One would think that would have to play in to your decision making. The recoil of the .450 was a bit stiffer than the .444 Marlin with Buffalo Bore ammunition. The buttpad was a ventilated hard rubber pad. Newly Accepted Cartridge and Chamber Designs. .450 Bushmaster Buffalo Cartridge Co. . The .450 Bushmaster is designed to be used in standard M16s and AR-15s, using modified magazines and upper receiver assemblies. The two Marlins had ported 18-inchers. The .444 felt noticeably smoother in its action than the .450. While I think the .444 Marlin is a sound design, there is such a diversity in the .45-70 Government makes it a logical and abundant choice for the hunter. Bushmaster asked Hornady to produce the .45 Professional, but Hornady wanted to shorten the cartridge case to accommodate their .452-inch, 250-grain pointed SST Flex-Tip bullet. Then it had a distinct hitch to a solid stop, then a hard pull of 5 pounds followed by lots of overtravelnot the sort of action we look for in rifle triggers. However, some shooters like the extra margin of safety, and its there if desired. It drives a 350-grain bullet at 2,200 fps, about 150 fps faster than Buffalo Bores loads for that bullet weight in the .45-70. Both are straight walled cartridges, but the 45-70 has a longer overall length, a longer case length, and a larger diameter case than the 450 Bushmaster. 22 Nosler. The .450 Marlin has quite a bit longer case, at 2.10 compared to 1.70 on the .450 Bushmaster. In our tests, the gun was not as smooth as the .444, had less power than you can get out of a good .45-70 load, offered not a lot more power than you can get out of good .444 Marlin loads, and in short didnt offer us anything at all that we wanted. Then, later in our testing, we again encountered this failure to feed, and not just from the last round in the magazine. Save my name and email to use for future comments. I have a very accurate marlin with the 1/20 twist. The last doe I hit at about 35 yards after the bullet hit a thumb size bush left a fist sized hole through the deer, and she STILL ran, but the blood trail was 5' wide to where she dropped after a 30 yard run. More power to them. Ballistics are similar to hot 45-70 loads--which are often downloaded by major manufacturers because they need to be able to not blow up the older weaker guns. Some hunters like lever-action rifles for hunting, but they want more power than the .30-30 delivers, and so the medium-bore lever rifle cartridges were born. Yes, this includes the mighty .444 and .45-70, as well as the .338 ME and its bolt action analog, the venerable .30-06. That said, the Bushmasterwhile stoutisnt the North American version of the .500 Nitro Express. We dug it out with a knife, reloaded two more, and again the second round failed to feed. The idea took off, and now many of those states are allowing straight-walled cartridges to be used as deer hunting ammo. The .350 Legend takes it easier on each by a fairly wide margin. In terms of maximum point-blank range, its only a 16-yard difference on a 14-inch target (roughly the size of a small deers vital zone). It had a red cast in direct sunlight and was very attractive. The .45-70 was developed for the army to be used in the trapdoor Springfield rifle. So when it comes to the .350 Legend vs .450 Bushmaster, is there any discernable advantage of hunting one or the other? At 300 yards, drop is 15.8 and 18.8 respectively. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. For the moment, the .450 Bushmaster seems to be the most popular deer hunting ammo for states that allow straight-walled cartridges. While the .450 Marlin can be used in bolt action rifles, it is most commonly found in lever action rifles. Ultimately, the biggest factor in choosing between these two cartridges will be what type of rifle you wish to use. Bryce M. Towsley First, the 45-70 Government is physically larger than the 450 Bushmaster. However, if we found a gun which didnt have ejection problems like those we note below, wed upgrade that recommendation to a Conditional Buy for the pistol shooter who already owns .44 Magnums or Specials. Anybody who has done much range work with them knows that they are plagued with fliers. With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady 265-grain Flextip ammo is 1.55 inches high at 100 yards, 4.08 inches low at 200 yards and 11.16 inches low at 250 yards. We measured