Back in January we tested this superb rifle along with the similar Marlin Guide Gun, both in .45-70. We also used the data gathered to suggest optimum barrel lengths for each cartridge to help decide which was best. The long belt certainly does not add strength, no matter what you might have read elsewhere. The checkering was very well done, had a pleasing pattern, and it worked very well. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Also, the steel-to-steel fit wasnt quite as good as Marlins, nor was the metal polishing. Ive used a 308 and hit a branch with it and the bullet broke apart and i thankfully got a lucky hit to the neck with about half a bullet tumbling through the air. While .308 can reach out accurately to 1,200 yards (if you're pretty good), 450 . This cartridge was held back for years by the lack of good factory loaded ammo. We could live with it, though wed have much preferred a softer pad. At this writing, ammo is available from Winchester, Hornady, and Federal. BALLISTICS: Some straight-wall loads produce muzzle velocities of 2,200 to 2,400 fps, a . All the calibers you mention are good hunting calibers. The Marlins, Winchester, Brownings and Henrys all handle those big-bore cartridges well, and among them the .444 Marlin and .45-70 Government are a pair of undeniable classics. This cartridge has the potential to be the best deer hunting ammo of the lot. It is on the wane and has long ago been supplanted by the resurgent 45-70. Contact Us - The round didnt go off. The inletting was nowhere near as good as on the Marlins. But if you find a sample that doesnt exhibit the problem and you have zillions of .44 pistol bullets you want to shoot in it, then wed give it a Conditional Buy. Plenty of fanfare and spilled ink has greeted the latest and greatest do-all deer medicine. At reasonable straight-wall cartridge hunting distances, for both velocity and trajectory, there is no real out-and-out winner between .450 Bushmaster vs .350 Legend. A hard rubber buttpad doesnt help the shooter, it hinders him from getting the most out of the rifle. Also, a synthetic stock is available with Realtree XTRA camo finish. The Ashley was drift-adjustable using opposing screws, though we could see no easy way to adjust it for elevation. For our very first shots with the .444 Marlin, we loaded two rounds. The .350 Legend takes it easier on each by a fairly wide margin. These four are the most popular. Ive used a Remington 1100 with a slug barrel on it before that but had problems getting out to the 100-150 yard mark accurately. Marlin .450 Model 1895M Our recommendation: Dont Buy the $560 Marlin .450 Model 1895M. Of course, if you are planning to shoot in very close ranges (within 100 yards), trajectory may be less of a concern that stopping power. The checkering was fully functional, well done, and attractive. The .45-70 was a very popular hunting cartridge, even before this straight-walled phenomenon started, but its held back by all of those old guns out there. The Hornady Flextip bullet has a BC of .225 and a muzzle velocity of 2325 fps. The .444 Marlin (10.957mmR) is a rifle cartridge designed in 1964 by Marlin Firearms and Remington Arms. It produces 28.27 ft-lbs of recoil energy at a velocity of 14.72 fps. I live in the dense hard woods of new England where even walking up a tall hill will put you into the pines and out of any hardwoods. In the late 19th century, the .45-70 would have been viewed as an average-diameter cartridge, as the small bores like the .30-06 and 7x57mm Mauser would take some time to gain ground as the all-around military/hunting bore diameters. This BB ammunition defines todays standard for the .45-70 for those rifles that can handle the pressure. Like the .44-40 WCF and .45 Colt, the .45-70 Government has been with us since 1873, and shows no sign of fading anytime soon; its roots in the American shooting industry run deep, and Id bet the affection for the design will extend another century. GunnersDen.com ~ Find cheap, bulk rifle ammo - 22 long rifle, winchester, 6.5 creedmoor, and more. Looking at the ruger American 22 inch bolt. The .350 Legend is a blue-light special (if you remember that analogy) in comparison. The two Marlins had ported 18-inchers. Unless otherwise noted, these reviews carry the guns prices at the time of the original review. 450 Bushmaster can be found on the shelves at most large outfitters but don't expect to . These drawings will be incorporated during the next revision of the relevant SAAMI Standard. Those unaccustomed to hard-kicking rifles will find either the .444 or the .450 a bit much on the shoulder until they get used to it. And the .450 marlin used in its capacity for large game is exceptional. Penetration, expansion, frontal area. The 450 bushmasters highest muzzle energy is 2743 ft/lbs of energy, 363 ft/lbs more than the Socom. While the .444 is near the bottom of the popularity list in current straight-walled rifle cartridges, I expect that will change as hunters discover the potential of this cartridge. 