This means that the momentum of a rifle's reaction will exactly equal the momentum of the bullet and powder gasses ejected from the barrel. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. It generates 21.34 ft-lbs of energy at 12.55 fps. The .444 Marlin has the advantage of using the jacketed and cast bullets for the .44 Magnum, making it a rather flexible design for the handloader. The checkering was very well done, had a pleasing pattern, and it worked very well. The concept of the fast, short, powerful lever-action rifle is probably best exemplified by the Co-Pilot, from Wild West Guns of Anchorage, Alaska. Sign up for Field & Streams newsletter to receive the latest and greatest gear reviews and expert hunting and fishing advice. We are constantly adding new inventory and occasionally offer Free Shipping. Wed like to see Marlin spend its efforts making great rifles perfectly, rather than expending energy on useless new projects like the .450 Marlin. For generations, a lot of states have allowed deer hunters to use only shotguns with slugs or maybe a muzzleloader during gun season. Bushmaster and LeGendre approved the change in case length from 1.771-inch to 1.700-inch. It retains 1,000 foot-pounds of energy to just past 280 yards. 1, the .45-70 can be loaded to impressive performance. The Bushmaster is based on a sawed-off .284 Winchester case. Out of the muzzle, the .450 Marlin is flying 175 ft/s faster than the .45-70 Government. 45-70 Gov vs 450 Trajectory Its significantly lighter recoil than the 450 Bushmaster or 12 Gauge. Designed and developed by Winchester, the 350 Legend is the first new introduction to the market aimed specifically at straight-walled hunting regulations. Out of the muzzle, the .250 Marlin is flying 25 ft/s faster than the .250 Bushmaster. Both of these big bore cartridges are meant for a specific purpose: to bring down large game at very close ranges. A heavier bullet will generally travel more slowly than a lighter bullet. 45-70 Govt VS 450 Bushmaster Ballistics (Trajectory, Recoil, History) With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady ammo is 1.54 inches high at 100 yards, 4.68 inches low at 200 yards and 8.49 inches low at 250 yards. Although we strive to provide the most accurate information as we can the information contained in this page is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Velocity from the 450 will be slightly lower due to the heavier weight bullets thus more of a rainbow trajectory but will give better stopping power on BIG game and more . They have very similar ballistics, but the .450 Marlin is most frequently found in lever action rifles, while the .450 Bushmaster is intended for semi-automatic rifles on the AR platform. The 450 Bushmaster is taking off and new ammo offerings keep popping up. But if you get behind the business end of a gun you dread to drop the hammer on, youre sandbagging your potential in the field. The Wild West aperture rear sight costs $100 for Marlins, or $120 for Winchesters. The .458 American was Frank Barness idea, developed decades ago. You have two cartridges that are headed in opposite directions. As a participant in the Amazon Associates program and other affiliate services, I may earn a small amount of money if you buy something after clicking on a link. While .308 can reach out accurately to 1,200 yards (if you're pretty good), 450 . is even more expensive. A 265 grain 44 Mag is measured at 1180 fps with 741 ft/lb at the muzzle. The .450 Marlin is just a bit bigger, with a bullet diameter of .458 compared to the .450 Bushmasters .452. Most destructive to components. This is where the differences end, as the 45 70 and 450 are more similar than they are different. It produces 28.27 ft-lbs of recoil energy at a velocity of 14.72 fps. The standard load will push a 240-grain .429-inch diameter bullet to 2400 fps for just over 3,000 ft.-lbs. It in no way increases the amount you pay and helps us stay in business. 