the .450 Marlins velocity at 2,045 fps with the 350-grain Hornady Flat-Point Interlock bullet. vs. .300 WSM.223 Remington vs. .22-250 Remington. Or more other on Scopes & Sights Resource for other rifle. Marlin Model 444P Our recommendation: Marlin ought to know by now how to make a flawless .444 Marlin. It served until the .30-40 Krag replaced it in 1892. The wood pores of the 444P were no better filled than on the other rifle. This means Marlins, Ruger No. With the good loads out there for the .45-70, and with Wild Wests .457 Magnum available, we see no need for the .450 Marlin. With a 150-yard zero, the bullet is 1.66 inches high at 100 yards, 4.37 inches low at 200 yards, and 11.9 inches low at 250 yards. Both of these big bore cartridges are meant for a specific purpose: to bring down large game at very close ranges. I ended up just taking a lower I had and put a 450 upper on it with a vortex crossfire II 1-430 I think or maybe its 35 or something like that not sure but it will group at 2 inches even for an 10 shot group at 100 yards. A full-length 22-inch Marlin gave us only 2,064 with that load, so we doubt that youll ever see 2,100 fps out of the .450 Marlin. There were two large panels of checkering on the straight-hand grip. The 444 Marlin is a 200 yard rifle. At 300 yards, the .450 Marlin is still in the lead with another 404 ft-lbs of energy over the .450 Bushmaster. Who needs more than 1 shot? This cartridge is useless, and it may have caused a host of ejection problems in our test gun. Copyright 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. The .450 Bushmaster was developed for big game hunting with modern rifles. flex tip Hornady's it shot 1'' at 75 yards - sighted in at that range since it's 65 yards to the hog feeder . He is a gun owner and avid reloader from Colorado. Item # 454 Casull 044588 460 S&W Mag 044722 480 Ruger/475 Linebaugh 044174 500 S&W Mag 044702 Sure-Loc Lock Rings . I own a 450 marlin and have been happy with it. We stock a full range of bulk rifle ammunition to meet . Medium-bore lever rifles are made by Marlin and Winchester. The only thing holding it back right now is the delivery system. The idea used to develop the .450 Bushmaster was credited to Jeff Cooper. The old Trapdoor rifles are restricted to a lower pressure level than are the modern, strongly-built lever guns like the Marlin Model 1895 and Winchester Model 1886; though the case may be thin, it can generate impressive numbers in a modern gun. The most common cartridges now are the .444 Marlin, the .45-70, and the new .450 Marlin. His Thumper concept was a semi-auto rifle larger than .44-caliber, capable of taking big game out to 250 yards. Or more plainly speaking, youd dial a scope on a Bushmaster up .2-inch more than on the Legend when sighting in at 100 yards. And, outside a flash hider on an AR, dont usually come with a muzzle device standard. It produces 28.27 ft-lbs of recoil energy at a velocity of 14.72 fps. Its big and powerful enough, and with good bullets, it may produce the best external ballistics of the bunch. The 450 bushmasters highest muzzle energy is 2743 ft/lbs of energy, 363 ft/lbs more than the Socom. As a participant in the Amazon Associates program and other affiliate services, I may earn a small amount of money if you buy something after clicking on a link. The .45-70 is far more versatile, and ammo is made by many companies. However, we measured Buffalo Bores 350-grain .45-70 load at 2,058 from their Guide Gun (on a cold day, unlike the blazing heat in which we tested the .450 Marlin). They have very similar ballistics, but the .450 Marlin is most frequently found in lever action rifles, while the .450 Bushmaster is intended for semi-automatic rifles on the AR platform. We also had problems with the function of the .450 Marlin. Deer, hog. For our very first shots with the .444 Marlin, we loaded two rounds. In the .450 Bushmaster's corner is Hornady 's 250-grain FTX load, which has a listed muzzle velocity of 2,200 fps, is topped with a flex-tip bullet and has a ballistic coefficient (BC) of .210. I'm thinking of adding a 450 bushmaster. We fired one, and the second jammed coming out of the tubular magazine. The Winchester, thought, had a superb ghost-ring aperture sight by Ashley, which we though would give it an advantage. The .450 Marlin and the .450 Bushmaster use very similar sized bullets, as their names might suggest. This one didnt work. Since the topic is hunting, weve selected two respected hunting rounds in common weights for calibers and with similar style bullets to side-by-side the cartridges. 