450 Marlin

[BKMFR]

Anyone shooting a 450 Marlin? Any thoughts on best bullet, using for a short range hammer....

[Biggerhammer]

I watched a friend flat crush a big Mulie with a .450 Marlin and 325gr Hornady LeveRevolution. At 80 yards or so. Pretty solid hit, I enjoyed it.

[mountainman]

Have used this round extensivly. The Lever-evolution is ok on deer sized game. My load is the Barnes 500 gr Buster Penetrator from Buffalo Bore, at just under 2000 fps!  You want a "hammer", this is your load. Hammered several large blackie with this load, one at 15 yards, one at about 200 yards.

[yorketransport]

a 400+ grain cast bullet works great in this case. The 400gr Speer was another one of my favorites in the Marlin GG. They hold up well on impact and they're reasonably priced.

[Skyvalhunter]

What are you hunting, Bear, Moose, deer?

[BKMFR]

It's probably going to see more Bear than anything....

[Skyvalhunter]

Well in that case I would probably go with a 400 gr expansion bullet where you can bust them in the shoulder and put them down immediately or thru the heart or lungs where they are going to travel some distance. Since you probably want to keep the skull. If you were moose hunting and wanted to put it down shoot it between the eyes with a cast bullet. But that's just my opinion.

[suga]

I've had good results with the Lehigh DOA 305gr HP's - if you reload.  Taken a couple bigger bears with them.

[mountainman]

Lehigh products are awesome, if not pricey, components!

[Biggerhammer]

Might want to take a look at CEB bullets, I've shot quite a few of their .458 BBW#13 Non-Con hollow points with the polymer insert with larger cartridges.

http://site.cuttingedgebullets.com

[suga]

Might want to take a look at CEB bullets, I've shot quite a few of their .458 BBW#13 Non-Con hollow points with the polymer insert with larger cartridges.

http://site.cuttingedgebullets.com

Heard good things about that bullet as well. 

[mountainman]

Their 295's and 370's would work in the Marlin, as long as the poly inserts were left out. Then they are just like a Barnes...ShOuld work ok..