gerry
Ammo Smith
- Mar 1, 2007
- 6,866
- 1,665
The 358 Norma is super cool too and you can get brass and ammo for it. Norma makes excellent brass, I never had any issues with either the 308 or 358 version.
.450 Marlin or .257 Roberts
- Thread starter filmjunkie4ever
- Start date
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,217
- 8,535
A 375 or 416 Ruger would cover your needs.
JD338
JD338
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,757
- 5,855
A couple of 458 Win mag loads featuring the 405 gr cast bullet that is so popular in the 45-70 cartridge. The top one is very mild, likely quite fun to shoot. The second one is slightly more powerful than the toughest 45-70 loads:
And of course you can take it up to more powerful 500 grain loads in the 2100 - 2200 fps range...
Guy
And of course you can take it up to more powerful 500 grain loads in the 2100 - 2200 fps range...
Guy
I don't know, I'm not saying the 458 Win mag wouldn't strike up conversations when you have it out, but how much would you really shoot it? And other than severely reduced loads with cast bullets, the recoil on a full house load would literally be 3 times what a 30-06 loaded full tilt with 180 gr bullets is. You better have that stock well bedded and pinned or you might quickly develop a nice crack for your troubles.
Just my opinion but for me I'd quicker stay with the magnum sized bolt since it's already set up for that but go with something you will use. Wouldn't be a thing wrong with a 7 mag in that cool old rifle, or if you want to mix nostalgic with the latest better mousetrap per say, you could even barrel it for something like a 6.5 PRC.
Or go with whatever. It's your rifle, if something about the 450 Marlin appeals to you in that rifle, go for it.
Just my opinion but for me I'd quicker stay with the magnum sized bolt since it's already set up for that but go with something you will use. Wouldn't be a thing wrong with a 7 mag in that cool old rifle, or if you want to mix nostalgic with the latest better mousetrap per say, you could even barrel it for something like a 6.5 PRC.
Or go with whatever. It's your rifle, if something about the 450 Marlin appeals to you in that rifle, go for it.
If I could only have one rifle for the lower 48 it would be a .338 Win Mag.
That said I’m in the process of picking up a .416 Taylor from one of our members here. I also have a 45-70, a .375 Ruger, and a 6.5 Creedmoor, and .223 Remington. Oh yeah, can’t forget the .300 Blackout and 6.5 Grendel.
I’ve been playing with the idea of making the .338 Win Mag, since my other rifles cover the big stuff pretty well, in to a .257 Weatherby. I’ll likely just keep it a .338 and pick up a .257 somewhere.
“The .338 Win Mag is never a bad choice.”
(That’s what Col. Whelen meant to say when he was misquoted.)
Vince
That said I’m in the process of picking up a .416 Taylor from one of our members here. I also have a 45-70, a .375 Ruger, and a 6.5 Creedmoor, and .223 Remington. Oh yeah, can’t forget the .300 Blackout and 6.5 Grendel.
I’ve been playing with the idea of making the .338 Win Mag, since my other rifles cover the big stuff pretty well, in to a .257 Weatherby. I’ll likely just keep it a .338 and pick up a .257 somewhere.
“The .338 Win Mag is never a bad choice.”
(That’s what Col. Whelen meant to say when he was misquoted.)
Vince
RL338
Handloader
- Mar 23, 2017
- 3,298
- 5,332
I run 405 powder coated in my 458 Win. , there was a learning curve. I was told you didn’t need gas checks on powder coated cast , wrong if you push them 2000fps. 1700’s and Blue Dot works for me.A couple of 458 Win mag loads featuring the 405 gr cast bullet that is so popular in the 45-70 cartridge. The top one is very mild, likely quite fun to shoot. The second one is slightly more powerful than the toughest 45-70 loads:
View attachment 20408
And of course you can take it up to more powerful 500 grain loads in the 2100 - 2200 fps range...
Guy
"I also failed to mention that I already own .257 Roberts dies but not .450 Marlin dies."
Well? There you go. The .257 "Bob" is a fine cartridge. I know as I have two rifles so chambered.
Going belted I think I'd skip the .30-338 or .308 Norma. They're fine cartridges in their own right but one is a wildcat and the other one not so easy to find. If I were to do a .30 caliber magnum it's either be the .300 Winchester or Weatherby, preferably the former for me.