450 Marlin vs 45-70. Commercial cartridges are available for both rounds. The slim forend had wrap-around checkering. SAAMI Accepts 30 Super Carry As New Standardized Cartridge, SHOT 2022: Federal Premium Announces 30 Super Carry Cartridge. I have an H&R 444 with the 16tw barrel - loaded some 240gr. The Bushmaster is based on a sawed-off .284 Winchester case. Its at the lower weight limit for maximum loads in the .444, and even with a muzzle brake we dont believe a shorter version would be all that good an idea. At 150 yards the 444 drops 2.4 inches, whereas the Bushmaster drops about 2.9 inches. Perhaps with a longer barrel the ammunition might achieve its claimed 2,100 fps. Both shed velocity like mad, the Legend losing 29-percent of its muzzle velocity at the 200-yard mark and the Bushmaster 31 percent1,648 fps and 1,515 fps respectively. Not that it hurts to have a rifle chambered for one in your arsenal if you live big county out West. The decision may now be influenced by availability of both rifles and ammunition, with the breakup of the parent company which owned Marlin (thankfully Marlin has been purchased by Ruger). (The .450 Marlin, by the way, is a ringer for the .458 American except for that longer belt. Bottles & 12-oz. Eight major concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the millions of Americans who carry concealed. Follow along to see exactly how. You have two cartridges that are headed in opposite directions. The 450 Bushmaster is taking off and new ammo offerings keep popping up. 450 Bushmaster was the first big round to come out for bolt action and AR-style rifles, It opened up possibilities for hunters where shotguns and straight-walled cartridge. If the ring had been nearer the eye, the front sight would have been forced into the center of the ring, and we would have gotten better accuracy. The .444 shoots much flatter than most folks realize. All rights reserved. ; this is a formidable load in any rifle. Shotgun slugs require a series of small miracles to happen for them to perform well. With a 2.260-inch Maximum Overall Cartridge Length, it fits well in the AR-15 platform. Mag. He was intrigued by the idea of the .450 Bushmaster cartridge but prefers hunting with a lever-action versus a bolt action rifle. Its a great gun. 1, the .45-70 can be loaded to impressive performance. Whats going on? How can a bit of brass added to a cartridge case make up for the exact same amount of steel removed from the chamber that holds it? The original loading used a 250-grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2200 fps from a 20-inch barrel. The .444 Marlin has the advantage of using the jacketed and cast bullets for the .44 Magnum, making it a rather flexible design for the handloader. Of course, with the shorter barrels on the AR-15 and some other rifles, the muzzle velocity is lower, which changes all the other numbers. vs. .340 Wby. Sign up for Field & Streams newsletter to receive the latest and greatest gear reviews and expert hunting and fishing advice. Links to technical data and drawings for the newly SAAMI accepted Cartridge and Chamber designs not yet included in SAAMI Standards are listed below. That said, I have both in rifles. The inletting was nowhere near as good as on the Marlins. On the other hand, the .450 Bushmaster is primarily intended for use on the semi-automatic AR platform, while it can also be chambered in bolt action rifles. One of my favorites, and a big favorite for many Alaskans, is the Marlin 1895 lever gun. Our loaner was fitted with a ghost-ring Ashley aperture sight held to the receiver with two screws. But in all honesty, it isnt for everyonebe it due to tight quarters or time constraints. First of all, theres no need for it. But if you find a sample that doesnt exhibit the problem and you have zillions of .44 pistol bullets you want to shoot in it, then wed give it a Conditional Buy. Straight-walled rifle cartridgesat least most of themare a lot more consistent. (45-70 Govt) Its very accurate and I feel more comfortable with it than a marlin 1895 big bore or another one of the other many 45-70 lever guns. Absolutely, it depends on what rifle you usemore exactly its weightas to how many foot-pounds of