Expand your horizon and consider a Henry 45/70 along with your choices.

 

Yep, am thinking about the Henry as well. Forgot about that.

 

Have you shot a 45-70 Marlin? If not go and feel the magic then ask yourself this question again.

 

Yes. I have. A real Marlin, not a Remington manufactured "Marlin". There's a difference.

 

Go for the 45-70 for sure.

 

45-70

 

The short answer is 45-70............or, 444 Marlin. :biggrin:

I have rifles chambered in 45-70 and 444 Marlin. I own a revolver chambered in 454 Casull.

The Casull is a fantastic pistol cartridge that achieves impressive results at high pressures. When introduced, the Casull dramatically raised the notch in handgun hunting. I bagged a very nice mountain lion with mine. Just the same, the Casull was designed as a handgun round and that's where it really shines. There are several long-gun cartridges that meet or exceed the Casull's performance in a rifle.

The 45-70 is a very versatile rifle round. Ammo is easily found in loads from mild to Wild. It surpasses Casull performance in the hot loads but can match or be milder than the Casull in the milder loads. In a word, the 45-70 gives you more flexibility and greater performance in a rifle when you need it.

Also, it's been a while since I bought some factory 454 Casull ammo, but my recollection is that it was pretty darn pricey.

T.S.

 

Dont like odd calibers, proprietary brass, nor the do l like M92s

I do like the option of killing anything that walks on the planet.
45/70

 

I have both the 45-70 and 454, A Rossi Rio Grande and Rossi M92!!! I like them Both!!

 

I have both the 45-70 and 454, A Rossi Rio Grande and Rossi M92!!! I like them Both!!
View attachment 155522
View attachment 155524

Well you're no help!

Just kidding, just kidding.

Nice couple of rifles you have there.

 

gotta go with the 45-70. you can launch 405 grams of sweetness down range. the grin will stay on your face. I have a remlin w/scout set-up and a ruger #1, both are lights out shooters, and don't look bad either

 

I guess you mean 405 grains. 405 grams as you mentioned is almost 2 ounces shy of 1 lb.

 

I've got both. In their ways they both got their merits.

To me, the .45-70 starts where the .454 Casull ends.

 

I've got both. In their ways they both got their merits.

To me, the .45-70 starts where the .454 Casull ends.

I 100% agree.

I also have both I call my 454 Casull my 45-70 light.

In my 20" barreled 454 Casull Rossi I can shoot all of my 45 Colt Cowboy action loads to very top pressure 360gr hard cast gas checked loads plus I can then jump to top pressure 300gr - 405gr jacketed/cast gas check 454 Casull loads.

But then when you think of the versatility of the 45-70 = I load lower pressure 250gr to 430gr for my 14" and 22" barreled T/C Contender carbines and lever action pressure loads from 250gr - 550gr bullets in my Marlin 1895GS.

To be honest the 454 Casull sits in the safe a lot more than any of my three 45-70's.

CC

 

I would definitely go with the 45-70 . Your options are so much greater with what you can do with this cartridge. Unless of course you are looking for a sidearm and it's kind of hard holstering a Marlin lever on your hip. Good luck with your decision.

Bill

 

One area where the Rossi M92 with a 20" barrel has got a distinct advantage is magazine capacity.

The Rossi is just about as handy as a Marlin Guide Gun, which is the only .45-70 in my inventory.

 

TLM,

GO MARLIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO 45/70!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a Ruger #1 - 45/70 shooter, hunter, hand loader.

Then, shoot a good, large meplat (Wide Flat Nose) cast bullet of 400 or more gr. at a velocity NOT to exceed 2000fps.

My reason for saying that is my personal experience with the devastation caused by a 355gr at 2300fps. HUGE wound channel!!!!!

Everything you may read about the effectiveness of the WFN, 400+gr. at 1400 - 1700fps. It is true in spades.

Yep, been there and seen that on deer and elk using a 465gr WFN at 1650fps.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

 

I prefer the side loading of the action to the tube loading of the Henry. It is quicker and more convenient for me. Something to think about when hunting things like black and brown critters with big fangs and claws that can out run a horse for 30 to 40 yards. Can you out run a horse for 30 to 40 yards?