5,270. In our tests, the gun was not as smooth as the .444, had less power than you can get out of a good .45-70 load, offered not a lot more power than you can get out of good .444 Marlin loads, and in short didnt offer us anything at all that we wanted. With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady 265-grain Flextip ammo is 1.55 inches high at 100 yards, 4.08 inches low at 200 yards and 11.16 inches low at 250 yards. It didnt punch out groups as small as those with the Marlin .444, but it was accurate enough to take hunting. The Winchester 150-grain Deer Season XP generates 8.52 foot-pounds of recoil in a 7-pound rifle. Anybody who has done much range work with them knows that they are plagued with fliers. This cartridge is useless, and it may have caused a host of ejection problems in our test gun. They also have the .50 Alaskan, which drives a 450-grain bullet at a claimed 2,050 fpsif you want still more power. Deer, hog. Yes, the Legend does tend to shoot a fraction flatter at distance, but not substantially so. Copyright 2000-2023 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. I have not shot any of the "leverultion ammo" in any of mine, so have no comment there. Still, we liked the lively feel of the 94AE. Use: Defense. All of these walnut-stocked rifles had iron sights only, which is how we tested them. If you are looking for a caliber that can do on the AR what the .450 Marlin does on the lever action, then the .450 Bushmaster is the answer to this hope, though it loses a bit of ballistics in making the switch. Big bore cartridges in particular can make lever action rifles a great choice for a bear defense gun. I ended up just taking a lower I had and put a 450 upper on it with a vortex crossfire II 1-430 I think or maybe its 35 or something like that not sure but it will group at 2 inches even for an 10 shot group at 100 yards. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. The .450 Marlin and the .450 Bushmaster are very similar cartridges: both are big bore cartridges intended for big game hunting at close quarters, and lose steam after about 150-200 yards. It cant. For instance, Ruger chambers its American Ranch rifle for both cartridges, with few differences between the two. flex tip Hornady's it shot 1'' at 75 yards - sighted in at that range since it's 65 yards to the hog feeder . Throw a moose in then I would lean to the .450 but realize that these lightweight .450 carbines kick like a .375 H&H. The U.S. Army adopted the new cartridge, which replaced the .50-70 cartridge it employed in 1866. The internet celebrity, who is a member of Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. 450/460 same boolit dia, the 458 socom is bigger (45-70 sized boolits). On the other hand, the Legend is available with thinner sporter contour barrels. You may have a perfect group going on your target only to find the next shot is off in another time zone. Marlin. Privacy Statement - Lets see what we found. I've shot a couple whitetails now shooting through 1" saplings and when the bullet hits the deer it just destroys them. For all the .450 Bushmasters assets, economic shooting isnt one of them. All Marlins. The choice between these calibers for many will come down to a choice between rifle platforms. This is pure conjecture, but the outcome is notthe .450 Marlin is pretty much a turkey, as we see it. The crux is terminal performance on game. Well analyze the performance of these calibers across a variety of factors to help you decide which is best for your hunting needs. With the hammer block there is the possibility of forgetting to press the little button before the shot, and thus losing the shot at the game animal. As it concerns .350 Legend vs .450 Bushmaster, the smaller-caliber cartridge has a decided advantage. If we worked it briskly, we got slightly better results, but thats not how a rifle is supposed to work. You have entered an incorrect email address! A small point perhaps, but the action bottom at the balance point was squared on the Winchester, but nicely rounded on the Marlins, and that made the Marlin easier to carry. The rimmed .457 case is longer than the .45-70 but otherwise similar, its extra length keeping it out of chambers where it doesnt belong. Few rifle calibers carry as much tradition as the .444 Marlin, which originally hit the scene as a way to give lever-action rifles more of a punch around the ammunition manufacturers stopped commercially producing .45-70-caliber rifles in the 1960s. Obviously, many rifleman have voted yes, because Marlin has sold many, many .444s. In the past decade, state wildlife management