View source for .450 Marlin

{{Short description|US rifle cartridge}}
{{Infobox firearm cartridge
| name = .450 Marlin
| image = 450Marlin.JPG | image_size = 300px
| caption = .450 Marlin, left and [[.458 Winchester Magnum]], right
| origin = [[United States]]
| type = [[Rifle]]
<!-- Service history -->
| service = 
| used_by = 
| wars = 
<!-- Production history -->
| designer = [[Hornady]] and [[Marlin Firearms]]
| design_date = 2000
| manufacturer = [[Hornady]]
| production_date = 2000–present
| number = 
| variants = 
<!-- Specifications -->
| is_SI_specs = 
| parent = [[.458×2-inch American]]<ref>Association, N. R. (n.d.). Tested: Winchester M94 te lever-action in .450 Marlin. An Official Journal Of The NRA. https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/tested-winchester-m94-te-lever-action-in-450-marlin/</ref>
| case_type = Belted, straight
| bullet = .458
| neck = 
| shoulder = 
| base = .5121
| rim_dia = .528
| rim_thick = 
| case_length = 2.10
| length = 2.55
| case_capacity = 
| rifling = 1:20 in (508 mm) 
| primer = Large rifle
| max_pressure = 43500
| max_cup = 
| filling = 
| filling_weight = 
| detonation = 
| yield = 
<!-- Ballistic performance -->
| is_SI_units = 
| bw1 = 430
| btype1 = LBT-LFN (Lead Long Flat Nose)
| vel1 = 1900
| en1 = 3446
| bw2 = 405
| btype2 = JFN (Copper Jacketed Flat Nose)
| vel2 = 1975
| en2 = 3507
| bw3 = 350
| btype3 = JFN
| vel3 = 2100
| en3 = 3427
| bw4 = 325
| btype4 = FTX (Hornady Flex Tip Expanding LEVERevolution)
| vel4 = 2225
| en4 = 3572
| bw5 = 
| btype5 = 
| vel5 = 
| en5 = 
| test_barrel_length = (SAAMI) 24 inches (610 mm)
| balsrc = Buffalo Bore Ammunition,<ref>{{cite web|title=Heavy 450 Marlin Rifle & Gun Ammunition|url=http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=171|work=Buffalo Bore|access-date=9 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229122027/http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=171|archive-date=29 December 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hornady Ammunition,<ref>{{cite web |title=450 Marlin 325 gr FTX LEVERevolution ballistics |url=http://www.hornady.com/store/450-Marlin-325-gr-FTX-LEVERevolution/ |work=Hornady.com |access-date=9 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100910225153/http://www.hornady.com/store/450-Marlin-325-gr-FTX-LEVERevolution/# |archivedate=2010-09-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

}}

The '''.450 Marlin''' is a [[cartridge (firearms)|firearms cartridge]] designed as a modernized equivalent to the [[.45-70]] cartridge.  It was designed by a joint team of [[Marlin Firearms|Marlin]] and [[Hornady]] engineers headed by Hornady's Mitch Mittelstaedt,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gmdr.com/lever/450mtext.htm |title=450 Marlin |access-date=2008-08-05 |publisher=Gregory J. Mushial |year=2002 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926031938/http://www.gmdr.com/lever/450mtext.htm |archivedate=26 September 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> and was released in 2000, with cartridges manufactured by Hornady and rifles manufactured by Marlin, mainly the [[Marlin Model 336#Model 1895|Model 1895M]] [[Lever-action|levergun]]. The [[Browning BLR]] is also now available in .450 Marlin chambering, as is the Ruger No. 1.  Marlin ceased manufacture of the 1895M rifle in 2009.  In October 2022 it was rumored that Ruger Firearms, the new owner of Marlin Firearms, may be reintroducing the 450 Marlin in their Model 1895 guide gun, but this has not been confirmed by Marlin or Ruger.

