra power from the 45-70 anyday for the convenience of the rimless case.
I also don't think that any animal that gets hit with either will know the difference.

Ranger

[akpls]

I.
The beauty of the 450M is that it is RIMLESS.  I don't know about anybody else, but the rim on the 45-70 is a royal pain in my @ss to get through the gate.  

AMEN !! to this.

[Cabin4]

I'm looking at it this way, there are only so many potential buyers of the 450 or 45/70. Will anyone that already owns a 45/70 upgrade to a 450 ? likely not many at all. Will someone who does not own a 45/70 or 450 and want one, which one are they more likely to buy ? This is the question that will decide the future of the 450. In my opinion, more will opt for the 45/70 over the 450. So in this respect, the 45/70 should continue to have more robust sales than the 450. If this trend does materialize, why will gun manufactures continue to make 450's when and if this trend occurs ?

Of course its here to stay and someone or two will always likely make a gun chambered in 450.