GTBuzz

HighDesertWolf,

There are quite a few eastern deer hunters that still use the .444 Marlin, so I don't think I would agree that it is "just another cartridge with no place in the shooting community." Heck - even the local WalMart stores carry ammo for it - so I don't think it's that unusual.

HighDesertWolf

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.

tanzian

.45-70 all the way... and for the following reasons...

The 45-70 has been around since 1873 albiet in black powder back then, but it is more popular now then ever. It can be handloaded to exceed the perofrmance of the .450 in equal bullet weights ever so slightly. Also brass will be available for many many years to come.... You just cant say that about the .450 as its already seen the heights of its popularity and is slowly starting the downhill slide according to die sales stats.

Look at the .35 REM... many times more guns have been chambered for it then the .450 and I see many of them in the woods every fall but brass and ammo are both drying up. Just something to think about.

bigcountry

High Desert. 250fps isn't giving anything a run for its money. 250fps is like 3 car lengths in a drag race.

HighDesertWolf

I wasn't saying 250 fps was giving it a run, I was saying it was getting closer to a 444 marlins performance

Paparock

[8D] Well I too have been looking at the .450 Marlin vs .45-70. Two aspects not brought out thus far is the Browning BLR in .450 Marlin will allow use of pointed bullets like the Barnes X Triple Shock allowing increased range. However Wild West Firearms in Alaska can open up the .45-70 to accept either standard .45-70 or the .457 Magnum ( about 1/10th longer) or even go up to the .50 Alaskan.

HighDesertWolf

It is my understanding that barnes does not make that bullet in .458 caliber and that the largest caliber offered in that style is .338. Unless you use a barnes FNX it comes in .458 but it is a flat nose. Also I cant think of any bullet manufacturers that make a pointed bullet in .458 cal everything is flat nose, round nose, and hollow point.

Paparock

[8D] Check out www.barnesbullets.com/prodtsx.php the triple shocks are now made up through .458 caliber. They offer a 450 gr. and 500 gr. which is rather a hefty load for anything but dangerious game. The Barnes X regular bullets are made from 300 gr. up to 500 gr.. I mean either the .45-70 or .450 Marlin is a limited range round but the increase in B.C. could help lengthen that a little. The B.C. for the Barnes X 300 gr. is .340 as compared to a flat nose bullet like the Hornady 300 gr. with a .197 B.C.. Quite a difference but the tube feed on the Marlin requires a flat point.