444 Marlin VS 450 Bushmaster Ballistics (Trajectory, Recoil, History) We didnt make an effort to eject slowly or quickly, just operated the lever in a normal manner. Its a belted case, not the usual rimmed type one normally finds in lever rifles. The .450 Marlin and the .45-70 Government are not interchangeable, but are very . How's the recoil of the 450 Bushmaster? - Michigan Sportsman Forum Well, I gotta respectfully disagree with that statement. So whats best, 450 Bushmaster Vs 350 Legend. Most gun makers and gun buyers were not interested in new rifles chambered for this underperforming cartridge. As it is, we feel this odd belted design will only speed the demise of this rifle/cartridge combination, because it doesnt make the least bit of sense to us. Buffalo Bore also loads three different weights of bullets in the .444 Marlin, and they give much better performance than ordinary .444 loads, and do so safely. .45-70 vs .450 Bushmaster Cartridge Clash - RifleShooter 45/70 or 450 Bushmaster for ohio big buck | Gun and Game Forum With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady 265-grain Flextip ammo is 1.55 inches high at 100 yards, 4.08 inches low at 200 yards and 11.16 inches low at 250 yards. SAAMI limits the MAP to 28,000 psi. During the spring conservation order, you can hunt with outfitters from Arkansas to Saskatchewan. of energy. Those unaccustomed to hard-kicking rifles will find either the .444 or the .450 a bit much on the shoulder until they get used to it. However, we measured Buffalo Bores 350-grain .45-70 load at 2,058 from their Guide Gun (on a cold day, unlike the blazing heat in which we tested the .450 Marlin). Bushmaster also requested a name change to .450 Bushmaster, to which LeGendre agreed. Marlin .450 Model 1895M Our recommendation: Dont Buy the $560 Marlin .450 Model 1895M. 450 Bushmaster Vs. 45-70: Which One is Better? [Real Testing in 2021] .450 Bushmaster - Wikipedia Mag. And, outside a flash hider on an AR, dont usually come with a muzzle device standard. But in all honesty, it isnt for everyonebe it due to tight quarters or time constraints. As soon as the cartridge's proprietary status was lifted we ordered a reamer and started building barrels. This straddled the bolt, but was much too far forward for proper use by our test personnel. . Eliminate trailing, disputes over the game, keep the deer on your side of the fence. On average, factory loaded ammo for the beast rings up north of $1 per trigger pull, which in a word is spendy. Ballistically, the .450 Bushmaster is close to the .45/70 in terms of velocity . I'm going to take a wild stab at it and say the deer wouldn't know the difference, at least within the normal operating range of both. 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). Certainly, some pride themselves in how much recoil they can endure. Copyright 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Winchester Model 94AE Big Bore Our recommendation: We liked the Winchester .444 Marlin. .444 vs 45-70 vs 30-30 | Long Range Hunting Forum 45-70 VS 450 Bushmaster - Side by Side Comparison .450 Bushmaster - CHUCKHAWKS.COM Powder Valley is your Ammunition Superstore . It had a plain but serviceable checkered walnut stock with trestle-style buttpad made of black rubberized iron. Why dont manufacturers get the word here? Heres a look at 10 of the most flexible long-range hunting cartridges. With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady load is 2.26 inches high at 100 yards, 5.73 inches low at 200 yards, and 15.71 inches low at 250 yards. Though certainly designed for black powder, the .45-70 Government survived the transition to smokeless powder, though the chosen firearm will certainly dictate the pressure levels to which the cartridge can be loaded. While the .444 is near the bottom of the popularity list in current straight-walled rifle cartridges, I expect that will change as hunters discover the potential of this cartridge. The big difference is that .308 Winchester keeps at least 1,000 ft.lbf out to about 600 yards, 450 Bushmaster loses it by 300 yards. These two rifles were both light and, with outstanding Buffalo Bore ammunition, provided as modern and powerful ballistics as anyone could want. As it was, we liked the ring for its simplicity, but it was extremely vulnerable, sticking up in the breeze. Looking for previous installments of our "Head to Head" series? These four are the most popular. Contact Us - Top Load: Buffalo Bore Heavy Bullet Weight: 220 grains Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 fps Muzzle Energy: 2,364 ft/lbs Almost forgotten, the .35 Remington is a favorite of hunters who chase black bears with. Like firearms themselves, there's a wide variety of opinions on what's the best