The Straight-Wall Deer Hunting Cartridge With the Most Potential: .444 Marlin, The Best Straight-Wall Deer Hunting Ammo for AR-15 Style Rifles: .450 Bushmaster, The Best Straight-Wall Deer Hunting Ammo For Long Shots: .45-70 Government. 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 Thats the exact opposite of whats in vogue with modern rifle cartridges today. With the Buffalo Bore 335-grain load, the Winchester made two groups, each about 4 inches apart. 450 Bushmaster Ammo; 450 Marlin Ammo; 450 Nitro Express Ammo; 450 Rigby Ammo; 450/400 Nitro Express Ammo; 454 Casull Ammo; 458 Lott Ammo; 458 SOCOM Ammo; 458 Winchester Magnum Ammo; . 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). We tried a different brand of ammunition and the rifle worked fine for awhile. We fired one, and the second jammed coming out of the tubular magazine. In factory loads for the 45-70 you have to mind what you are buying. 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. If you also shoot a Trapdoor Springfield or any other kind of weak-actioned rifle that takes the .45-70, it makes sense that you should not mix up your ammunition. The wood pores of the 444P were no better filled than on the other rifle. If we worked it briskly, we got slightly better results, but thats not how a rifle is supposed to work. The fluid motion of the action and those huge, rimmed, brass cases make for some formidable medicine for the largest bears, bison and cervids. Being bracketed by the proven .444 Marlin and .45-70, the belted .450 Marlin doesnt fill a lever-gun niche any better than the other cartridges. Recoil was manageable thanks to the soft pad, but the rifle had much greater muzzle flip than the ported Marlins. It cant. All rights reserved. This means that it is still a niche cartridge offered by just a few manufacturers, and you might struggle to find it on the shelves of your local ammunition store. The higher velocity and energy of the .450 Marlin allows it to shoot a bit flatter than the .450 Bushmaster. Summary: Factory ammo is not a great choice for rifle length barrels, hand loading gives better performance. Each cartridge has its own benefit and ultimately is your choice. It utilized a standard belted-mag case of 2.0-inch length. The .444 shoots much flatter than most folks realize. Then Hornady brought out two loads for the cartridge and things changed. Looking at this product line, youll be inclined to give the nod to the .444 Marlin, especially coupled with the Hornady Superformance load of the 265-grain InterLock at 2400 fps. Its a great round in a Marlin lever action. Also, the steel-to-steel fit wasnt quite as good as Marlins, nor was the metal polishing. At reasonable straight-wall cartridge hunting distances, for both velocity and trajectory, there is no real out-and-out winner between .450 Bushmaster vs .350 Legend. So when it comes to the .350 Legend vs .450 Bushmaster, is there any discernable advantage of hunting one or the other? This one didnt work. Velocity (200 yards): 1,515 feet per second. Its at the lower weight limit for maximum loads in the .444, and even with a muzzle brake we dont believe a shorter version would be all that good an idea. 1, the .45-70 can be loaded to impressive performance. The straight-hand stock had a sling swivel stud in the butt, and another on the steel that attached the wood forend. vs. .458 Lott7mm Rem. While the .450 Marlin can be used in bolt action rifles, it is most commonly found in lever action rifles. The stock finish was very durable and hard, even though the pores were not fully filled. Rubber meet road, because if there is anyone point in .450 Bushmaster vs .350 Legend battle where one wins out, its here. Is the any advantage. Formally known as the .45-70-405relating caliber-powder charge-bullet weight specificationsthe cartridge was commercially known as the .45-70 Government, and that 405-grain lead bullet travelled at a muzzle velocity of just about 1400 fps, though a heavier 500-grain bullet was soon employed. Toward that end, we obtained a pair of nearly identical Marlins chambered for the .444 Marlin, the Model 444P, and .450 Marlin, the Model 1895M. Our velocity charts are labeled with bullet weights and barrel lengths with velocities gathered. Out of the muzzle, the .250 Marlin is flying 25 ft/s faster than the .250 Bushmaster. The .450 Bushmaster cartridge was developed using a modified .284 Winchester case with a rebated rim. The heavier bullets of the .450 Marlin might slow it down a bit, but they give a serious advantage when it comes to velocity. The checkering was fully functional, well done, and attractive. Get Special Offers Delivered Right to Your Inbox. The Bushmaster is based on a sawed-off .284 Winchester case. Brass case webs on rimmed cases, like the .45-70 or .444 Marlin, are more than strong enough for whatever pressure the stout Marlin action can take. The .450 Marlin is just a bit bigger, with a bullet diameter of .458 compared to the .450 Bushmasters .452. Looking at the ruger American 22 inch bolt. Over the last few years, there have been a number of straight-walled cartridges to hit the market. All of these walnut-stocked rifles had iron sights only, which is how we tested them. Mag. They track closely in weight, thus when chambered Legend tend to be more pleasurable to shoot. The .450 Bushmaster has a SAAMI Mean Average Pressure (MAP) of 38,500 psi. But in my opinion, the sheer flexibility of the .45-70 Government in both rifles and ammunition gives it a definitive advantage. The .450 Bushmaster was developed for big game hunting with modern rifles. For a while, nobody was making rifles in .45-70 and the cartridge seemed doomed. I was torn between a lever action 45-70 and a 450 bushmaster ar-15. The wood at the rear of the receiver was much smaller in spots than the steel. Additionally, but not across the board, many are factory outfitted with muzzle brakes to help mitigate some of the angry mule in the cartridge-rifle combination. Heres a look at 10 of the most flexible long-range hunting cartridges. The standard load will push a 240-grain .429-inch diameter bullet to 2400 fps for just over 3,000 ft.