45-70 or 450 marlin
 

ok fellas got a question, looking to buy a new lever action. I cant decide between 45-70 and 450 marlin, I know nothing about either caliber except that I have read that " the 450 marlin has more horsepower because it is a newer round as opposed to the old design of the 45-70".
I will reload for whichever one i get, but what is the real difference here??

p.s. I really hate to start a thread that turns into a "YOU SHOULD GET THIS GUN BECAUSE ....UM.....I..GOT ONE AND I KILLED A DEER WITH IT!!!! im just looking for an answer from someone knowlegable about both calibers. thanks guys!!!!!!!

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

I vote for the 45/70 because
1 there is so mutch loading data out there from a light cast going slow for plinking to marlin 45/70 loads that can take anything in north america
2 if you need to buy ammo in a pinch it is a lot easer to find
3 I am bias I have 3 and am working on a 4 but both cartregs can be loaded close to each other
4 I saw the remains of a early marlin 450 that had been shot less than 60 times with factory ammo , shooter just got scratched up thank god
5 and yes I have used the 45/70 with great results

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

the 450 marlin is awesome by far out performs the 45-70 ten to one. But the 450 marlin is one of those cartridges that just doesnt really have its place in the shooting community kinda like the 454 casull there still around just not as popular anymore as when they first come out. The 45-70 has been around for over 100 years has made its name and is here to stay.
I would have to go with a 45-70 not to mention more of an abundence of case availability and bullet varieties , and many more varieties of factory ammo.

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

cool, guys!! thanks for the reply, thats 2 votes for the 45-70, i know that the rest of the crew that hangs out in this forum are going to get in on this and help me to make this tough decision, and heck if i get too many mixed results i can just...........buy both right!!!!! lol

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

I vote for the 450 Marlin. Good luck.

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

If you are going to reload, it doesn't matter much, you should have the same versatility with either. However, the cost of brass should be much lower with the .45-70.

Good luck.
CE

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

The 450 Marlin was designed to replace the 45/70. The thought process was that the caliber was a great one but there were allot of older 45/70's out there that were not capable of handling modern, more hot, loads. So, Marlin put a belt around the bottom, to keep it from being loaded in a 45/70, and developed a round that really wasn't needed.

So, if you are going to reload, and are using a very strongly built, modern gun like the Marlin, going with the 45/70 makes more sense. There are also some very hot rounds made commercially for 45/70 from Buffalo Bore and a couple of others (with stipulations that they only be fired out of modern guns)
You can load the 45/70 to pretty much eqivalent power as the 450 but have more brass and bullet styles available.

Go with the 45/70 and don't look back. By far the more versatile caliber. Twenty years from now you will still be able to find rounds commercially while the 450 will be almost impossible to find.
R
Ahankster

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

If you're a handloader the .45-70 would seem to be the better choice. Both are far far far more powerful than needed for deer hunting and as a matter of fact the .450 Marlin was designed to be a bear stopper for guides in the mountains guilding elk hunters etc.

There's little doubt in my mind that it (as well as a properly hand loaded .45-70) would do that job very well!!!

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

Going thru the same dilemma. Made up my mind on a 45-70 in a Marlin lever. I can get more horses with the 450, but after shooting both 43KPSI loads, they are pretty bruital loaded at full capacity with >400gr projectiles. A full house 45-70 is enough for anyone. And I love RUM's. That should tell you something.

RE: 45-70 or 450 marlin
 

A lever action? Come on mossy pine I know you better than that! That's one way not to worry about finding a "wrong hand" rifle. Just had to find something bigger than a .338 didn't ya? LOL..........I believe the 45/70 is the right choice but i knew you would never ask me. :D