agencies in the region have opened what were once shotgun-only deer grounds to rifles chambered for straight-wall cartridges. So whats best, 450 Bushmaster Vs 350 Legend. Each cartridge has its own benefit and ultimately is your choice. Unless one lives in a state that requires a straight wall for hunting, then there is not much use for either unless it is to say you got one. More power to them. For the moment, the .450 Bushmaster seems to be the most popular deer hunting ammo for states that allow straight-walled cartridges. Comparatively, a 250 grain projectile chambered in .450 Bushmaster has a muzzle velocity of 2,200 feet per second with a muzzle energy of 2,686 feet pounds. The idea used to develop the .450 Bushmaster was credited to Jeff Cooper. The case can also be handloaded to impressive figures in a suitable rifle, and there are some excellent bullets like the Swift A-Frame which will further enhance the performance of this old design, yet the classic cast-lead bullets at low velocities are still fun to shoot. The only way to get near that with a Bushy is to load your own ammo. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. Powder Valley is your Ammunition Superstore . We stock a full range of bulk rifle ammunition to meet . These two rifles were both light and, with outstanding Buffalo Bore ammunition, provided as modern and powerful ballistics as anyone could want. Save my name and email to use for future comments. 450 a bit better with jacketed, 1" vs 1.5". Formally known as the .45-70-405relating caliber-powder charge-bullet weight specificationsthe cartridge was commercially known as the .45-70 Government, and that 405-grain lead bullet travelled at a muzzle velocity of just about 1400 fps, though a heavier 500-grain bullet was soon employed. We've got you covered.7x57mm Mauser vs. .280 Remington.300 Win. among our first successful self-contained metallic rifle cartridges. It had a plain but serviceable checkered walnut stock with trestle-style buttpad made of black rubberized iron. Why dont manufacturers get the word here? At 100 yards, the .450 Marlin is moving 52 ft/s faster. Brass case webs on rimmed cases, like the .45-70 or .444 Marlin, are more than strong enough for whatever pressure the stout Marlin action can take. The data in both cases are from a 20-inch barrel, which is somewhat common in the field and is the standard test length utilized by most ammunition companies. Mag. A heavier bullet will generally travel more slowly than a lighter bullet. Dont Buy. This means theres precious little need for the .444 in our book. With the Buffalo Bore 335-grain load, the Winchester made two groups, each about 4 inches apart. Using this web site acknowledges your agreement to the. We assume a clump of grease or a small burr slowed down the firing pin just enough to prevent firing. At the muzzle they are basically the same, .308 Win has around 2700 ft.lbf and 450 Bushmaster has just a few pounds under that. It retains 1,000 ft-lbs of energy to just past 140 yards. Looking at the variety of ammunition available for the two, the .45-70 Government has the undeniable advantage in the number of choices, with nearly every manufacturer including the cartridge in their lineup, in some form or another. Velocity (200 yards): 1,515 feet per second. At 100 yards, that advantage is holding strong with the .450 Marlin showing an additional 701 ft-lbs of energy. Looking at this product line, youll be inclined to give the nod to the .444 Marlin, especially coupled with the Hornady Superformance load of the 265-grain InterLock at 2400 fps. Deer, hog, black bear size game. There is a difference between the two, and the edge goes to the .350 Legend, but it doesnt have such an overwhelming advantage to say its hands-down better. Federal Fusion 450 Bushmaster 260gr is a bonded soft point ammo designed specifically for hunting. Its a belted case, not the usual rimmed type one normally finds in lever rifles. For a while, nobody was making rifles in .45-70 and the cartridge seemed doomed. from a 1.70 long cartridge case at velocities over 2000 fps. Marlin 1895 (.450 Marlin) My uncle carried a .45-70 when he guided brown bear hunters, and several times stopped charging bears with it at close range. He was intrigued by the idea of the .450 Bushmaster cartridge but prefers hunting with a lever-action versus a bolt action rifle. The trajectory of most .450 factory ammo allows you to zero at about 200 yards and hold right on anywhere inside that. The muzzle velocity is 2200 fps, and the bullet carries a BC of .210. If your pocketbook is tight or you dont appreciate your shoulder getting thumped, then I suppose there is. A good solution is to install a proper recoil-reducing pad like the Pachmayr Decelerator. Accuracy was all that anyone would want. Ohio and southern Michigan are just