-lbs. This was adjusted by means of a stepped elevating slide, a design as old as rifles and still functional today. The forests around here are always thick brushed with all sorts of not only leafy brush but full of little twig saplings and raspberry bushes and the like. The walnut was very decent wood, nicer than that on the .450. The metal polishing and bluing on both Marlin rifles was superbly done, dead-flat sides with semi-glossy finish, sharp but not offensive corners, matted edges to the all-steel action, all of the metalwork just plain nice. The idea used to develop the .450 Bushmaster was credited to Jeff Cooper. More power to them. The 450 Bushmaster is taking off and new ammo offerings keep popping up. For the .350 Legend, the ammo of choice is Winchester 's 150-grain Deer Season XP, with a listed muzzle velocity of 2,325 fps and a BC of .223. We've got you covered.7x57mm Mauser vs. .280 Remington.300 Win. Ive lost count of the groups that started under 2 inches with four shots and jumped to 5 or 6 inches on the fifth. The 444 Marlin (which I love) is headed in the other direction. Marlin .450 Bushmaster Lever-Action in 2017 A few months back, we had Michigan hunter approach us to build him a precision Marlin lever-action rifle in .450 Bushmaster. This advantage expands a bit as we cross more distance. The overall length on the .450 Marlin is also just a bit longer, at 2.55" compared to 2.26" on the Bushmaster. Accuracy was all that anyone would want. As it was, we liked the ring for its simplicity, but it was extremely vulnerable, sticking up in the breeze. You have two cartridges that are headed in opposite directions. One sure way to cut through some of the tall grass is measure it against an established cartridge thats already proven its worth. The slim forend had wrap-around checkering. We also got a Winchester Model 94AE chambered for the .444 Marlin. But if you find a sample that doesnt exhibit the problem and you have zillions of .44 pistol bullets you want to shoot in it, then wed give it a Conditional Buy. Col. Jeff Cooperthe widely acknowledged expert who brought self-defense firearm training to civilians by establishing what would become Gunsite Academywas a big proponent of .44-bore or larger guns for their one-shot-stop potential. When it comes to .450 Bushmaster vs .350 Legend, is there a clear winner? I have always wanted a bolt action 444 Marlin, but the 450 Bushmaster has ballistics that are almost as good as the 444. By logging into your account, you agree to our. The case is belted, the belt being longer than normal belted magnum brass, though the same diameter. The round didnt go off. Marlin 1895M .450 Marlin, $560. He was intrigued by the idea of the .450 Bushmaster cartridge but prefers hunting with a lever-action versus a bolt action rifle. The resulting round boasts performance on par with the .45-70 Gov't but in a more compact configuration. The .444 Marlin was available in a svelte Marlin lever-action riflethe Model 444and proved to be a thumper on big game from whitetails to moose and bear, though like the .45-70, the range was limited by the low velocity and bullet profiles. Online pricing may vary from in-store pricing. A good solution is to install a proper recoil-reducing pad like the Pachmayr Decelerator. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Looking for previous installments of our "Head to Head" series? Sounds impressive. Muzzle Energy: 2,686 foot-pounds. Who needs more than 1 shot? For the moment, the .450 Bushmaster seems to be the most popular deer hunting ammo for states that allow straight-walled cartridges. The .450 Bushmaster cartridge was developed using a modified .284 Winchester case with a rebated rim. The same bullet in the 450 Bushmaster at 200 yards still travels at 1524 fps with 1289 ft/lb of energy. Of all the ammo available, the highest muzzle energy of the Socom is 2380 ft/lbs of energy. Both are straight walled cartridges, but the 45-70 has a longer overall length, a longer case length, and a larger diameter case than the 450 Bushmaster. and .444 Marlin provide enough accuracy (and their bullets retain enough energy) to confidently reach out across a cut cornfield and make a 200-yard shot. 