energy will jolt into your shoulder. Born in 1873, .45-70 Govt. The .45-70 Government is definitely the older of the two, having been released in 1873 in the famous Trapdoor Springfield. We know that Winchester has brought out a shorter-barrel version of this rifle, complete with ported muzzle, but we dont see a real need for it. of energy. We eventually decided there was something seriously wrong with this rifle, and though we liked its feel, looks, and accuracy, we wouldnt buy this one. Will it put a deer down faster. is even more expensive. Its an interesting and unique addition and most are mighty fun to shoot. The higher velocity and energy of the .450 Marlin allows it to shoot a bit flatter than the .450 Bushmaster. If, instead, the case had been developed around a standard belted brass case, we feel consumers would ultimately be better served by the Marlin 1895M. A 44 mag has 11 ftlbs. Mag. 444 Marlin VS 450 Bushmaster Which is Better. It's my night hog rifle - 4x12-50 L VXR . During the spring conservation order, you can hunt with outfitters from Arkansas to Saskatchewan. At the range, the first shot told us that the Marlin .450 was a powerful rifle. The internet celebrity, who is a member of Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. The checkering was very well done, had a pleasing pattern, and it worked very well. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gun Tests has been independently reviewing firearms since 1989. At 100 yards bullet velocity slows to 1,835 and retains 1,868 pounds of energy. This comparative cartridge information puts the performance of the new .450 Marlin in context, especially when the shooter considers how a slightly less powerful round, the well-known .444 Marlin, shoots. X-Vision Optics long-range ImpactThermal Scope (TS300) boasts a 640 x 480 thermal sensor that can detect big game well past 3,000 yards. But for overall practicality, straight-wall cartridges are a topic for the good folks around the Great Lakes region. For $404, wed give it a Buy rating, being a better deal than the $550 Marlin. All rights reserved. The .450 Marlin and the .450 Bushmaster are very similar cartridges: both are big bore cartridges intended for big game hunting at close quarters, and lose steam after about 150-200 yards. With the hammer block there is the possibility of forgetting to press the little button before the shot, and thus losing the shot at the game animal. This Marlin, as weve come to expect from Marlins (especially the new breed with real rifling grooves) laid em in there as well as we could hold with iron sights. We didnt like these, having become thoroughly used to the half-cock position on hammer rifles. The Hornady Flextip bullet has a BC of .225 and a muzzle velocity of 2325 fps. Gun Tests Recommends Marlin 444P .444 Marlin, $550. It had a plain but serviceable checkered walnut stock with trestle-style buttpad made of black rubberized iron. Why dont manufacturers get the word here? Save big on firearms, accessories, tactical gear, clothing, and ammunition from now until March 29. I dont think anybody can say anything against the quality of marlin lever actions. Those unaccustomed to hard-kicking rifles will find either the .444 or the .450 a bit much on the shoulder until they get used to it. Adjacent to the hood were a total of 14 portholes in the barrel that did wonders to cut muzzle flip. Specifically, the 45-70 cartridge has an overall length of 2.55 and a 2.105 long case. This is where the differences end, as the 45 70 and 450 are more similar than they are different. CVA Inc Scout V2 .444 Marlin Single Shot Rifle with Stainless Barrel and Dead-On Mount $349.99; Brand: CVA Inc; Item Number: CR4913S-NB; Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter 500SW Mag Katahdin Carbine We can, however, see the beauty of an aperture sight, and desperately wanted one on both of the Marlins, such as the excellent ghost-ring Ashley or the even better fully adjustable version from Wild West with its protective ears. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use. from a 20" barrel for 2,686 ft.