If your pocketbook is tight or you dont appreciate your shoulder getting thumped, then I suppose there is. A good aperture sight would be lighter, just as fast, and nearly as effective in most conditions as a scope, assuming the shooter has reasonably good eyesight. Or more other on Scopes & Sights Resource for other rifle. New Shooters Guide: You Have Your Concealed Carry Permit Should You Carry. Born in 1873, .45-70 Govt. Marlins introduction of the Guide Gun didnt acknowledge Wild West Guns, so perhaps the reason for Marlins new cartridge stems from a desire to avoid copying Wild West yet again. Often overlooked, much to the detriment of the hunter, is how much kick theyll endure from a particular rifle-cartridge combination. It retains 1,000 foot-pounds of energy to just past 235 yards. We reserve the right to correct pricing errors. Dont Buy. The wood at the rear of the receiver was much smaller in spots than the steel. It generates 21.34 ft-lbs of energy at 12.55 fps. The .30-06 cartridge has a strong but not particularly sharp recoil. 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). One sure way to cut through some of the tall grass is measure it against an established cartridge thats already proven its worth. among our first successful self-contained metallic rifle cartridges. 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. 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. Introduced in 1964, the .444 Marlin was kind of a stretched out .44 Magnum. We are constantly adding new inventory and occasionally offer Free Shipping. All of these walnut-stocked rifles had iron sights only, which is how we tested them. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gun Tests has been independently reviewing firearms since 1989. The 450 Marlin is rated at 43,500 psi compared to 28,000 psi for 45-70 Gov. The case should come out every time, no matter how the lever is operated. This one didnt work. I use a 450 bushmaster ar-15 as my big bore brush gun for my up close and personal bear hunting and coming across a deer 25 yards away through the bushes. Still, we liked the lively feel of the 94AE. To fill the void, Marlin Firearms teamed up with Remington to develop a cartridge which would see the light of day in 1964: the .444 Marlin. There is something almost magical about big-bore lever guns; to me they represent big-game hunting at close quarters. Why didnt Marlin simply lengthen the .45-70 cartridge as Wild West did? For the moment, the .450 Bushmaster seems to be the most popular deer hunting ammo for states that allow straight-walled cartridges. I was torn between a lever action 45-70 and a 450 bushmaster ar-15. It has been used for everything from deer to Cape Buffalo, and remains popular among the bear guides to this day. The finish was about average, we felt, for a modern rifle in this price category. As it concerns .350 Legend vs .450 Bushmaster, the smaller-caliber cartridge has a decided advantage. Our test .444 Marlin 444P was essentially a .444 Guide Gun, having the same ideas behind it as Marlins best-selling .45-70 version. 1.690 case length, .458 Caliber projectiles Ive used a Remington 1100 with a slug barrel on it before that but had problems getting out to the 100-150 yard mark accurately. You may have a perfect group going on your target only to find the next shot is off in another time zone. These four are the most popular. It wont matter a lick how far a cartridge can send a bullet and how devastating its terminal ballistics are once at its destination if you develop a flinch and send it anywhere but the vital zone. For our very first shots with the .444 Marlin, we loaded two rounds. Who needs more than 1 shot? 45-70 Gov vs 450 Trajectory Offers more range than any commercial lever gun cartridge except the .338 ME The choice between these calibers for many will come down to a choice between rifle platforms. The .45-70 was a very popular hunting cartridge, even before this straight-walled phenomenon started, but its held back by all of those old guns out there. Most destructive to components. Now I wont dissuade anyone from getting involved with reloading ammunition. 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. For reference, a 3" 20 gauge load rattles your cage at 30 ftlbs. Copyright 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. We also got a Winchester Model 94AE chambered for the .444 Marlin. 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. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. 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. Ever perceptive, the market has responded by expanding this somewhat forgotten corner of the firearms world. In the late 19th century, the .45-70 would have been viewed as an average-diameter cartridge, as the small bores like the .30-06 and 7x57mm Mauser would take some time to gain ground as the all-around military/hunting bore diameters. On my chronograph. .451 Caliber projectiles Lets see what we found. I have an H&R 444 with the 16tw barrel - loaded some 240gr. Your 450 will pick it up from there and range from 350 grains to over 500 grains. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. The 45-70 never done much for me, but if you like them then so be it. You have entered an incorrect email address! But, load that bullet to 2300 fps, stick it in a rifle that can handle the pressure, and things change. They also have the .50 Alaskan, which drives a 450-grain bullet at a claimed 2,050 fpsif you want still more power. 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. Mag. The Bushmaster is based on a sawed-off .284 Winchester case. Marlins inletting has been quite good in all examples of the companys rifles weve seen. 2. On the other hand, the Legend is available with thinner sporter contour barrels. 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Benefits abound with a tamer rifle. 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. We hesitate to recommend this gun because of our rifles probably temporary, but very real, feeding problem that needed to be fixed. Buy From Opticsplanet Buy From Amazon Specifications: 3-9x magnification 40mm objective lens 12.6-34.1 ft field of view at 100 yds 2.215 Case length, .451 Caliber projectiles If all you shoot are the Remington 240 grain loads they are pitiful. The crux is terminal performance on game. Because of its recoil, a .28 Nosler should generally only be shot out of heavier rifles, coupled with a brake or suppressor. Also, the steel-to-steel fit wasnt quite as good as Marlins, nor was the metal polishing. Hornadys 325-grain Flextip ammo has a muzzle velocity of 2050 fps and the bullet has a BC of .230. If you havent heard yet, be advised that millions of gun owners may soon be classified as felons if a new Bureau of Alcohol, Big-Bore Lever-Action Hunting Guns: Pass On Marlins New .450, SIG Sauer P365XL Spectre P365V001 9mm Luger, Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro HCP9379BOSP 9mm Luger, SHOT 2023: Savage Arms Introduces 1911 Government Model Pistols, 5 Best 9mm Pistols for Concealed Carry in 2023, New Shooters Guide: The Best Gun For Home Defense Isnt a. 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 long belt certainly does not add strength, no matter what you might have read elsewhere. Hornady has included both cartridges in their excellent LeveRevolution line, with the .444 Marlin loaded with a 265-grain FTX bullet at 2325 fps, and the .45-70 Government loaded with a 250-grain FTX at 2025 fps. The 444 Marlin (which I love) is headed in the other direction. With a 150-yard zero, the Winchester 160-grain Power Max factory load is 1.92 inches high at 100 yards, 5.05 inches low at 200 yards, and 13.92 inches low at 250 yards. Even better, if you need a hot 45-caliber lever rifle you probably dont need that Trapdoor Springfield, so sell it. 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.