gun. 450 Bushmaster vs 45-70 Review & Comparison in 2023 - Tradoc News! 45-70 vs 444 marlin vs 450 marlin | Gun and Game Forum Few rifle calibers carry as much tradition as the .444 Marlin, which originally hit the scene as a way to give lever-action rifles more of a punch around the ammunition manufacturers stopped commercially producing .45-70-caliber rifles in the 1960s. Does a belted case make sense for a lever rifle? Calibers for Beginners: .450 Bushmaster - The Truth About Guns Remington had a 265-grain load for a while but dropped it, leaving only the 240-grain factory load. We wanted to test Marlins iteration of the .450 side by side with one of the companys staple .444s, as well as Winchesters Big Bore Side-Eject lever gun, originally chambered in the now-defunct .375 Winchester, but which is now cataloged in .444 Marlin (and .356 Winchester). I know at least one has built a prototype, and I am told its working well. There were two large panels of checkering on the straight-hand grip. The 450 Bushmaster was developed for use in AR-15 rifles. 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. Ultimately, the biggest factor in choosing between these two cartridges will be what type of rifle you wish to use. 1s, new Winchester 1886s, and the like. Even better, if you need a hot 45-caliber lever rifle you probably dont need that Trapdoor Springfield, so sell it. Bullet Diameter: .452 inches (All .450 Bushmaster) Shell Case Length: 1.7 inches (All .450 Bushmaster) Bullet Size: 250 grains (Bullets range from 245 to 300 grains) Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 feet per second. Straight Wall Face Off - 450 Bushmaster vs 350 Legend - The Firearm Blog Gun Tests Recommends Marlin 444P .444 Marlin, $550. Specifically, the hot .45-70 Buffalo Bore (BB) ammunition gave a 405-grain bullet the astounding velocity of 1,900 fps, compared to 1,200 fps with the ordinary loading of that bullet by Remington. Mag..375 Ruger vs. .375 H&H Magnum7mm-08 Remington vs. .280 Remington .280 Remington vs. .280 Ackley Improved 7mm vs. .30 Caliber6.5 Weatherby RPM vs. 6.5 PRC.338 Win. It retains 1,000 foot-pounds of energy to just past 235 yards. Elwood Shelton is an online content developer for Gun Digest. Caliber Choice: Straight-Walled Cartridge Resurgence Our shooting was hampered by the trigger and by the huge ghost-ring rear sight. 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. Like the Marlins, the Winchester had a cross-bolt safety but the owner had locked it out so the rifle would fire every time the hammer fell. Our test .444 Marlin 444P was essentially a .444 Guide Gun, having the same ideas behind it as Marlins best-selling .45-70 version. In the shooting sports we call that reaction recoil or "kick." It can be measured or computed empirically and has been for this recoil table. A .450 Bushmaster is .452 inches while the .350 Legend is only about .3570 inches, which makes it more comparable to a .223 Remington. Straight-Wall Rifle Cartridges Are Making a Comeback in Deer Hunting The resulting round boasts performance on par with the .45-70 Gov't but in a more compact configuration. Looking at the ruger American 22 inch bolt. 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. New Shooters Guide: What Is a Pistol Caliber Carbine? Mag..30-06 Springfield vs. .270 Winchester6.5 Creedmoor vs. 7mm-08 Remington8x57 Mauser vs. .318 Westley Richards.358 Winchester vs. .350 Remington Magnum.22-250 Remington vs. .220 Swift.270 Winchester vs. .270 WSM.26 Nosler vs. 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum.458 Win. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use. Ohio and southern Michigan are just two examples of areas where the shotgun slug has been replaced by straight-walled cartridges like the .45-70 Government, .444 Marlin and, more recently, the .450 Bushmaster. View Details at Brownells. Mag. With the hammer block there is the possibility of forgetting to press the little button before the shot, and thus losing the shot at the game animal. Four REASONS I WAS THINKING OF A 450 BUSHMASTER 20"UPPER 1.WAY LESS FELT RECOIL THAN A 12 GAUGE THANKS TO THE AR15 BUFFER TUBE DESIGN . Rifle Recoil Table: Updated for 2023 with all popular cartridges Buy it. Much of this is attributable to the Legend and Bushmaster competing for the same hunters. Why didnt Marlin simply lengthen the .45-70 cartridge as Wild West did? Brands include Hornady, Lapua, Nosler, Remington, Silver State Armory, Nammo, Prvi Partizan, Winchester and mixed range fired.