.450 Marlin concerns

[Thunderpaw]

I am thinking of purchasing a T/C Encore rifle with a .450 Marlin barrel. Is there anybody here that has this setup already? Any problems? or opinions? (besides going with the 45/70) Can anybody give me an accurate comparison as to how hard this round recoils?

[bigchuckie]

I never have but a friend of mine did He had  a synthentic fore am and the recoil kept busting the pillars for the mounting screws

[Redhawk1]

Recoil will be very stiff and uncomfortable for the 450 Marlin. I load up my 45-70 in the upper levels in my Encore and find the recoil to be real stout. Remember the 450 is just a banded 45-70 loaded hot.
So if you are a reloader, I would get the 45-70. The 450 Marlin has nothing more to offer than to shoot a heavy 'factory" round.  But Buffalo Bore and resolved that issue. Plus the 45-70 ammo and components can be found everywhere.

[encore3006]

 

[KN]

I have one in an 18" full bull custom shop config. I prefer shooting it as a pistol more than a rifle. Full house loads will beat you good! I also have a Marlin Guide Gun in 450. Personally I like the guide gun much better for this round.   KN

[Thunderpaw]

Any suggestions for what stock configuration wood be best for this heavy hitter, wood, synthetic, laminated? What about a thumbhole stock?
 

[K.K]

The wood and laminate will be heavier, thus mitigating recoil somewhat.  You may try a sims recoil pad as well.  Thumbhole is up to you.  I think that the stock design of Encore helps reduce recoil, but the additional weight and excellent recoil from Sims should help.

[sk330lc]

I have a ProHunter with the thumbhole FlexTech stock with a 12ga slug barrel .  It really does reduce recoil by about 40 to 50%. Had the 12ga Barrel on my  walnut stocked Encore. I couldn't handle more than five shots with out getting Gun shy ! Now I have no problems.  The only problem I have with the thumbHole is cocking. You have to take your thumb  out of the Hole duh!
I would Handle one if I were you, to see if you Like it or not!!!

[Keith L]

I didn't get a chance to shoot one, but I did get to handle a Pro Hunter last Sunday with a .270 barrel, and I liked what I saw.  I think one will come home with me some day soon.

[Redhawk1]

Any suggestions for what stock configuration wood be best for this heavy hitter, wood, synthetic, laminated? What about a thumbhole stock?
 

If you are worried about recoil, get a Walnut stock and install a Simms recoil pad, you can also do what I did and drill the stock and put a mercury recoil reducer in the stock to eat up the recoil, it did a great job on my 416 Rigby barrel.  Also look at the Pro-hunter stock, it comes with a Simms pad already and had the flex tech design. I have a Walnut thumbhole stock, and the recoil does not seem as bad in it as the standard Walnut stocks. I prefer the thumbhole stocks.

[Coltdriver]

I had a 450 Marlin Barrel on my Encore.  The recoil is stiff but manageable with a limb saver recoil pad.

There is one great reason to have a 450 Marlin.  If you reload 45 70 and you have a trap door rifle and you also want to reload higher power rounds that would blow up your trapdoor.  Then the belted 450 is a great way to have magnum rounds and not get mixed up and hurt yourself.

Other than that reason, there is not a good reason to have a 450.  The availability of the ammo is very low and there is only one factory round. 

So I sold my 450 barrel and got a 45 70 barrel.  The ammo availability for 45 70 is excellent and there are many varieties.  I also reload and I don't own a trapdoor.

You can reload up or down with anything.  I like to make plinkers for the 45 70 and save the magnum stuff for hunting.