A .450 marlin would rquire some tricky work with the magazine in order for it to feed properly
The 03 Sprinfield will hold up to fuller powder .458 Win. mag. but that one gets another pass from me. Wnen I lived in Nevada I worked part time with a gunsmith until he passed. I even tried to buy the shop after he passed but his daughter had other ideas. Anyway, I did convert a 1903A3 Springfield to .458 Win. mag. Stocked it in a nice piece of New Zealand walnut. We'd ordered two boxes of 500 gr. Factory softs to do the testing. Shot #1 wasn't as bad as I expected but shot #2 had the action literally rip itself out of the stock. Back to the drawing board. First, I had to find a stock. The first one had been seriously glass bedded which just didn't cut it. I found a stock from an NRA Springfield sporter, remember those? I glass bedded two all the way through steel bolts to reinforce the stock and had a specialist do a weld a second recoil lug on the barrel. Then the barreled action was thoroughly glass bedded at both recoil lugs. A good recoil pad was added to the stock. The rifle had a receiver sight and was not scoped in either configuration. It all held together after test firing and all seemed well. The rifle never would feed. Worked great as a single shot and would sometimes feed a second shot from the magazine but most of the time the shell would jump free and the claw extractor would not catch the round. I had several gunsmiths in Reno give it a try to fix it but no luck. I gave the gun to my buddy who uses it as a single shot for breaking rocks at distance for fun and pleasure.
I believe that based on the above problems I would give the .458 Mag. a pass unless I just wanted it for lighter cast bullet loads that duplicate the 45-90 BP cartridge. A 500 gr; bullet even at BP velocity will get your attention.
Paul B.
Well? There you go. The .257 "Bob" is a fine cartridge. I know as I have two rifles so chambered.
Going belted I think I'd skip the .30-338 or .308 Norma. They're fine cartridges in their own right but one is a wildcat and the other one not so easy to find. If I were to do a .30 caliber magnum it's either be the .300 Winchester or Weatherby, preferably the former for me.
A .450 marlin would rquire some tricky work with the magazine in order for it to feed properly
The 03 Sprinfield will hold up to fuller powder .458 Win. mag. but that one gets another pass from me. Wnen I lived in Nevada I worked part time with a gunsmith until he passed. I even tried to buy the shop after he passed but his daughter had other ideas. Anyway, I did convert a 1903A3 Springfield to .458 Win. mag. Stocked it in a nice piece of New Zealand walnut. We'd ordered two boxes of 500 gr. Factory softs to do the testing. Shot #1 wasn't as bad as I expected but shot #2 had the action literally rip itself out of the stock. Back to the drawing board. First, I had to find a stock. The first one had been seriously glass bedded which just didn't cut it. I found a stock from an NRA Springfield sporter, remember those? I glass bedded two all the way through steel bolts to reinforce the stock and had a specialist do a weld a second recoil lug on the barrel. Then the barreled action was thoroughly glass bedded at both recoil lugs. A good recoil pad was added to the stock. The rifle had a receiver sight and was not scoped in either configuration. It all held together after test firing and all seemed well. The rifle never would feed. Worked great as a single shot and would sometimes feed a second shot from the magazine but most of the time the shell would jump free and the claw extractor would not catch the round. I had several gunsmiths in Reno give it a try to fix it but no luck. I gave the gun to my buddy who uses it as a single shot for breaking rocks at distance for fun and pleasure.
I believe that based on the above problems I would give the .458 Mag. a pass unless I just wanted it for lighter cast bullet loads that duplicate the 45-90 BP cartridge. A 500 gr; bullet even at BP velocity will get your attention.
Paul B.
- Thread starter
- #29
filmjunkie4ever
Handloader
- May 4, 2011
- 1,937
- 1,249
Yeah of the options presented, I think the .257 Roberts would get the most use. I told myself something when I sold my .375 to finance building my .220 Swift: if the day ever comes that I can afford to hunt Africa, then I will also be able to afford getting another .375 et al.
Plain truth is, that .220 Swift gets the daylights used out of it, the .257 will too. Lighter weight 75-90 grain bullets for chucks or yotes and 100-120 grain bullets for big game.
Even though its much more expensive, I think I’m going to go with the .257 Roberts option.
Plain truth is, that .220 Swift gets the daylights used out of it, the .257 will too. Lighter weight 75-90 grain bullets for chucks or yotes and 100-120 grain bullets for big game.
Even though its much more expensive, I think I’m going to go with the .257 Roberts option.
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,382
- 1,017
I would never talk you out of a .25 Cal, or a seven Mag for that matter. BUT.... Those you can find on the rack fairly often. So.... a 450 or a 458 sounds good. How many times do you use a rifle beyong 250 - 300 yds any way? Those big Cals can do that too. IDK, always a soft spot for a pretty .257 though.... tough call. Good problem to have. CL
CL
