450 Bushmaster vs 45-70 Govt

[helmut in the bush]

My son and I have a 450 Marlins for Ohio Deer, hopefully this season we can pop their cherries.

 

[mic2377]

As much as alot of the folks here love their lever guns and straight-walled cartridges like the 45/70 and 444 Marlin, the 450 BM is suprisingly potent in comparison. This is especially considering that is packaged in the AR-15 platform, with it's easy optics mounting, free floated barrel, and high portability.

There is no doubt you can load something like a Ruger #1 hotter in 45/70, but the difference in factory loadings are negligible.

I wouldn't hesitate to pick up an upper in 450 BM for a 0-200 yd hunting rifle if I didn't already have a 308 AR.

Another factor in this choice is that I would bet that a 450 BM AR could probably outshoot alot of lever action guns in the accuracy department, be easier to mount a scope, and have a better trigger.

Too bad they are emotionless black hunks of aluminum...

 

[spencerhenry]

hmm, should I rethink taking my 1886 in 45-70 for moose?
Not really, it will probably shoot through 2/3 of a moose length wise. my 45-75 1876 running a 305gr at 1300fps shot diagonally through a mule deer last year, starting at the shoulder, bullet was recovered just under hide in front of the opposite hind quarter, looks like it could be used again.
That 45-75 has about the same ballistics as a factory loaded 45-70... or less.

 

[perry42]

I vote for 45-70 using BP, fun to shoot and load for. If you need more push a 45-90. I own and shoot a Shilo 45-70 and a Springfield Trapdoor. The Shiloh would hit silhouette chickens off hand at 200m and would center punch them from a rest.

perry42

















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[Beau]

Not a 450 BM user, but I do shoot a ML with 250-300gr bullets at about 1,700fps - 1,900fps.
Just sayin' that if you can't get it done with a Hornady XTP in either of those weights, you must be in Africa. But I bet it would work there too.
I like ARs and I dislike lots of recoil. I think that a velocity under about 2,000fps with that weight range is about perfect for a brush gun. I seldom recover any bullets from the inside of deer. XTPs hold together & penetrate. If you don't like those, you can move up the $$ scale to Barnes mono bullets and get even better penetration.

The issue of bullet choice between .452 & .458 is yesterday's news. There's not really any reason to go heavier unless you are looking for BC, which is irrelevant for <200 yards.

We all know 444, 45/70, etc get it done. It simply boils down to your platform preference.