Author Topic: .450 Marlin - post range session observations (Read 465 times)

Extremesolo · « **on:** November 21, 2005, 07:36:34 AM »

I like my new .450 Marlin barrel but after shooting it yesterday I have a few questions for others on this board. The recoil is certainly substantial but nothing that is not expected. I have shot a few other calibers that also have significant recoil (mossberg 835, 8mm Mag) so I was not really bothered by it, but I do need a scope with more eye relief. My simmons WTE 1.5-6x32 is a great scope but it did come back and hit my nose a few times even when the gun was in a vise. It only has 3" of eye relief and that is not enough. Does anyone use a handgun scope on their hard recoiling handis? I have never used a handgun scope but was looking at a few on the internet and the eye relief ranges from 18-26". i am not sure exactly how that would work on our handi frames so hopefully someone can give me some good info on that type of setup. I installed a sims slip on pad and I am sure it had to help. The gun was very accurate with a 4 shot group all touching in the bull at 50 yards. I cannot find any good ballistics table for it to verify how i should sight it in for maximum effectiveness. I only have access at this point to a 50 yard range so I am trying to find out how high I should sight in at 50 to be slightly high at 100. I understand it is basically a 200 yard gun and most shots will be less than 150. How high should it be sighted in at 50 yards to be dead on at 100 yards, 150 yards?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2005, 07:54:08 AM »

Considering the 45-70 and 450 Marlin are ballistic twins, shooting the PMC +P 350gr loads in my 45-70, hitting 3" high at 100yds put me 5-6" low at 200yds in a 22" barrel. Here's a great calculator to give you an idea of ballistic for your load if you know the BC and velocity.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/rescources/calculators/balistics/index.htm

Extremesolo · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2005, 08:09:00 AM »

quick,
For some reason I cannot get the calculator to work for me. I keep getting an error even when I reset it and enter new data in the table. Thanks for the link though.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 21, 2005, 08:16:11 AM »

A good scope to use would be the Leupold VX-1 2x7x33...you won't smack your nose with it...and it's what I use for my 45-70 Handi...go here and download Point Blank..it's a free download and works great for what you want......http://www.huntingnut.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3

Mac

Lone Star · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2005, 08:26:24 AM »

Handgun scopes won't work well on a rifle unless you mount them well forward on the barrel as is done with a "scout rifle". What you need is a quality scope rather than your "popular priced" scope - just as Mac says. Cheap scopes may not last long anyway on a heavily-recoiling rifle like the lightweight .450M Handi. A quality scope will have a longer eye relief and will last on a big hitter.

cattleskinner · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2005, 02:54:38 PM »

Here is another good one for you to mess with.....http://www.biggameinfo.com/BalCalc.aspx

~~~Amos

quickdtoo · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2005, 03:00:52 PM »

Quote from: Extremesolo

quick,
For some reason I cannot get the calculator to work for me. I keep getting an error even when I reset it and enter new data in the table. Thanks for the link though.

Hmmm, appears to be on the fritz!! :?

safetysheriff · « **Reply #7 on:** November 22, 2005, 10:43:16 AM »

extreme'

a couple suggestions: always hold the rifle butt/recoil pad tightly to your shoulder to limit the movement of the rifle once the cartridge is fired. i'd expect to reduce recoil velocity and movement of the rifle bydoing that. it should also help to keep a scope alive if the velocity and movement under recoil is reduced.

i like the new bushnell banner with the 6" eye relief. i put one on my new .270 weatherby vanguard last year and got excellent results with it -- being able to call my shots repeatedly. i think that is a product of both the rifle and the scope setup. admittedly, however, i put that shotgun/levergun scope on a bolt-action. it could be that it's just the ticket for a .450 Marlin. www.bushnell.com will allow you to see it. the part number is 71-3947.

for others who need a scope with a long-eye relief and a good mounting length (for long-action cartridges like the .270 or .30-06) this scope may hold an answer for you.

i hope this helps,

ss'

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** November 22, 2005, 02:07:49 PM »

Jon has that scope for $69....

http://theopticzone.com/detail.aspx?ID=3297