-lbs. The 1895M was fitted with barrel-mounted iron sights, though it was also drilled and tapped for scope mounting. In days past these included the .348, various wildcats on that theme like the .450 Alaskan, the .45-70, and numerous blackpowder-era cartridges modernized with smokeless powder. For all the .450 Bushmasters assets, economic shooting isnt one of them. This straddled the bolt, but was much too far forward for proper use by our test personnel. High-Dollar .22 LR Pistols: Pardini Is Our Pick As Best Buy. Year-round, you can find ammo at less than 50 per round, which isnt 5.56 NATO cheap, but is thrifty. Elwood Shelton is an online content developer for Gun Digest. Looking at the variety of ammunition available for the two, the .45-70 Government has the undeniable advantage in the number of choices, with nearly every manufacturer including the cartridge in their lineup, in some form or another. Most gun makers and gun buyers were not interested in new rifles chambered for this underperforming cartridge. Marlin .450 Bushmaster Lever-Action in 2017 A few months back, we had Michigan hunter approach us to build him a precision Marlin lever-action rifle in .450 Bushmaster. If you want a powerful lever-action .45-caliber rifle, you probably know what youre doing. The rimmed .457 case is longer than the .45-70 but otherwise similar, its extra length keeping it out of chambers where it doesnt belong. I have had good luck with the Hornady 250-grain Flextip load. Not only does it reduce the possibility of developing a flinch, but it also improves the ability of the average hunter to deliver an accurate follow-up shot. New Shooters Guide: What Is a Pistol Caliber Carbine? That makes it a good option for recoil-sensitive shooters who must abide by tapered cartridge restrictions. The walnut was very decent wood, nicer than that on the .450. of muzzle energy, and that combo will handle any North American game animal. I wouldn't fret over performance or availability in either case. is more comparable to the .350 Legend, but you're losing power and velocity. Though we believe the .45-70 version is a much better bet, many riflemen who also own .44-caliber handguns will want to own the .444 Marlin, and its a pretty good rifle. Winchester put decent walnut on this all-steel rifle, and did a great job of finishing and checkering the wood. At 100 yards, the .450 Marlin is moving 52 ft/s faster. 2.100 case length. The .444 Marlin is essentially a deer rifle that can be used on black bear. Marlin .450 Model 1895M Our recommendation: Dont Buy the $560 Marlin .450 Model 1895M. All provide an increase in accuracythough there are some wonderfully accurate slug guns out therebut the trajectory of those . On the other hand, performance-wise, the dividing line is thin enough so it's difficult to tip fence-sitters one way or another. The Marlins rear sight was a spring-loaded buckhorn with U-notch. Accuracy was all that anyone would want. It might be a little too much for whitetails - it would be perfect on elk and moose. The Buffalo Bore .45-70 load, same weight bullet, was faster than the .450 Marlin. A talk on straight-wall cartridges is, for the most part, a regional discussion. Learn more . Were not sure, but we would guess that Wild West, in Alaska, had a lock on the idea. Shop for ammo available in all calibers for sale online from Guns.com. The cartridges we tested include the 460 S&W Magnum, 444 Marlin, 450 Bushmaster, and 45-70 Government. Ejecting the round, after a suitable wait, we found the primer soundly indented (see photo). View Details at Brownells. But does it deserve the attention? That is not a problem, the 45-70 is way to much capacity for smokeless powder. The rear buckhorn blade did a grand job of obscuring everything on both sides of the target, and shooters would be much better served with a flat-top rear sight, or an aperture. The weight of the present version was about as light as wed like to see a .444 rifle. So whats best, 450 Bushmaster Vs 350 Legend. For .450 Bushmaster and .444 Marlin, you're looking at $41 to $49 per box, and .45-70 Govt. The U.S. Army adopted the new cartridge, which replaced the .50-70 cartridge it employed in 1866. It didnt do this with any of the other loads. Many of the loads out there are designed to be safe in the trapdoor Springfields that are still around. The .450 Marlin was designed as a competitor to the .45-70 Government, so its ballistics are highly similar. The new Marlin .450 cartridge is supposed to be a hot choice for all medium-to-big game hunting. For some reason, the .450 wasnt as smooth as the .444 we shot. The 450/460 have proven to be , accuracy wise, about equal with boolits. 