450 Marlin

I've never even heard of those!

Not a Winchester. But a close friend had a Marlin1895 in 450. He liked it but sold it because he could get LeverEvolution 45-70 cheaper which was his primary hunting round. I shot it several times. It was a good cartridge that just didn’t seem to take off very well. I think you’d be hard pressed to beat a 450 in a Marlin or Winchester for a woods gun.

I had a Marlin in 450. Fun gun with 405 bullet and 14 or so gr of Unique. Still shoot cartridge but in a Ruger #1.

Marlin dropped the .450 Marlin presumably because the .45-70 can do anything the .450 can and less. Yes, less, it can be downloaded to subsonic velocity and still whup axx. Yes, one could download the .450 Marlin as well, but once "modern" loadings and data became available for the .45-70 Government, at least from some sources, the .450 Marlin really no longer made sense. But, I wish I had an SBL Marlin in the .450 . Maybe Ruger will bring it back.

Just get your Winchester in the .45-70, .45-70 is always the answer!

I have the Marlin 1895m in .450 Marlin and I love it. It’s a hoot to shoot. It’s easily my favorite “brush gun” the power of it impressive. I once accidentally shot completely through 2 wild hogs with a single shot, got both shoulders on the first one and entered the second in front of one shoulder and exited just in front of his hip.
I believe I bought it new early in the manufacture as is only has a 4 digit serial number on it.

Ruger made a M77 chambered in it, made possible (easier) by the belted case, I know, their are 45-70 bolt guns to.

You can definitely count me in as one the people hoping Ruger gets Marlin to bring it back, I’m certainly not holding my breath. For some strange reason I’ve also been wanting a BFR in .450 Marlin as well, and that’s just silly.
As much as I love my .450 the “you can do it with a 45-70” people are correct, I’d argue pushing the limits is slightly easier and safer to do with a .450. But my bias is admitted.

As far as the Win 94 in 450 Marlin, I don’t know much as I’ve never seen one much less shot one.

Can't say that I would be keen on the porting, but otherwise, quite a rifle indeed. Very interesting that they chose to chamber a rifle in the nearly gone 450 Marlin as late as 2017.

https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...winchester-m94-te-lever-action-in-450-marlin/

3Crows said:

Marlin dropped the .450 Marlin presumably because the .45-70 can do anything the .450 can and less.

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This.

If you can get a good deal on a .450, go for it, but otherwise, ammo/brass availability and load data favor the .45-70.

My friend has one in a TC Contender pistol. I've only shot it once.

-Jeff

I never knew they made a 94 one in 450 Marlin. They made a few in 444 back in the day. They made some 45-70's in the 1886.

There are 3 power levels for 45-70 ammo. Many older guns need to stay with original black powder power levels, which are pretty mild. But modern rifles can be loaded quite a bit hotter. The lever guns such as Marlin and Winchester will take the mid level loads. But until fairly recently only the milder loads were available from the factory. If one wanted the mid level loads it was hand load only.

The 450 Marlin was intended to duplicate those mid level 45-70 loads in factory loads. But the case was modified just enough that it couldn't be used in a 45-70 rifle. The idea was to make sure it didn't end up in a rifle designed for older black powder loads. The availability of factory loads loaded to these mid levels sorta killed the 450 Marlin. Most folks would rather have a 45-70 and have the ability to shoot both power levels.

The hottest 45-70 loads aren't safe in lever guns. Only some single shots like the Ruger #1 and #3 along with some bolt rifles. There are no factory loads at this level. And they are still way behind 458 WM.

DocRock said:

Can't say that I would be keen on the porting, but otherwise, quite a rifle indeed. Very interesting that they chose to chamber a rifle in the nearly gone 450 Marlin as late as 2017.

https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...winchester-m94-te-lever-action-in-450-marlin/

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Very interesting, I wasn't aware of the 94 being available in .450 Marlin.

I built a .450 Marlin bolt action on a T/C Venture action. I have three loads for it, the Berry's 350 gr plated at 1200 fps, the Hornady 350 FP at 1975 and the Hornady 325 FTX at 2200.
I used the Hornady 350 on a 255 lb hog and it was really too much gun, but sure did the job.
All those loads are far from max, but there is no load data I can find for anything other than lever actions. Bolt guns can handle much more pressure, but I don't need more power. I built the gun just to play with, after all.

Pull your wallet out

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=43

Their is some Leverevolution on Gun Broker also.

I heard a long time ago was the only thing that hurts more was a tution check!!!!!!!

DocRock said:

Can't say that I would be keen on the porting, but otherwise, quite a rifle indeed. Very interesting that they chose to chamber a rifle in the nearly gone 450 Marlin as late as 2017.

https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...winchester-m94-te-lever-action-in-450-marlin/

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Angle-eject and take-down as well as ported for under 1,500 msrp? Sounds like it was a good deal if one really had a hankering for a .450 Winchester.

I'd have to address the toy-store buttpad and bevel the industrial looking porting but damn.... I like it!

Still, regardless the current nonsense - a lot more likely to find .45-70 than .450.

Todd.

army_eod said:

Got the Model 94. Also three boxes if ammo. LGS had 5 boxes of it today.
Trigger is horrendous.

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Is it the take-down as shown in the post by @DocRock ?

Trigger? Not uncommon with modern era Winchesters and easily addressed even without buying parts.

Todd.

army_eod said:

View attachment 994336 View attachment 994337 View attachment 994338

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Yup, I'da bought it too.

Todd.