two examples of areas where the shotgun slug has been replaced by straight-walled cartridges like the .45-70 Government, .444 Marlin and, more recently, the .450 Bushmaster. I am currently building a bolt action .444 Marlin that I am expecting good things from this fall. The trigger pull on the 444P was 4.3 pounds with prominent creep but very little overtravel. There were faint instances of dished-out holes in the receiver sides, where the buffing wheel went into the screw holes. Which of these big cartridges makes the better choice for the prospective lever gun buyer? The heavier bullets of the .450 Marlin might slow it down a bit, but they give a serious advantage when it comes to velocity. Still, the clip each moves at this range is more than adequate to ensure satisfactory penetration, proper bullet expansion (if you are using such a projectile) and an ethical kill. One would think that would have to play in to your decision making. RENE reports 6 different versions of the American Rifle in 450 Bushmaster and now the GSR makes 7. The .45-70 uses a straight-walled, rimmed case measuring 2.105 inches, and maintains an overall length of 2.550 inches. The wood pores of the 444P were no better filled than on the other rifle. While there are hundreds of rifle cartridges suitable for deer hunting, when we add that straight-walled factor into the equation the list grows much shorter. Online pricing may vary from in-store pricing. At 300 yards, the .450 Marlin is still in the lead with another 404 ft-lbs of energy over the .450 Bushmaster. Or more other on Scopes & Sights Resource for other rifle. This one didnt work. Though certainly designed for black powder, the .45-70 Government survived the transition to smokeless powder, though the chosen firearm will certainly dictate the pressure levels to which the cartridge can be loaded. The cartridge has a cavernous case capacity designed to work with black powder of the era, and it used large-diameter bullets to compensate for the low velocity produced by that propellant. With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady load is 2.26 inches high at 100 yards, 5.73 inches low at 200 yards, and 15.71 inches low at 250 yards. Its a great round in a Marlin lever action. Reloading Brass. The .450 Bushmaster thumper round launches .452-cal. We reserve the right to correct pricing errors. The .444 Marlin was available in a svelte Marlin lever-action riflethe Model 444 and proved to be a thumper on big game from whitetails to moose and bear, though like the .45-70, the range was limited by the low velocity and bullet profiles. The hunting world is big enough for both the .450 Bushmaster and .350 Legend, and either will put meat on the table. The .450 Bushmaster is capable of using any .452-inch bullet, which opens a lot more doors for handloaders with the wide range of bullets on the marketincluding some outstanding choices from Barnes. The big difference here is the bullet diameter. The Marlins were much fatter than the 94AE. It costs less than the Marlins and delivered excellent quality and adequate accuracy for a big-game rifle. So youll have to buy your ammunition from the one-and-only maker, Hornady. To totally avoid any problems with hot-loaded .45-70 ammunition, Wild West Guns announced a new cartridge, the .457 Magnum. .350 Legend Vs .450 Bushmaster: Does One Win Out For Hunting? For you Michigan hunters, there is a new kid in town called a 460 S&W that Is awesome in a rifle. This fall will be the first deer season with this cartridge available to the public so we dont have a lot of information on performance on game yet. I'd also guess that, given similar shoulder fit, you couldn't tell the difference in recoil. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It also told us that the brake did a lot of good, even though it was noisy. Save big on firearms, accessories, tactical gear, clothing, and ammunition from now until March 29. Thats alright. Whats going on? As far as trajectory, both start to drop excessively at 200 yards, 7.58 inches on a scope zeroed for 100 yards in the .350s case and 8.96 in the .450s. Why wouldnt they be in similar rifles? Your 450 will pick it up from there and range from 350 grains to over 500 grains. They were solidly made of steel and walnut, and looked like they would hold together for a long time. Winchester Big Bore 94AE .444 Marlin, $404. A behemoth by any standard, the large-bore rifle cartridge has been the go-to for many if not most hunters around the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Erie up to this point. Over the last few years, there have been a number of straight-walled cartridges to hit the market. is more comparable to the .350 Legend, but you're losing power and velocity. If you also shoot a Trapdoor Springfield or any other kind of weak-actioned rifle that