A couple years ago a buddy of mine went hiking in Alaska. He asked if he could take my 44 Magnum SBH. I suggested he buy his own rifle instead. We got to looking around, and he really liked the Marlin 45-70, but we could not find one locally, and the online prices were way to high.
We did find a Marlin 450 for $499.00. It was an 18" model. Nothing really special. He went ahead and bought it.
He didn't have to use it in Alaska, but he isn't very versed in rifles etc. So he wanted to start deer hunting here in Arkansas. He asked if his Marlin 450 would be a good gun for the job. Of course I said, "YES!"
Well this year he has shot 3 deer. One buck and two does. Each one was taken at around 30 to 50 yards, and needless to say each one shot dropped on the spot. I think he is shooting 350 grain Interlocks not the FTX 450 Marlin cartridges.
The make a nice size hole going in, and about double the size coming out with very little meat loss, but they hit like a Big Rig.
He said last night he wanted to scope the gun, and I talked him out of it because his longest shot is going to be 75 yards where we are hunting, and I said if any longer and you'd be shooting a rainbow. Of course he can scope it if he wants, but he really doesn't need the extra weight, and he is doing just fine with the factory setup.
For some reason I get more excited when he shoots a deer with his 450 Marlin than he does. I just love it when a deer is killed with a lever action rifle. He makes me want to put up the .25-06, and go back to shooting my lever guns for deer. I am hunting in the same area as he is by the way. Come to think of it I just might go out next time with the 30-30 loaded up with 125 grain Sierra FN HP bullets. I like that load in the 30-30. Really makes the 30-30 shine compared to the 170-150 grain FN bullets that really don't open much on the smaller deer we are shooting here this year. The 30-30 170-150 doesn't pack the punch of his 450 so it can use the help of a bullet that will expand.
I just wanted to tell a little story about the Marlin 450, and what a super brush gun it is. Yes, the 45-70 is also, but the 450 has got a little more behind it than a 45-70 does IMO.
So anyone looking for a powerful lever gun I'd suggest the Marlin 450. I have seen first hand the knock down power of this cartridge.
It kinda puts the big bore craze into you. I will not argue the big and slow versus the small and fast here. They both have their advantages. I know that every deer I have shot with my .25-06 has fallen where it stood and the same goes for his Marlin 450.
Here's to good hunts and clean kills.
We did find a Marlin 450 for $499.00. It was an 18" model. Nothing really special. He went ahead and bought it.
He didn't have to use it in Alaska, but he isn't very versed in rifles etc. So he wanted to start deer hunting here in Arkansas. He asked if his Marlin 450 would be a good gun for the job. Of course I said, "YES!"
Well this year he has shot 3 deer. One buck and two does. Each one was taken at around 30 to 50 yards, and needless to say each one shot dropped on the spot. I think he is shooting 350 grain Interlocks not the FTX 450 Marlin cartridges.
The make a nice size hole going in, and about double the size coming out with very little meat loss, but they hit like a Big Rig.
He said last night he wanted to scope the gun, and I talked him out of it because his longest shot is going to be 75 yards where we are hunting, and I said if any longer and you'd be shooting a rainbow. Of course he can scope it if he wants, but he really doesn't need the extra weight, and he is doing just fine with the factory setup.
For some reason I get more excited when he shoots a deer with his 450 Marlin than he does. I just love it when a deer is killed with a lever action rifle. He makes me want to put up the .25-06, and go back to shooting my lever guns for deer. I am hunting in the same area as he is by the way. Come to think of it I just might go out next time with the 30-30 loaded up with 125 grain Sierra FN HP bullets. I like that load in the 30-30. Really makes the 30-30 shine compared to the 170-150 grain FN bullets that really don't open much on the smaller deer we are shooting here this year. The 30-30 170-150 doesn't pack the punch of his 450 so it can use the help of a bullet that will expand.
I just wanted to tell a little story about the Marlin 450, and what a super brush gun it is. Yes, the 45-70 is also, but the 450 has got a little more behind it than a 45-70 does IMO.
So anyone looking for a powerful lever gun I'd suggest the Marlin 450. I have seen first hand the knock down power of this cartridge.
It kinda puts the big bore craze into you. I will not argue the big and slow versus the small and fast here. They both have their advantages. I know that every deer I have shot with my .25-06 has fallen where it stood and the same goes for his Marlin 450.
Here's to good hunts and clean kills.
