JeffS

I just bought a new .450 Marlin for hog hunting and was wondering if anybody had any experience w/ them for hog hunting. We've used a variety of guns for hog hunting but it seems like you need a large caliber bullet to penetrate the shield on a large boar so you can get a good blood trail. If you shot them w/ a smaller bullet the wound seems to close up and seals off the blood. The 300 grain bullet should leave a very large hole.

Virginia7

I think you mean a 350gr. bullet, right? Anyway, a friend of mine in N.Carolina has a
450Marlin, and he likes it fine. No blood trails needed - nothin' runs off (well, not to date
anyway ).

JeffS

I finally got to sight it in this weekend and I had trouble getting it away from my friend. It put a 3 shot group in less than a 1 inch group. I'm planning on buying some reloading dies for it so I can afford to shoot it more. The factory loads get a little expensive to shoot all the time. It does have pretty good recoil to it, though it is not where you can't shoot it. It feels like shooting magnum loads in a shotgun.

Virginia7

Yeah, my buddy tells me his is plenty accurate too! I just spoke with him yesterday.
He's reloading for his also. Following is a link for some reload data. Good luck.

Link: http://www.hodgdon.com/index.php

Link to 450Marlin data: http://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/450marln.php#top

Rodsmith

check out www.marlinowners.com for some great info on all the Marlin levers and a ton of loading data/recipies.

bigcountry

I won't take a front shot on a hog. Maybe I wouldn't mind with a 450 marlin. But why not wait for a broadsided shot? Unless he is charging you. Either way, I think a slug gun or a 450marlin is ideal hog gun.

New York Hunter

Jeffs, I don't think you can find a better rifle for hog hunting! I think you could say the same thing about a 45-70 and the 444 Marlin. The 444 Marlin using Cor-bon's 280 gr. BCSN has 3412 ft. lbs. at the muzzle and still has 1579 ft. lbs. at 200 yards and it is as good as either the 450 Mar. or the 45-70. The 450 Marlin as is and the 45-70 when loaded to it full power level and even the 444 Mar. when loaded right are as good as your gonna get for hogs and black bear hunting! I think your going love your 450 Marlin. Good luck and let us know how it works for you!

JeffS

I left it up at my friends place when I came home this weekend and he shot a hog w/ it Sunday night and he said that the hog never knew what hit it. Now if I can find that big one we've seen running around there. The biggest we've shot was about 500 lbs and this one makes it look little. We had a shot at it one night from about 200 yards w/ a .300 Win Mag but we didn't take the shot becasue we didn't want to chase one that big if we only wounded it at night. We shot one about 300 lbs one night w/ the .300 and heard it fall so we were crawling on our hands and knees through the brush to go get it when it got about 15 feet from it the hog started walking away and the brush was so thick we couldn't see it to shoot. I figure if we hit them right w/ the .450 we won't have to worry about that anymore. It is amazing how tough wild hogs can be.

Virginia7

Here's another source for some 450 Marlin ammo.

Link: http://www.cpcartridge.com/index.htm