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The Best Black Bear Cartridges - Field & Stream The new Marlin .450 cartridge is supposed to be a hot choice for all medium-to-big game hunting. However, it does make a small improvement over the .45-70 Government that may be appealing to some shooters. The 444 Marlin (which I love) is headed in the other direction. The .30-06 cartridge has a strong but not particularly sharp recoil. It had a red cast in direct sunlight and was very attractive. The .45-70 Government is definitely the older of the two, having been released in 1873 in the famous Trapdoor Springfield. (Well cover the .35 Remington or .356 Winchester another day.) This cartridge was held back for years by the lack of good factory loaded ammo. Whether you are reloading for handgun, rifle, shotshell or muzzleloading we have what you need. Tested: Winchester M94 TE Lever-Action In .450 Marlin The case can also be handloaded to impressive figures in a suitable rifle, and there are some excellent bullets like the Swift A-Frame which will further enhance the performance of this old design, yet the classic cast-lead bullets at low velocities are still fun to shoot. The Wild West version ($100) has steel wings to protect it, and would a better aperture choice. But, load that bullet to 2300 fps, stick it in a rifle that can handle the pressure, and things change. Model: Bushmaster 450 Bullet Size: 250 grains Bullet Diameter: .452 inches Shell Case Length: 1.7 inches Energy (per 200 yards): 1,274 foot-pounds Velocity (per 200 yards): 1,515 feet per second Muzzle Energy: 2,686 foot-pounds Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 feet per second CLICK FOR BEST PRICE 45-70 Brand: U.S. Army's Springfield Armory Heavier bullets are available; they can run as heavy as 335 grains, though the 265- and 280-grain remain the most popular. 450 Bushmaster vs 45-70 Govt | Shooters' Forum This was adjusted by means of a stepped elevating slide, a design as old as rifles and still functional today. I was torn between a lever action 45-70 and a 450 bushmaster ar-15. It retains 1,000 ft-lbs of energy to just past 140 yards. 44 mag, 45 colt, 444, 450 marlin, 45-70 lever rifles for Hornadys 325-grain Flextip ammo has a muzzle velocity of 2050 fps and the bullet has a BC of .230. Its big and powerful enough, and with good bullets, it may produce the best external ballistics of the bunch. The big difference here is the bullet diameter. One would think that would have to play in to your decision making. We could live with it, though wed have much preferred a softer pad. Both shed velocity like mad, the Legend losing 29-percent of its muzzle velocity at the 200-yard mark and the Bushmaster 31 percent1,648 fps and 1,515 fps respectively. We also got a Winchester Model 94AE chambered for the .444 Marlin. This one didnt work. 45 Raptor Vrs 450 Bushmaster | BestGunBlog.com After that instance I went to a big bore brush gun and never had such a problem since. Back in the day the only 444 ammo was Remington with a 240 handgun bullet. The 450 Bushmaster is taking off and new ammo offerings keep popping up. The 450/460 have proven to be , accuracy wise, about equal with boolits. The .450 Bushmaster is capable of using any .452-inch bullet, which opens a lot more doors for handloaders with the wide range of bullets on the marketincluding some outstanding choices from Barnes. One of my favorites, and a big favorite for many Alaskans, is the Marlin 1895 lever gun. Also, the steel-to-steel fit wasnt quite as good as Marlins, nor was the metal polishing. You have to understand though I live within walking distance of the northern end of the white mountain national forest and the hills around here often get above 4000 feet in elevation. from a 20" barrel for 2,686 ft.-lbs. Published Jun 15, 2021 9:00 AM EDT, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Over the last few years, there have been a number of straight-walled cartridges to hit the market. Big Bore Cartridges Compared! Absolutely, it depends on what rifle you usemore exactly its weightas to how many foot-pounds of energy will jolt into your shoulder. The 444 Marlin (which I love) is headed in the other direction.