Im going to graduate this year and i was thinking that i would treat myself to a new gun. I am interested in the big bore rifles and the .450 Marlin has caught my eye. I like the Marlin 1895M because it ahs a 22" barrel so i was thinking that I could get good ballistics out of the long tube. I was also looking at the Browning BLR in .450 Marlin. My question is could the Browning endure higher pressures from a handload than the Marlin. I will be handloading this so the only problem would be finding brass. I am just trying to figure which gun will be able to squeeze out a little more performance? thanks.

john17
I would get the rifle I liked the best. The only reason you would need more power than you can get in the standard 450 Marlin would be if you were going to use the rifle quite a bit on cape buff, hippo or elephant. On all lesser game an extra hundred feet per second or so just does not matter IMHO. A well constructed 350gr. at @2000fps. is plenty for all lesser game at the ranges the 450 Marlin should be used for.
Just cause you CAN kill elephant with a 45/70, 450Marlin or a 7x57 doesn't mean you should.

With the Browning you can lengthen the throat slightly and seat heavier bullets a little farther out. In fact I think you can convert it to 458Win. Personally I like the Marlin better, and I would get it in 45-70.

IF you want a .458 Win Mag buy one. If you want a lever action buy the Marlin in 45-70. Out of my Guide Gun I push the 400 gr Speer at 1840 fps or so. If you need more than that buy a Win Mag or a Lott. Sean

john17,

The .450 Marlin is a much better cartridge than some like to admit. There is only a few grains difference between the .45-70 and the .450 Marlin. According to technicians at Hornady the case on the Marlin is a bit thicker thus making the Marlin case stronger than the .45-70 cases they make. I own two rifles chambered for the .450 Marlin, one a Ruger No.1 and the other a Win. M70 and with spitzer type bullets it really comes into it's own. If you really want a lever action then I would go with the Browning BLR. Open the throat a bit and you will be able to use bullets like the Barnes X and Hornady RN in the 350 and 500 grain class. The .450 Marlin is suitable for anything that walks on in North America. Last fall I used mine for one shot kills on Caribou, Moose and Black Bear in Alaska. Lawdog

I think Sisk guns and Clark custom guns are making bolt actions in this cartridge also.

from: http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/450marlin.htm

.450 Marlin
Short Action Bolt Rifle
DISCONTINUED
This product is no longer being offered.

[ 05-08-2003, 03:03: Message edited by: BFaucett ]

Clark's has a Ruger 450 in their showroom for around $900 if any one is interested. It is a beautiful gun, though, I think I would ask them to cut it to 20".

B

[ 05-08-2003, 08:15: Message edited by: bodu ]

Winchester also offers the .450 Marlin in their Custom line. According to the technicians at Ruger they are considering chambering the M77 and the No.1 for the .450 Marlin. If they do I hope they follow Winchester by keeping the barrel to at least 24 inches. Lawdog