.450 marlin

[yorke-1]

I say just go for the 450 Marlin. It's going to work great for what you want. Recoil really won't be that bad. I ran a 45-70 in a 10" BFR and shot nothing but Ruger #1 loads in it. It was a handful but hardly earth shattering.

Brass for the 450 is available and a little over $1 each. Factory ammo is available as well as published, tested load data. For bullets you can try running the 300gr TTSX designed for the 458 Socom. They're hard to get but should work pretty well for what you want.

Andrew

 

[HarryN]

Thanks. The flat base bullets typical of the 444 marlin, 458 socom, 450 marlin, and 450 bushmaster have really poor BC, like 0.1-0.15.

Moving up to 400 grains, which is a bit over top, there is a GS custom HV with a BC over 0.3. Of course its length consumes nearly 30% of the normal powder volume and the OAL is longer than sami, but that is probably ok for this project.

If I get stuck with those flat base bullets, then the bushmaster might be interesting since it can be in a semi auto.

 

[dgr416]

Shoot something big before buying something big .I have 375 jdj carbine there is no way I would shoot it in a pistol .The 454 ruger super redhawk is my limit pistol wise I lived in Alaska 12 years and its the right gun sixshots to carry everywhere!

 

[Tennessee Tater]

I second dgr's response. I had a 454 Redhawk also. Max loads of win296 & 325 hard cast was all I wanted in a handgun. I also own a 450 in a guide gun, and haven't been able to consider recoil "moderate" either. I will say that I never pursued reduced recoil with it. It is an absolute hammer on living tissue, and I would not be afraid to shoot anything with fur on it...........except elephant. the only source of brass that I know of is Hornady. I don't know of any work around for the larger belt. In hindsight, I would have been better off with a 458x2. But when I bought the guide gun, I couldn't afford a build of any kind. That being said, the 450 has served me well, and it's earned it's spot in the safe, but to do over I would look for something else. In closing, I'd have to say recoil is not for the sensitive, you will know when the hammer falls.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I second dgr's response. I had a 454 Redhawk also. Max loads of win296 & 325 hard cast was all I wanted in a handgun. I also own a 450 in a guide gun, and haven't been able to consider recoil "moderate" either. I will say that I never pursued reduced recoil with it. It is an absolute hammer on living tissue, and I would not be afraid to shoot anything with fur on it...........except elephant. the only source of brass that I know of is Hornady. I don't know of any work around for the larger belt. In hindsight, I would have been better off with a 458x2. But when I bought the guide gun, I couldn't afford a build of any kind. That being said, the 450 has served me well, and it's earned it's spot in the safe, but to do over I would look for something else. In closing, I'd have to say recoil is not for the sensitive, you will know when the hammer falls.

this I can tell you right away. In a hand gun, the .357 Herrett just eats scopes like they are going out of style. I've only found a couple that will hold up so far, and they ain't Leupold! Now we move up to the .450, and I doubt any optics will hold up in a hand gun. The .450 is a beast in a rifle, and Godzilla in a hand gun. On the otherhand I've seen hand guns chambered in .444 Marlin, and these shot well. Recoil is still a hand full, but nothing like the .450 would be. I shoot the .445 Super Mag out of a 14" barrel, and it's barely harder than the 44 mag with a full load of H110. I like the idea of a 1.80" case length .444 Marlin in a 16" or even an 18" barrel. I believe the round would push a 265 grain bullet to a tick under 2000fps.
The .444 case in a bolt gun soon becomes a different animal than a typical lever action rifle with 41K PSI. I've seen a couple #1 Ruger's chambered in .444 that were unreal. Think 2500+fps with a 265 grain bullet. I call that impressive.
gary