450 Marlin

Has anyone chambered a rifle for 450 Marlin? What would it entail??

A magnum bolt head, a barrel and some tweaking of the mag.

I looked at it but the single source of brass and the fact that the cartridge doesn't look like it is going to make it turned me off.

Then looked at the shortened 458 mag but you either have to inside ream the brass (yuck) or form 350 Rem brass (easier but still...).

Ended up with a Siamese Mauser in 45-70. Thinking about a Dane Krag in 45-70 too...

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The 450 Marlin brass is not easily made out of any other brass.

The same ballistic performance can be gotten from any number of wildcats built on trimmed 458 Win Mag brass or from reduced loads in the original 458 Win Mag.


The only purpose of the 450 Marlin is to allow Marlin and the ammo producers to make something more modern for the Marlin 1895 lever action without fear that it will be accidentally chambered in an old 45-70 Gov't. Think Browning also added the 450 Marlin to their BLR.

Good idea for a lever action. Not much of an idea for a modern bolt action.

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Works good in a single shot handgun!!

The magnum ring is different on the 450 marlin from other magnums
so you have to use 450 marlin brass.

If you just want a big thumper caliber, just buy a 458 WM barrel from Brownells.
Download it a bit if you want.

Thanks for all of your points of view. I guess I had come to the same conclusion(s). I will likely go with a .458 mag. and downloads.

The only issue there is that off the shelf 458 barrels will be very fast twist for cast bullets (if that is what you are wanting to do). Not really a big problem, but if you are wanting a "bolt action 45-70" (or actually a bolt action 45-90 would be more accurate if you use the full length 458 case), you might want to buy one with a 45-70 spec twist and throat.

Good points, Eric. Would gas checked bullets driven a little harder +-1800 fps solve some of it?

The 12" or 14" twist and short throat on most factory tubes is just not optimum for cast bullets (especially bore rider designs) - toof fast and you can't seat the bullet where they are supposted to be seated.

I would spec a 20" and cast bullet throat if you want to shoot "normal" 405-500 grain cast bullets and an 18" if you want to shoot the modern 535-550 grain bullets (with a throat to match your bullet).

The 458x2" American is a great cartridge if you are wanting a 45 cal cast bullet repeater on a bolt action but brass forming is tough - inside reaming of 458 brass or fire form 350 Remington mag and trim to length (easier and cheaper - no investment in the reamer). Good news is the brass lasts litterally forever if you only use it at cast bullet pressures (1,200 - 1,800 fps).