I have 2 450 handi barrels. One is 22" and one is 18" with a brake. They are both good shooters.
Posted by: dumgunny --->The .450 Marlin......one of those awesome solutions to a non-existent problem! Maybe YOUR non-existent problem, but I think a lot of people are in the same boat as me. I don't reload and I want the biggest bang for the buck. Sure you can load 45-70 shells to the same levels, but for people like me who don't reload, it is nice to be able to buy a box of 325 grain ballistic tip ammo that shoots 2250fps for around $30 a box. (the price on hornady's site says $39.95 a box, but it is still $28 at my local source) Commercial loaded 45-70 ammo with this kind of power (buffalo bore) costs 50% more. Commercially loaded 500s&w ammo costs almost twice that of the hornady 450marlin ammo with not much more power. Availability is the only downside to buying 450 ammo. If you don't live near a Gander Mountain or Cabelas, it may be hard to find.
The recoil is not for a gun-shy person. It is in the neighborhood of 12ga turkey load recoil. With a good buttstock pad, a heavy jacket, and offhand shooting while hunting it isn't bad. At the range, hunched over a benchrest with nothing but a t-shirt is a far different story. The first time I shot my 450 handi, I fired 3 rounds and went home with a purple shoulder. That said, a good scope is required on the 450.
So many people here rag on the 450 when ever it is brought up. I don't know if they ever owned one, but it is a fun gun and a lot more practical than some other calibers that have been made for the handi.
