# 45/70 or 450 marlin??



## themaddmortician (Sep 26, 2006)

Alright my wife is going to kill me if I buy another gun....but after what I saw today....

Early this week, i posted a topic about a 16 guauge slug which very few people replied to...Basically I have a 16 guage single shot cooey that I wanted to use while pushing the odd bush, after reading some good and bad reviews about slugs, i figured I would go to the gun store and check out some lever actions, easy carrying rifles that could be used for bush and just walking out of the bush hunting if you know what I mean.

Two beautiful guns were shown to me IMO

1st---Marlin XLR Lever Action 45/70 or 450 $$709.00 (canadian)

2nd----Browning BLR Lightweight '81 Stainless Laminate: .450 Marlin

what to do, what to do, both are heavy hitting guns

This will be an all purpose gun as we have moose and elk draws here in Manitoba, Canada as well, and there is the odd coyote on our farm......

Spend the extra money on a browning or buy the marlin?

Cheers,
T


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

I think the rifles themselves are of reletively equal qualtiy. I don't jump on new caliber bandwagons very quickly so I'd be more apt to look at the 45/70. It's been around over 100yrs and is still very popular. That's good enough for me.


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## arctic plainsman (Aug 21, 2005)

I have a .450 on a Marlin action that I rather like. Recoil off the bench is a bit heavy, but it is fun to use off hand, and with ghost ring sights fairly accurate for what it's intended. I haven't used it to take any game, so I just couldn't comment on performance on game. 
I think the Marlin is a well made gun and would buy it again. There also seems to be a lot of after market parts to upgrade the Marlin rifle. Maybe not nessicary, but fun!


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

I've got a .45/70 marlin "guide gun" that I really like. The .450 is a modern belted .45/70 so if you don't intend to handload go .450, however if you do intend to handload go with the .45/70 as it can be loaded hotter and is easier to resize.


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## Chestnut (Aug 9, 2006)

It seems that I heard you can shoot 45/70 out of a .450 Marlin chamber. Anyone know for sure? If so, get a .450 and have the best of both worlds.


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

I've heard the same thing, but I'm betting it would bust the case.


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Buy the heaviest of the two rifles and thank me later


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

If you reload 45/70. If you don't reload go with the 450. You can get hot loads for the 45/70 from I think it's Garet, but they are expensive. The Marlin is nice. I have one in 44 mag. My 45/70 is a falling block 1885 model by Browning. It is a tough enough action that I push 405 gr bullets to 2200 fps. One shot takes a gopher down every time.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

:lol: :beer:


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

I think I'd go with the Marlin mainly because if for some reason you fired your rifle until its' empty or almost empty its easy to shove fresh shells into the side of the rifle without takeing your eyes off of whatever it was you were shooting at AND you never have to worry about loseing your magazine thereby turning your rifle into a very awkward to load singleshot. As far as 45-70 vs 450 , I think I'd go with the 45-70 mainly because ammo's way easier to find and if you want the extra power of the 450 you can get higher pressure loads for the 45-70 from a few different companies that will match 450 power levels. I read in an old issue of Cartridges Of The World that some folks have succesfully used .410 shotshells in their 45-70s to take small game for camp meat, I don't know how well it would work but that would sure be handy.


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## Whelen35 (Mar 9, 2004)

Get the 45-70 learn to reload and never look back. You can load sub 900fps short range plinking loads up to real large animal smashers. They cary nice and easy come up fast, and will suprise you with how well they shoot.


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## DrHenley (Sep 5, 2006)

Sorry, but all this stuff about needing to reload the 45-70 is a bunch of hooey. Check out any online store and look at the loads available for 45-70 and 450. What you will find is that there are precious few commercial loads for the 450 and every imaginable load under the sun available for the 45-70 - From cast Cowboy Loads all the way up to actual *Elephant Loads.*

45-70 Loads on Midway: http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/br ... 3***690***

450 Marlin Loads on Midway: http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/br ... 3***690***

Not to diminish the 450, there is nothing wrong with the cartridge except for the LACK of commercial ammo. That and the fact that you can't use it in some single shot actions that require rimmed cartridges.

The truth is, it's the 450 that requires handloading!


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

45-70 if you handload, 450 Marlin if you don't and plan on only using commercial ammunition.

High performance commercial ammo for the 45-70 (which brings it up to the performance of the 450 Marlin & beyond) is horrendously expensive.

The Hornady 450 Marlin ammo is relatively affordable, and will do in most any critter you choose to point it at. Seems to me that this one commercial load is just fine...

This is assuming you don't want to pay $40 and UP for 20 rounds of 45-70 ammo, as Garrett, Buffalo Bore, ect, is priced...


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## sdeprie (May 1, 2004)

Rifle, your choice. I prefer removable mags, as I can carry 2-3 and reload a full mag quicker than shoving more shells in the side one at a time, although my 45-70 is single shot. Again, my preference, maybe not yours. There aren't a lot of spitzers out there in 458, so that isn't much of a consideration (tubular vs stack mag). 8) I agree, 45-70 if you reload, 450 if you don't. DON'T put a 45-70 in a 450 chamber. That belt was put there to prevent just exactly that action. 45-70 is loaded factory to very low pressures to keep idjits from putting high pressure loads in their antique trapdoors, rolling blocks, falling blocks, etc. I like a red dot on my 45-70. It is quick and sure, and certainly more than adequate for the 45-70 or 450. (Any typo, please excuse. This isn't easy with a daschund on my shoulder.)


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