takes the .45-70, it makes sense that you should not mix up your ammunition. Cartridges like the .450 Bushmaster, .45-70 Govt. Both forend and wrist checkering had a darker finish than the rest of the wood, and it added to the looks of the rifle. But if you get behind the business end of a gun you dread to drop the hammer on, youre sandbagging your potential in the field. But in all honesty, it isnt for everyonebe it due to tight quarters or time constraints. The models chambered for the .35 Whelen, .444 Marlin, .45-70, and .450 Bushmaster come with a muzzle brake to help dampen recoil. There is something almost magical about big-bore lever guns; to me they represent big-game hunting at close quarters. The .450 Bushmaster was designed to work in an AR-15, but its also available in bolt-action rifles from Ruger, Mossberg, and others. Four REASONS I WAS THINKING OF A 450 BUSHMASTER 20"UPPER 1.WAY LESS FELT RECOIL THAN A 12 GAUGE THANKS TO THE AR15 BUFFER TUBE DESIGN . A 44 mag has 11 ftlbs. At 100 yards bullet velocity slows to 1,835 and retains 1,868 pounds of energy. Its a very useful tool for me and I now phased out my 308s and just use my 450 for everything now. Both shed velocity like mad, the Legend losing 29-percent of its muzzle velocity at the 200-yard mark and the Bushmaster 31 percent1,648 fps and 1,515 fps respectively. As it is, we feel this odd belted design will only speed the demise of this rifle/cartridge combination, because it doesnt make the least bit of sense to us. 460 has more horsepower, as runs at higher pressures than the 450. Or more plainly speaking, youd dial a scope on a Bushmaster up .2-inch more than on the Legend when sighting in at 100 yards. New Shooters Guide: What Is a Pistol Caliber Carbine? The Straight-Wall Deer Hunting Cartridge With the Most Potential: .444 Marlin, The Best Straight-Wall Deer Hunting Ammo for AR-15 Style Rifles: .450 Bushmaster, The Best Straight-Wall Deer Hunting Ammo For Long Shots: .45-70 Government. Out of the muzzle, the .450 Marlin is flying 175 ft/s faster than the .45-70 Government. High-Dollar .22 LR Pistols: Pardini Is Our Pick As Best Buy. We have no doubt that with a scope both of the Marlin rifles would average well under 2 inches at 100 yards, based on our iron-sight results. The 450 Bushmaster is taking off and new ammo offerings keep popping up. Photo Gallery See all Photos I must report that right out of the box the Outfitter G2's hammer was hard to cock, and it was very gritty and rough. The big difference is that .308 Winchester keeps at least 1,000 ft.lbf out to about 600 yards, 450 Bushmaster loses it by 300 yards. Will drop a 300+lb. (45-70 Govt) The pores were well filled, though the finish material seemed a bit softer than that of the Marlins. Get Special Offers Delivered Right to Your Inbox. 450 Bushmaster Ammo; 450 Marlin Ammo; 450 Nitro Express Ammo; 450 Rigby Ammo; 450/400 Nitro Express Ammo; 454 Casull Ammo; 458 Lott Ammo; 458 SOCOM Ammo; 458 Winchester Magnum Ammo; . Often overlooked, much to the detriment of the hunter, is how much kick theyll endure from a particular rifle-cartridge combination. In Stock Only Rossi Wizard 223 Rem Single-Shot Rifle . With a 150-yard zero, the Hornady ammo is 1.54 inches high at 100 yards, 4.68 inches low at 200 yards and 8.49 inches low at 250 yards. The buttpad was a ventilated hard rubber pad. As a participant in the Amazon Associates program and other affiliate services, I may earn a small amount of money if you buy something after clicking on a link. 12 Gauge 1". The cartridge, introduced in 2000 by Marlin for its own lever-action Model 1895M, was designed to provide +P performance of the 144-year-old government round in a more modern case capable of. Toward that end, we obtained a pair of nearly identical Marlins chambered for the .444 Marlin, the Model 444P, and .450 Marlin, the Model 1895M. We believe the development time used up by Marlin on that rifle could have been spent promoting the grand versatility of the .45-70 Guide Gun, letting folks know that it can handle good stout loads like those from Buffalo Bore, and making the Guide Gun exactly the way it should be, with an aperture rear sight right from the factory, softer recoil pad, and the slickest possible action. The .450 Marlin has ballistics almost identical to magnum .45-70 Government ammunition and the cartridge fires the same weight bullet approximately 600fps faster than lower pressure .45-70 ammo intended for use in the Trapdoor Springfield. Then it had a distinct hitch to a solid stop, then a hard pull of 5 pounds followed by lots of overtravelnot the sort of action we look for in rifle triggers. Medium-bore lever rifles are made by Marlin and Winchester. Yes, the ported barrel helped cut muzzle flip, but our shoulders got sore from the too-hard pads on both Marlin rifles. It had a red cast in direct sunlight and was very attractive. .450 Bushmaster Buffalo Cartridge Co. . Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. It has been used for everything from deer to Cape Buffalo, and remains popular among the bear guides to this day. The standard load will push a 240-grain .429-inch diameter bullet to 2400 fps for just over 3,000 ft.-lbs. Big Bore Cartridges Compared! 2. 350 Legend's 8.52 ft lbs recoil energy is less than the 30-30's 9.64 ft lbs and the 243 Win's 10.38 ft lbs. However, the .444 owner can reload using many pistol bullets available for the .44 Magnum or .44 Special handguns, and that might be a factor in favor of the .444 over the .45-70 with its 0.458-inch bore size. The case is belted, the belt being longer than normal belted magnum brass, though the same diameter. We tried a different brand of ammunition and the rifle worked fine for awhile. The .450 Marlin was designed as a competitor to the .45-70 Government, so its ballistics are highly similar. How can a bit of brass added to a cartridge case make up for the exact same amount of steel removed from the chamber that holds it? The higher velocity and energy of the .450 Marlin allows it to shoot a bit flatter than the .450 Bushmaster. The .444 Marlin has the advantage of using the jacketed and cast bullets for the .44 Magnum, making it a rather flexible design for the handloader. The .444 did have its moment in the sun, and there are still quite a few shooters who quietly enjoy their lever guns each season. I have worked pretty extensively with this cartridge on the range with three different rifles, and I have talked with a bunch of other gun guys who have been shooting the 350 Legend. At the range, the first shot told us that the Marlin .450 was a powerful rifle. To fill the void, Marlin Firearms teamed up with Remington to develop a cartridge which would see the light of day in 1964: the .444 Marlin. Those ballistic tips expand way to fast for deer size game when backed by high amounts of kinetic energy. Archive - It retains 1,000 foot-pounds of energy to 399 yards. The .450 Bushmaster was designed specifically for the AR-15. On the other hand, the .450 Bushmaster is primarily intended for use on the semi-automatic AR platform, while it can also be chambered in bolt action rifles. The parent case is a modified 284 Winchester, it's simply cut to 1.695 and also utilizes a small rifle primer. 450 Bushmaster 044176 Cartridge. Therefore, some might be stuck with the full Bushmaster tab. The recoil of the .450 was a bit stiffer than the .444 Marlin with Buffalo Bore ammunition. While my .444 Marlin lever-action rifle shoots just over one MOA with the Hornady ammo, like all lever actions, its not built for precision work. Straight-walled rifle cartridgesat least most of themare a lot more consistent. Re: 450 bushmaster vs 444 marlin. The wood at the rear of the receiver was much smaller in spots than the steel. I have had good luck with the Hornady 250-grain Flextip load. Many of the loads out there are designed to be safe in the trapdoor Springfields that are still around. It is just basically a souped-up 45-70 with stronger brass and a belt to make sure it is not confused with a 45-70. And when it comes to straight-wall Midwestern deer options that would be the .450 Bushmaster. The slim forend had wrap-around checkering. The action was slick, about as good as the .444 Marlin. vs. .300 Wby. Copyright 2023Sportsman's Warehouse. We learned the recoil pad, though firm, was almost adequate. This comparative cartridge information puts the performance of the new .450 Marlin in context, especially when the shooter considers how a slightly less powerful round, the well-known .444 Marlin, shoots. The concept of the fast, short, powerful lever-action rifle is probably best exemplified by the Co-Pilot, from Wild West Guns of Anchorage, Alaska. The following ballistics tables show a side by side comparison of the 450 Marlin vs 450 Bushmaster based on bullet weight and performance metrics including velocity, energy, usage and recoil. The .450 Bushmaster is designed to be used in standard M16s and AR-15s, using modified magazines and upper receiver assemblies. Utilizing a lighter bullet with a smaller powder charge, it can generally be said it produces less recoil. A talk on straight-wall cartridges is, for the most part, a regional discussion. Ever perceptive, the market has responded by expanding this somewhat forgotten corner of the firearms world. The 444 Marlin is a 200 yard rifle. Much of this is attributable to the Legend and Bushmaster competing for the same hunters. Winchester Model 94AE Big Bore Our recommendation: We liked the Winchester .444 Marlin. For the .350 Legend, the ammo of choice is Winchester 's 150-grain Deer Season XP, with a listed muzzle velocity of 2,325 fps and a BC of .223.