I am the proud owner of a brand new 1895M chambered for 450 marlin. I live in Alaska and hunt moose every fall. If I were to handload for this weapon, what bullet would be best for hunting? I would prefer something with high weight retention. The more meat saved the better. I have heard that Hornady's new polymer tipped factory loads are pretty good for hunging but in my quest for moose I have to compete with bears so I want something heavier than 350 grains. My dad shoots a 458 win mag and his favorite load is a trophy bonded bear claw. I was informed that I could load these same rounds (400 grains) for my 450. Is this true? What about a 510 grain woodleigh? Also, just how big of loads can you shoot out of these rifles without damaging them? I know about the length limitations I just want to know what my options are seeing as how they are extremely limited when it comes to factory loads. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Derek

The SAAMI on the 450 Marlin is a hefty 44,000psi. I load for my 45-70 guide gun and the biggest limitation to the long, heavy bullets is the ability to cycle them thru the action. I suspect the 450 would be the same.

My 45-70 will cycle a 2.6" oal round, but it varies somewhat from gun to gun. I believe factory spec is 2.55".

Shooting Times has an article in their July 2000 mag w/ 450 loads. They push a Swift A frame (400 gr) at 1928 fps out of a 18.5" barrel with 19" penetration into wet newspaper. And in this article the best penetration was from a 300 grain Nosler @ 2333 fps (26.5"). A 300 grain Barnes X at 2100 fps penetrated 19". No lead bullet loads in this article.

I personally have had great results with the 350 Hornady Interlock bullet on black bears. But have never faced a big brown.
I'm sure you'll get some response form guys who have used heavy lead bullets.

Good luck!

Why don't you give the Beartooth 425 or 525 grain bullets a try? I think they will handle anything your great State can throw at them.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/images/bullets/BTB-45R-425gWLNGC2.jpg http://www.beartoothbullets.com/images/bullets/BTB-45R-525gWLNGC2.jpg

I've got a 95MR and the 425-grain bullets shoot like a dream. Your kind of out there on your own with load development but there is now enough data surfacing on the 450 Marlin that you can come up with some kind of load. I decided to use Load from a Disk (http://www.loadammo.com/) to help me develop a load for this rifle and bullet. This is what the software came up with for my rifle...

http://home.awesomenet.net/~ranch-dog/Firearms/Images/1895MR-02.jpg

I'm actually working with both H322 and H4198. Here is a group shot with H322 at 100-yards...

http://home.awesomenet.net/~ranch-dog/Firearms/Images/BTB 460 425 WFNGC 435 H322.jpg

I have the RSI Pressure Trace (http://www.shootingsoftware.com/pressure.htm) equipment. I just ordered some more strain gauges and I'm going to install one on this rifle. The priority is low as we don't have many brown bears to whack down here.

I hadn't yet, but I have now made my new years resolutions. This year, I will ...

1. Slug my barrel
2. Order some 425 and 525 grain Beartooth bullets
3. Lean on RD to produce some trustworthy load data ;)
4. Learn how to hang onto the rifle when firing it

Hey, RD, have you seen the specs on the new 1895MXLR?

I am the proud owner of a brand new 1895M chambered for 450 marlin. I live in Alaska and hunt moose every fall. If I were to handload for this weapon, what bullet would be best for hunting? .....
Derek

For my "heavy" bullet I like the 405 gr. Kodiak over 52.0 gr. of H-322. I was at 2.541" OAL with no problems, but have never really checked my 1895M to see how long I can go. For everything up to blackies the Hornady factory load should be OK. It knocks over moose just fine. This past fall I even used the factory load out of a .450M bolt gun on kudu in Namibia. It put the kudu right down, but I later found that the bullet had completely shed its jacket and exited. There was an exit wound and the jacket was still under the hide. Velocity is higher with the bolt and it was a rather short shot (40 yds.), but I'm not sure why it did what it did. The most accurate load I have found is 46.0 gr. of H-4198 and the Hornady 350 gr. It's also a rather mild load to shoot.

Hey, RD, have you seen the specs on the new 1895MXLR?

Yes I have but have ordered a 444XLR from a dealer... as soon as they are available I should have one. Don't know why but...

Ranch Dog sweet very very sweet.

Ranch Dog sweet very very sweet.Yeah, you've got some cool toys, Ranch Dog.

Yes I have but have ordered a 444XLR from a dealer... as soon as they are available I should have one. Don't know why but...

It's hard not to admire someone who buys all the right toys. . . I'll be interested in hearing what differences (if any) you see from the longer barrel on the new 444. I've got the ported Winchester, still waiting for the first trip to the range when my bullets arrive from Beartooth. I'm going to load 280 grain bullets (TX pig hunting 50-125 yards) 1 hour northeast of Plano.

My choice would be a good 400 to 420 grn Hard cast Flat nosed Bullet with as much H-4198 as I could saftley stuff into the case. No animal I know of is going to like it. If they even feel it. But I dont have big brown bears like you do. Just big Black ones.