RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
I never said it was unusual, its in a place just not in a popular place of the shooting community.
what walmart you shopping at I haven't seen 444 marlin in a walmart in about 10 years. you have to admit 444 marlin really isnt that great anymore, Nowadays if you reload there are 44 magnum loads if shot from a carbine are pushing velocities within 250 fps of the 444 marlin with the same 240 grain bullet. And handloads of 454 casull in a pistol give the 444 marlin a hell of a run and a 454 casull in a carbine blows the 444 marlin away and almost gives some 45-70 loads a run.
I am just stating there are smaller loads now days that perform almost as good and some that perform better then the 444 marlin but the 45-70 is better then all of them and the 450 marlin just isnt that much better to replace the 45-70.