450 Marlin loads with 400gr projectiles

[Boyd Brooks]

I was hoping that someone might have load data for 400gr bullets in a 450 Marlin case. I an building a bolt action rifle and was hoping to get away from the lever gun ammo in 325 and 350 grain.

 

[sgt_zim]

Might just as well go for a 458 Win Mag or Lott as to build a 450M from scratch.

Case dimensions for 450M and 458 WM are really close, except obviously length. The limiting factor on 450M is going to be case length/capacity. And unless you're going to Africa after DG, even the 45-70 loaded up with some Beartooth Piledriver 525 gr or PD junior 425 gr at 1600-1700 fps will easily dispatch anything in North America. Getting to 1900 fps with something like a 525 doesn't improve ballistics significantly over 1625 or so, and it certainly doesn't improve lethality on the thin-skinned game we have here.

Plus, since Marlington doesn't make the 450M anymore, and they never sold a bunch of them, brass will be a lot harder to come by than either of the magnum 458s.

450M is a fine cartridge for what it was designed for, but it sure seems like you're trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

 

[ChrisG]

This is from Hodgdon's website:

 

[AZDAVE]

I have a ruger 77 custom in 450 Marlin. Since it is on a bolt action and I don't have to worry about a levergun pressure requirements I started with the max loads on the Hogdon web site and worked slowly up. You can also look at 458 American loads. The 458 Armeican is a 2 in case if my memory serves me and the 450 marlin is 2.1 in. They have about the same case capacity. I will have to look at my notes for the loads I found that gave best accuracy and what the speed was with them.

It is a fun short action thumper. I say if it floats your boat go for it. I enjoy mine

 

[Boyd Brooks]

So I finally got my 450 Marlin build done this fall, as you can see it took way to long.
I am still wondering if someone had more load data for 400gr or larger bullets for the 450 Marlin?

 

[Hunter4752001]

I have a Savage 110 off with the smith getting converted to 450 Marlin. In my view a great cartridge only limited by the original platform. Should always have been marketed as a bolt gun round. Not an African cartridge, but plenty of power without being excessive, for general hunting. Also has great potential as a subsonic round if you're in a jurisdiction where that's applicable.

Many older reloading manuals had data for the round, although that data was designed for the limited strength of the lever actions.

Going forward, brass may be a problem. Bertram still make 450 Marlin brass. Hornady appear to have discontinued it, although it's possible they may run limited batches. Maybe if we all send them emails every so often it might increase the chances of batches being run.