Greg

 

The Rossi ,454 is a much lighter, handier rifle than anything chambered in 45-70. That's it's only advantage. A 45-70 depending on the loading can take elk at 300 yards or flatten an elephant. I like both for different purposes.:beerglass:

 

. Something to think about when hunting things like black and brown critters with big fangs and claws that can out run a horse for 30 to 40 yards. Can you out run a horse for 30 to 40 yards?

https://youtu.be/vUG8UPsgE3U

I've seen just how fast a big black bear can cover ground and I suspect a grizzly is no slower.
With this in mind, I honestly doubt a persons loading preference would make much if any difference regarďless if you carried a Marlin or a Henry.

In either case, if you fail to stop a bear with what ammo capacity that your rifle holds your not going to have the time to take ammo out of your shell holder and reload.
Even if you walk the woods holding ammo in your off hand you will still be within kissing distance as you attempt to overcome the temptation to flee and reload/chamber fresh ammo.

In the video it's clear the outfitter "may" have the time in which to fire a second shot, but after this point the bear would have been in the boat with them.

PS. At 35mph a brown bear will travel over 50 feet per second.

 

For me its the 45-70 all the way, I have seen people loading rounds as light as 200gr plinkers and I load all the way up to 540gr rhino busters... Can the 454 do that?



Doc

 

Regardless the Marlin (or Remlin)...

I own the Rossi as well, but not as impressed with it as I am any of my Marlins. The Rossi is functionable, but overall very plain. Kind of lame wood and the action had to be cycled a few hundred times before it was smooth enough to be adequate. Very few aftermarket parts for the Rossi rifles. Unlike the Marlin rifles, which you can purchase all kinds of aftermarket parts.

I own several Marlin leverguns with dates of manufacture ranging from the 1947 to 2013. I would rate each one of them above my Rossi.

 

45-70 all the way. You can load it from mild to wild.

JD338

 

I will take my Marlins in 45-70 and 444 please! My 460 S&W will shoot 454 casuells, but I like the power from a big bore lever gun.

 

Good point!

 

I'd go .45-70...your .454 loads may need to be different anyway between the rifle and the revolver for accuracy, etc., so then you find yourself having to keep various .454 loads separated so you know which firearm they should be shot through, which can be a hassle, so then it just becomes easier to have .454 for the revolver and .45-70 for the rifle. :biggrin:

 

I use exactly the same loads in both my 4.25" barreled Ruger SRH and my 20" barreled Rossi in 454 Casull's.

I get with iron sights out of the Rossi 2" - 3" 3 shot one hundred yard groups with my top pressure/velocity 240gr Hornady HP reloads.

I just can't shoot irons better than that.

 

240gr in a .454 ....?????????? Is that correct or did I mis-read?

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

 

CDOC....Don't Laugh too hard....lol

 

Even though Im a 45-70 man.....I say get the 454 Casull ! You don't say what You want to use it for...Soooo....I say .454 Casull because not many of us have it !

 

I'm sorely tempted by the R92 in .454 for several reasons. The .454 is more than enough big bore for anything and everything I would ever want or need to hunt and I wouldn't take either on a out of country hunt. The R92 that I held in my hand (and maybe should have just bought it) had both the traditional side loading gate of the 1892 and the mag tube loading option so you don't have to work the lever to eject them if needed. This one is purely an assumption but I bet the .454's straight wall case lasts through more reloads than the slight bottleneck on the .45-70 case. This one is mostly opinion but I feel like it's easier to resize any straight wall case than any bottleneck case. That's not to say it's difficult, it's just easier. Carbide dies are available for .454 brass so that's easier for sure than having to lube cases for steel rifle sizing dies. Yes, the .45-70 has the appeal of larger bullets but beyond novelty what do you want them to do? A .454's bullet will go stem to stern through a moose so I'm not sure what else you need. Now change this to WANT and that's a whole different story. I want both so my answer is easy. BOTH.