I picked up a rifle that is a 450 .458 caliber and has casings made from 7mm Rem mag, 300 Weatherby Mag and 338win mag cases. They are straight walled cases crimped onto the bullet. Any thoughts as to what I have?

I picked it up for the action so it's not a big deal if I cannot figure it out but I kind of like the look of the cartridge. It is belted but looks like it would work in a lever gun. Right now this barrel is on a G33/40 Mauser. It also seems to have a real slow twist rate. The bullets used in the reloads I got with the gun are cast bullets.

Would that not be a 458" Or one of it shorter verisons? What is the case length?

I'd love to see some pictures of this.

Here is a picture of the cartridge made with the three different cases.



I pulled one down and the case is 2.04" long, the bullet is a .458

I was only basing the .450 on what I was told. Thats why I am not firing it until I get more things checked out.

I still don't know what it's called though. I have never owned a .458 so if this is just a common cartridge please forgive my lack of knowledge of the matter. The bullets are not crimped into the cases very well as OAL varies a lot (2.52-2.67) and you can move some of the bullets.

It might be a .450 Marlin It looks kind of like a belted 45/70.

Any thoughts???

sure looks a lot like the 458x2" american

.458X2 made an 18" or 22" twist 45-70 barrel blank. Twas a craze in the mid to late 60s before the come back of the 45-70.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
sure looks a lot like the 458x2" american

Here is the gun.



If Bubba had not tried to engrave it with a dremel tool it would be a much nicer gun. Luckily for me it isn't very deep and I planned to surface grind and polish out the action anyway. A G33/40, I got a great deal on, I guess I owe Bubba for that one.

Oh, and it helped that the guy advertised it in the title as a DOT Mauser and then listed G33/40 in the description, instead of the other way around.

If it IS a .458x2, it's a pretty cool caliber, but kind of a pain in the a** to make the cases. Those weren't necked up, they were cut down. I had one built on a Remington 600, wish I hadn't parted with it, but there were a lot of those.

2.5 would be a 458 winmag, 2.0+ is 458x2" .. and if *I* had it, it would have a 450 marlin reamer ran into it, which is the same with a different belt

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
2.5 would be a 458 winmag, 2.0+ is 458x2" .. and if *I* had it, it would have a 450 marlin reamer ran into it, which is the same with a different belt

It does sound like a 458x2".

You could possibly have it modified to use 450 Marlin factory ammo, as jeffe has suggested.

Or if you are a reloader just get 458 Win Mag brass and trim it down.

Use 45/70 Marlin loading data and work up [if you think it is necessary].

Hey Trez, Have you considered making a Cerosafe Chamber Cast? It may already be a 450Mar, with the Cases trimmed a bit short.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
Hey Trez, Have you considered making a Cerosafe Chamber Cast? It may already be a 450Mar, with the Cases trimmed a bit short.

This isn't likely as the .450 Marlin has significantly different headspace specs....it was intentional to prevent anyone from firing the 450 Marlin in a 7mm Mag chamber.....ever hear of a "kaboom"?

Excellent point Vapo.

Lets take the 7mmRemMag(and 338WinMag) to start with since his Cases are made from them. The normal dimension I'm used to seeing is 0.220" from the Case Head to the front of the Belt. The 300WbyMag lists 0.219"

When I get to the 450Mar similar position dimensions are 0.252" from the Case Head to the front of the Belt.

If Trez could locate a 450Mar Case and try to see if the Bolt will close on it, it might just be the 450Mar. If it won't close, he for sure will know it is not currently chambered for a 450Mar.

But it probably is the 458x2" American.
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I just looked at the Cases shown in Speer #14 to get the previous dimensions. It also has two added measurements per Case that I wasn't expecting. It is called the "basic" measurement and is a reference dimension which is used to define the Case Taper.

I've decided that i am going to sell the rifle at this point, so I guess this is a mute point now. Thanks all for weighing in.