== Design ==
While ballistically similar to the .45-70, the .450 Marlin was not developed from the [[.45-70]].  Rather, the .450 Marlin was developed from the wildcat [[.458×2-inch American]], which was based on the [[.458 Winchester Magnum]].<ref name="disguise">{{cite web|last=Taffin|first=John|title=The .450 Marlin: A Magnum In Disguise|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_6_47/ai_74033118/|work=Guns Magazine|access-date=9 September 2010|date=June 2001}}</ref>  This places the .450 Marlin in the .458 Winchester family of cartridges, though it is more easily understood as a "modernized" .45-70. It is possible to [[handloading|handload]] the [[.45-70]] to levels that can destroy older firearms such as the [[Trapdoor Springfield]]. The .450 Marlin offers the ballistics of such "hot" .45-70 loads without the risk of chambering in firearms that cannot handle its higher pressure.

The belt has been modified to prevent it from chambering in smaller-bore 7&nbsp;mm Magnum or .338 Magnum rifles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://airbornecombatengineer.typepad.com/airborne_combat_engineer/2005/03/the_450_marlin_.html |title=The .450 Marlin cartridge |access-date=2008-08-05 |work=Airborne Combat Engineer |publisher= |date=2007-10-09 |archive-date=2009-04-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415105002/http://airbornecombatengineer.typepad.com/airborne_combat_engineer/2005/03/the_450_marlin_.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>  The .45-70 and .450 Marlin cannot be cross-chambered, but rifles chambered for the American can be modified to fire the .450 Marlin.<ref>{{cite book|last=Simpson|first=Layne|title=Layne Simpson's Shooter's Handbook|year=2005|publisher=Krause Publications|isbn=978-0-87349-939-2|page=285}}</ref>

Visually, the case resembles that of the .458 Winchester Magnum with a wider belt.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chuckhawks.com/450Marlin.htm |title=.450 Marlin |access-date=2008-08-05 |work=ChuckHawkes.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624230855/http://www.chuckhawks.com/450Marlin.htm |archive-date=24 June 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> The cartridge is most useful for hunting big game at short ranges, being accurate at ranges of {{convert|150|to|175|yards}}.<ref name="disguise" /> The cartridge is capable of taking any large game animal in North America including large elk, brown bear, and moose.

One potential advantage of the .450 Marlin was its ability to chamber easily in bolt-action rifles, essentially becoming a ".45-70 bolt action" cartridge. This idea, however, was only utilized by one company:  [[Steyr-Mannlicher]].  However, many companies such as E.R. Shaw Inc.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ershawbarrels.com/scb-twist-rates.php |title=Caliber and Twist Rates |access-date=2017-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708024007/http://www.ershawbarrels.com/scb-twist-rates.php |archive-date=2017-07-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and EABCO<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eabco.net/Savage-Accuracy-Barrel-Kits-by-EABCO--Includes-Wrench-and-USP-Benchrest-Cleaning-Kit_p_13410.html|title=EABCO Accuracy Barrels|website=Eabdo.net|access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> have helped numerous owners convert their existing bolt-action rifles to .450 Marlin, fulfilling the cartridge's inspired purpose.

==Dimensions==
[[File:450 Marlin5.jpg|thumb|center|450px|]]
The dimensions are subject to change. The most current dimensions are available from the [https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ANSI-SAAMI-Z299.4-CFR-Approved-2015-12-14-Posting-Copy.pdf SAAMI website, standard Z299.4 – 2015], at pages 148 and 344.

== See also ==
*[[11 mm caliber]]
*[[List of rifle cartridges]]
*[[Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute]]
*[[Table of handgun and rifle cartridges]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
* [https://www.all4shooters.com/en/hunting/ammunition/dossier-450/ .450 Marlin]
* [https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/reloading-the-450-marlin/250267 450 Marlin Reloading Data]
* [https://www.sportingshooter.com.au/ask-uncle-nick/whatever-happened-to-the-450-marlin Whatever Happened To The .450 Marlin?]
* [https://www.gun-tests.com/uncategorized/big-bore-lever-action-hunting-guns-pass-on-marlins-new-450/ Big-Bore Lever-Action Hunting Guns: Pass On Marlins New .450]

{{Hornady}}
{{Marlin Firearms}}
{{.375 H&H Magnum}}

[[Category:Pistol and rifle cartridges|450 Marlin]]