Another rifle I have no real use for …

[Japle]

Years ago, I realized I needed a powerful, medium-caliber rifle. No good reason, I just wanted it. I got a 1917 Enfield action and had a .358 Norma Magnum built on it. Beautiful, accurate and fun to shoot, I loaded it down to .35 Remington levels and used it for hog hunting. A 180 gr .358 Speer at 2100 fps does a nice job on a hog! If I ever manage to go for elk or moose, I can push a 250 gr Speer at 2700+.

Now, I feel the need for a bolt-action .450 Marlin. I really – I mean really – don’t need one. But I’m retired and can afford to play, so I’m gonna do it anyway.

I can get a TC Venture in .300 WSM for just over $400 with the $75 rebate. The .300 WSM has the same case head dimensions and case length as the .450 Marlin. An 18” Shaw #4 barrel with spiral flutes, installed, will run about $625 with shipping. Scope, rings and bases, another $300-400 or so and $100 for brass and dies and a few bullets.

Now I just need to find room in the safe!

 

[Sunray]

"...don’t need one..." "I want one." is a reason.
Best you find a reliable source for ammo and brass first though. The .450 Marlin was discontinued in 2009.
Midway still shows both as available, but only from Hornady and Buffalo Bore. Hornady for ammo and brass. Buffalo Bore for ammo only. They want $43.29 per 50, on sale, for Hornady brass.

 

[someguy2800]

Something to consider, savage prefit in 450 marlin

https://www.eabco.net/EABCO-Accuracy-Barrels_c_3571.html?redirect=1

 

[LoonWulf]

Years ago, I realized I needed a powerful, medium-caliber rifle. No good reason, I just wanted it. I got a 1917 Enfield action and had a .358 Norma Magnum built on it. Beautiful, accurate and fun to shoot, I loaded it down to .35 Remington levels and used it for hog hunting. A 180 gr .358 Speer at 2100 fps does a nice job on a hog! If I ever manage to go for elk or moose, I can push a 250 gr Speer at 2700+.

Now, I feel the need for a bolt-action .450 Marlin. I really – I mean really – don’t need one. But I’m retired and can afford to play, so I’m gonna do it anyway.

I can get a TC Venture in .300 WSM for just over $400 with the $75 rebate. The .300 WSM has the same case head dimensions and case length as the .450 Marlin. An 18” Shaw #4 barrel with spiral flutes, installed, will run about $625 with shipping. Scope, rings and bases, another $300-400 or so and $100 for brass and dies and a few bullets.

Now I just need to find room in the safe!

I say, that sounds like a great little project. The .450 Marlin should be available as cases for some time yet, pester Starline enough and they would likely add it to their list.
SG2800s suggestion of the savage is also a good point, just got a cdnn email with the 11s and 16s on sale at 299, as a package. Do a pull down to just the action and youll have about 150 bucks worth of stuff to toss on ebay.

Ive got a .458 Socom RAR built from the x39 variant high on my list of "cause i want it" rifles.

 

[MedWheeler]

I always figured there are two possible reasons for acquiring a particular firearm:

1) I don't have one; one would be cool.

2) I have one; another one would be cool.

 

[Japle]

Good advice on the Savage. It would save me $150+ and I could sell the Bushnell scope and buy the Nikon I really want.

Only problem is, the Savage has a 2-round mag and the TC has a 3-round mag. Is the savings worth it?

Decisions, decisions …..

 

[Archie]

Some things just delight the soul. Good work, sir!

 

[Scooter22]

The Savage sounds like a easier, less expensive project ending up with the same thing. 2+1 vs 3 +1? Do you need more than 3, 450 Marlins for what you will use it for before reloading?

 

[Japle]

Scooter, I doubt I will use it at all except on the range and probably for a hog, just for fun.

Don't try to inject rationality into this thread. That ship has sailed.

 

[LoonWulf]

What about doing a AM bottom metal conversation and running one of their extended mags.

 

[Japle]

LW, that kit looks like it will put the magazine right at the balance point of the rifle.

Don't think so, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[LoonWulf]

It does, which is why i dont use any type of DBM that sticks past the bottom of the stock. Figured it was worth the look if you wanted more firepower tho.

 

[someguy2800]

For that kind of rifle I wouldn't care if it had a magazine or not. In fact I would prefer if it didn't. If it were mine I think I would just fill in the mag well and make a single shot follower in it.

 

[JeffG]

Need }{ Want....I didn't need a 458 WM. Now I have one, I load cast bullets to American game levels, and it I pick bigger game, and I've talked myself into needing it.

 

[444]

Since when is buying a gun to shoot at the range, having fun with the planning of the build, and having fun reloading for it; not a real use ?

Seriously: I post every once in awhile about this. I read threads every day where this gun or that gun is "useless" or something to that effect, or it doesn't have purpose.........; as if owning it and shooting it and having fun isn't allowed or isn't a legitimate reason to own a gun.

 

[Walkalong]

Need }{ Want....I didn't need a 458 WM. Now I have one,

Me too, lots of fun. I am going to take it hog hunting one of these days, just because.

 

[someguy2800]

The people who have to have a purpose for everything they buy and the people that talk about how they only care about function and not form are missing out on the spice of life

 

[LoonWulf]

The people who have to have a purpose for everything they buy and the people that talk about how they only care about function and not form are missing out on the spice of life

Those guys usually have atleast one "Toy" they dont talk about.....


Or multiples with the same "purpose"

 

[JeffG]

Me too, lots of fun. I am going to take it hog hunting one of these days, just because.

 

[Walkalong]

Big pig.

 

[RainDodger]

"Need" is not a word that should ever be associated with our hobbies. (unless it concerns tools!)

 

[Japle]

I agree with all of the above, which is why I recently bought a seven-shot 3” stainless 686+, even though I already have a six-shot 4” 686SSR and an eight-shot 5” 327PC. It’s why I have 4 different ARs, each set up for a different (in my mind) purpose.

Most of the stuff crowding my safe comes under the “don’t need” category.

My wife doesn’t really “need” 43 pairs of shoes, either.

So this morning, I had coffee with some gun-nut buddies, went to my LGS and ordered the TC Venture in .300WSM. TC is offering a $75 rebate, too. I could have bought it for a little less at the USAF BX (don’t have to pay state tax), but I prefer to give my business to a local guy.

Getting the barrel I want from Shaw will run $628 including return shipping, for a total of $1123 with the background check. Then there’s the inevitable scope, rings, bases, dies, brass and bullets. Got tons of powder and primers.

Merry Christmas to me!!

 

[LoonWulf]

Cool at 628 im sure you got some options on that barrel! What did you go with? Or ar going with?

 

[RainDodger]

Hey, the shoe comment from Japle! Exactly! My wife has to have at LEAST 30 pairs of black shoes! I use the exact same logic when she says something disparaging about the number of firearms I used to have before the major boating accident where I lost them all... lots of black shoes means lots of things that make ME happy.

 

[Japle]

LW, I'm going with an 18" #3 1/2 barrel with spiral fluting. I have a lighter weight 20" barrel on my .280 Rem M700 and it's excellent.

I'm not a big fan of long barrels on hunting rifles. I might lose 100 fps or so, but it's worth it to me to have a nice, handy rifle and the game will never know the difference.