12 Gauge 1". You can find more information on our site under the Velocity/Info tab labeled Velocity Testing. The trigger pull on the 444P was 4.3 pounds with prominent creep but very little overtravel. The .450 Marlin has ballistics almost identical to magnum .45-70 Government ammunition and the cartridge fires the same weight bullet approximately 600fps faster than lower pressure .45-70 ammo intended for use in the Trapdoor Springfield. Although we strive to provide the most accurate information as we can the information contained in this page is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. The trajectory of most .450 factory ammo allows you to zero at about 200 yards and hold right on anywhere inside that. I was torn between a lever action 45-70 and a 450 bushmaster ar-15. At 300 yards, it is moving 76 ft/s faster, as the .450 Marlin is able to hold onto more of its speed for longer than the .450 Bushmaster. 444 Marlin VS 450 Trajectory Overall, the 444 Marlin is a slightly flatter shooting cartridge than the 450 Bushmaster is. For a while, nobody was making rifles in .45-70 and the cartridge seemed doomed. RENE reports 6 different versions of the American Rifle in 450 Bushmaster and now the GSR makes 7. Problem solved. 450 Bushmaster Ammo; 450 Marlin Ammo; 450 Nitro Express Ammo; 450 Rigby Ammo; 450/400 Nitro Express Ammo; 454 Casull Ammo; 458 Lott Ammo; 458 SOCOM Ammo; 458 Winchester Magnum Ammo; . The rifle was fitted with a Pachmayr Decelerator stock but had no ports. GunnersDen.com ~ Brands include Frontier, Hornady, Lapua and Prvi Partizan. I don't like the factory 450 loads though. We assume a clump of grease or a small burr slowed down the firing pin just enough to prevent firing. I have worked pretty extensively with this cartridge on the range with three different rifles, and I have talked with a bunch of other gun guys who have been shooting the 350 Legend. Rifle Type Rifle type is the major difference between the .450 Marlin and the .450 Bushmaster. Another benefit the .450 has it that it is generally pretty accurate. The second shot told us that something was drastically wrong somewhere. The .30-06 cartridge has a strong but not particularly sharp recoil. All of it is excellent ammunition, and it is packaged in clearly marked boxes as to what it is, and in which rifles it can be safely used. Hornadys 325-grain Flextip ammo has a muzzle velocity of 2050 fps and the bullet has a BC of .230. I have two .444's and a .450. There were no aluminum or plastic parts visible, though close inspection showed the magazine follower to be orange polymer. Sounds impressive. It costs less than the Marlins and delivered excellent quality and adequate accuracy for a big-game rifle. Check out the ballistics chart below for more information. This was largely because of the slim forend wood. Powered by UBB.threads PHP Forum Software 7.7.5. Depending on the weight of the gun, recoil for the 450 varies between 15 and 20 ftlbs. It is just basically a souped-up 45-70 with stronger brass and a belt to make sure it is not confused with a 45-70. Like the .44-40 WCF and .45 Colt, the .45-70 Government has been with us since 1873, and shows no sign of fading anytime soon; its roots in the American shooting industry run deep, and Id bet the affection for the design will extend another century. If we worked it briskly, we got slightly better results, but thats not how a rifle is supposed to work. The .450 Marlin is just a bit bigger, with a bullet diameter of .458 compared to the .450 Bushmasters .452. Many lever guns have limited accuracy past 150 yards, but the .450 BM is able to perform within MOA all the way to 200 and beyond. . You may have a perfect group going on your target only to find the next shot is off in another time zone. Looking for previous installments of our "Head to Head" series? That size requires rifle, not pistol, bullets. The Marlins were much fatter than the 94AE. So youll have to buy your ammunition from the one-and-only maker, Hornady. Best grouping was with Buffalo Bores 300-grain load, just over 3 inches at 50 yards. If you also shoot a Trapdoor Springfield or any other kind of weak-actioned rifle that takes the .45-70, it makes sense that you should not mix up your ammunition. Buy it. The .450 Bushmaster has gained more popularity, especially in regions (such as several Midwestern states) where this caliber is legal while bottlenecked cartridges are not.