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 . Offers more power than any commercial lever gun cartridge except the .450 Marlin. The rifle was fitted with a Pachmayr Decelerator stock but had no ports. We know that Winchester has brought out a shorter-barrel version of this rifle, complete with ported muzzle, but we dont see a real need for it. RENE reports 6 different versions of the American Rifle in 450 Bushmaster and now the GSR makes 7. The trajectory of most .450 factory ammo allows you to zero at about 200 yards and hold right on anywhere inside that. Another benefit the .450 has it that it is generally pretty accurate. Reloading Brass. It has been used for everything from deer to Cape Buffalo, and remains popular among the bear guides to this day. There is something almost magical about big-bore lever guns; to me they represent big-game hunting at close quarters. This is pure conjecture, but the outcome is notthe .450 Marlin is pretty much a turkey, as we see it. It retains 1,000 ft-lbs of energy to just past 140 yards. Advertising - Our loaner was fitted with a ghost-ring Ashley aperture sight held to the receiver with two screws. 1.790 Case length. In our estimation, there is no need for the cartridge, and the rifle didnt work properly. Many lever guns have limited accuracy past 150 yards, but the .450 BM is able to perform within MOA all the way to 200 and beyond. A .450 Bushmaster is .452 inches while the .350 Legend is only about .3570 inches, which makes it more comparable to a .223 Remington. Of course, with the shorter barrels on the AR-15 and some other rifles, the muzzle velocity is lower, which changes all the other numbers. Bullet drop is an important factor for all calibers, but it can make a big difference for heavy, big bore bullets that are only meant to shoot in shorter ranges. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Most destructive to components. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -. vs. .300 Wby. Wild West was also the originator of the short, handy, powerful lever-rifle concept. It generates 21.34 ft-lbs of energy at 12.55 fps. Straight-wall rifles, being rifles, typically do not. The two most popular flavors are the .45-70 and .450 Marlin cartridges, both of . Perhaps the most notable in recent years has been the .350 Legend. Bushmaster asked Hornady to produce the .45 Professional, but Hornady wanted to shorten the cartridge case to accommodate their .452-inch, 250-grain pointed SST Flex-Tip bullet. Big Bore Cartridges Compared! Newly Accepted Cartridge and Chamber Designs. Velocity Tests and more! The 444 Marlin (which I love) is headed in the other direction. He is a gun owner and avid reloader from Colorado. It is on the wane and has long ago been supplanted by the resurgent 45-70. The Winchester 1886 is back in several iterations, the Henry lineup includes the .45-70 and even Marlin saw fit to offer its Model 1895 Guide Gun in .45-70. Most gun makers and gun buyers were not interested in new rifles chambered for this underperforming cartridge. Why didnt Marlin simply lengthen the .45-70 cartridge as Wild West did? The .450 Marlin is a relatively new cartridge designed as a challenge to the classic .45-70 Government, but did not offer enough of an improvement for most hunters to justify making the switch. 450 a bit better with jacketed, 1" vs 1.5". Ive used a 308 and hit a branch with it and the bullet broke apart and i thankfully got a lucky hit to the neck with about half a bullet tumbling through the air. The data in both cases are from a 20-inch barrel, which is somewhat common in the field and is the standard test length utilized by most ammunition companies. .450 Bushmaster Buffalo Cartridge Co. . In Ohio, can use 45-70 and 458 win. You have entered an incorrect email address! .45-70 is perfectly housed in short-barreled lever-action rifles like the Marlin Model 1895. That makes it a good option for recoil-sensitive shooters who must abide by tapered cartridge restrictions. Wood-to-metal fit was truly outstanding on both Marlin rifles. We believe the development time used up by Marlin on that rifle could have been spent promoting the grand versatility of the .45-70 Guide Gun, letting folks know that it can handle good stout loads like those from Buffalo Bore, and making the Guide Gun exactly the way it should be, with an aperture rear sight right from the factory, softer recoil pad, and the slickest possible action. The 450 would do better, but, is it needed on deer? is more comparable to the .350 Legend, but you're losing power and velocity. Gun Tests Recommends Marlin 444P .444 Marlin, $550. It is on the wane and has long ago been supplanted by the resurgent 45-70. The .450 Marlin case is 2.1 inches long.). Re: 450 bushmaster vs 444 marlin. For instance, Ruger chambers its American Ranch rifle for both cartridges, with few differences between the two. However, the primer was apparently not struck soundly enough. The .450 Bushmaster was designed to work in an AR-15, but its also available in bolt-action rifles from Ruger, Mossberg, and others. I ended up just taking a lower I had and put a 450 upper on it with a vortex crossfire II 1-430 I think or maybe its 35 or something like that not sure but it will group at 2 inches even for an 10 shot group at 100 yards. The .450 Bushmaster was designed by the Hornady Manufacturing Company for Bushmaster Firearms International when the latter wanted a .45 caliber cartridge that would work through the short AR-15 action. At 100 yards bullet velocity slows to 1,835 and retains 1,868 pounds of energy. The original rifle featured a 24" 1:38 twist microgoove (12 groove) barrel. Its therefore important to keep in mind that we are comparing a 325 grain .450 Marlin against a 250 grain .450 Bushmaster--which are the commonly used bullet weights for each caliber. The U.S. Army adopted the new cartridge, which replaced the .50-70 cartridge it employed in 1866. 2.215 Case length, .451 Caliber projectiles The 450 bushmaster in the Ruger is a fine rifle for the money .