~Straight Wall Midwest Hammer~

[Joel Russo]

In the past year, I've had a few customers come to me for midrange muzzleloaders and shotguns to use for deer in the Midwest. I put one customer in a slug gun, and I'm working on a muzzleloader for another presently.
Not happy with either choice, I started to look into the options for the straight walled cases as they are now legal in most Midwest states. I realized that the .450 Marlin was the ticket as Hornady offers a 325 grain flex tip at a reasonable cost. Problem was that I couldn't find a bolt action repeater.
That was my motivation to build one.
I pulled one of our short action magnum Axiom actions and went to work. Chambered a Sendero contour, 24" Hart barrel, fluted it, made a custom shortie three row brake, CeraKoted in Graphite Black and bedded it into a McMillan hunter stock. This rifle has a hinged floor plate for bottom metal, and is capable of two rounds in the mag box. It will also feed flawlessly with our bottom metal and flush mount detachable billet mag which is an option.
A trip to the range today shows promise.. after I get back from the NALRSA finals and SHOT show, I'll shoot it at 200, 250, and 300 yards.
This rifle is pleasant to shoot with minimal recoil. Weight without optics is 8 lbs.
I will be offering these for sale. They are not cheap as I'm using top shelf components. Curtis Axiom action with DLC bolt, Hart barrel, Trigger Tech trigger, and McMillan stock, The rifle in the picture is priced at $4,700 less optics. I will also be offering the same rifle but without fluting or CeraKote for a few hundred less.
I will have this rifle at the NRA show in Harrisburg, PA in February.

 

[bpcrshooter]

looks pretty cool for a short range deer hammer!!!
question why not the 45-70?? bullet selection would be quite a bit more and fps would be slightly more, or the 458win??
Great job on the rifle tho!!!!

 

[WildRose]

View attachment 87789 View attachment 87791 View attachment 87792 View attachment 87793 View attachment 87794 View attachment 87795 View attachment 87796 In the past year, I've had a few customers come to me for midrange muzzleloaders and shotguns to use for deer in the Midwest. I put one customer in a slug gun, and I'm working on a muzzleloader for another presently.
Not happy with either choice, I started to look into the options for the straight walled cases as they are now legal in most Midwest states. I realized that the .450 Marlin was the ticket as Hornady offers a 325 grain flex tip at a reasonable cost. Problem was that I couldn't find a bolt action repeater.
That was my motivation to build one.
I pulled one of our short action magnum Axiom actions and went to work. Chambered a Sendero contour, 24" Hart barrel, fluted it, made a custom shortie three row brake, CeraKoted in Graphite Black and bedded it into a McMillan hunter stock. This rifle has a hinged floor plate for bottom metal, and is capable of two rounds in the mag box. It will also feed flawlessly with our bottom metal and flush mount detachable billet mag which is an option.
A trip to the range today shows promise.. after I get back from the NALRSA finals and SHOT show, I'll shoot it at 200, 250, and 300 yards.
This rifle is pleasant to shoot with minimal recoil. Weight without optics is 8 lbs.
I will be offering these for sale. They are not cheap as I'm using top shelf components. Curtis Axiom action with DLC bolt, Hart barrel, Trigger Tech trigger, and McMillan stock, The rifle in the picture is priced at $4,700 less optics. I will also be offering the same rifle but without fluting or CeraKote for a few hundred less.
I will have this rifle at the NRA show in Harrisburg, PA in February.

Nice job Joel.

The .450BM is a neat round. There's also the new 45-70 Auto you may want to look into. It's the same case essentially as the original 45-70 but with a rebated rim.

http://www.guns.com/2017/12/20/phoe...s-their-new-45-70-auto-round-and-rifle-video/

 

[Joel Russo]

I was just pulled to the .450 Marlin... and Hornady factory stuff just flat out shoots.
I'll clock it when I get back, but I'm pretty sure they're going faster than I think.

I'll take a look at the 45-70 auto, thanks WildRose.

 

[WildRose]

I was just pulled to the .450 Marlin... and Hornady factory stuff just flat out shoots.
I'll clock it when I get back, but I'm pretty sure they're going faster than I think.

I'll take a look at the 45-70 auto, thanks WildRose.

Considering the 450 BM, .458 SOCOM and the new 45-70 Auto are all designed and tested in short barreled AR type platforms I suspect you are correct and that you'll see considerably better velocities than advertised from 20+" barrels.

Long ago I had a pair of 45-70's, one was a 26" Marlin Rifle, the other an 18" ported carbine guide gun.

With the exact same PMC 305gr load I had 14" more drop at 100yds from the GG than from the full length rifle. Both were zeroed at 25yds.

 

[Schnyd112]

...They are not cheap as I'm using top shelf components...
I will also be offering the same rifle but without fluting or CeraKote for a few hundred less.

There is nothing cheap about this game. As much as we try to rationalize a $500 rifle, if it gets any real use it will be a $1500 rifle inside 5 years. Add cost of ammo, transportation and range fees, an expensive rifle starts to be the least of my budget concerns.

 

[86alaskan]

Don't most of those straight wall states have a case length restriction? that would probably knock out some of the larger cases like a 45-70.

 

[Joel Russo]

Don't most of those straight wall states have a case length restriction? that would probably knock out some of the larger cases like a 45-70.

You are correct. Some states have imposed a 1.80" case length restriction.

 

[Joel Russo]

Took quite a few orders for this build since posting this. If anyone is considering this build, get ahold of me in the next week as I'm placing a barrel and stock order and I can add yours to the list.

 

[Capt RB]

That looks like it would make one hell of a score rifle. That huge dia might just keep you in the mix with a squeaker 10 that a 30 cal would be outside of.

 

[Joel Russo]

Kicking four of these out the door next week. Have more parts if anyone else has interest.

 

[Earnhardt]

What are the ballistics for the gun?
Any of the shooters reloaded with the 450 Marlin?
Thanks

 

[yorke-1]

That's a great idea! I've played with the 450 Marlin in a couple of bolt guns and it's really a great cartridge, especially with that 325gr Flex Tip.

 

[Joel Russo]

What are the ballistics for the gun?
Thanks

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