Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 450 Marlin Bolt action

With the advent of ODNR allowing pistol caliber cartridges to be used in rifles, I had to jump on this. Brownells is selling the M7 actions dirt cheap right now. I bought one with the full intentions of converting it over to .450 Marlin. This week almost all the parts listed below, came in.

Green Mountain 458 CM barrel F54 contour 1-14"
M7 300Blk Action
Remington 700 guard Alum
Generic magazine, spring, and Magnum follower
Bansner ADL M7 stock
Remington Talley 1 piece rings (alum)
Remington SS recoil lug
Weaver K2.5 (new version)

With the stock weighing in near 26oz when done and the barrel chopped to 18" I would guesstimate the scoped rifle is going to tip the scale at 6.5lbs.

The stock is going to get the forend chopped and shortened 2" or so to compensate for the short barrel. The bolt was opened and a Magnum Sako extractor was added. The recoil lug and action will get double pinned.

The plan is a 300gr bullet @ 2000fps for deer.

I will post more pictures as work is done.

Adam

Cool. I was going to do the same thing last year. Had the donor, dies, brass, bullets and the barrel was ordered. After waiting for 6 months for the barrel and delay after delay from the supplier, I cancelled my order. I had bought a .375 Ruger Alaskan during the wait so the need for a short barrel thumper had been filled. Still like the idea, one day maybe.

i like the sounds of that. serious thumper carbine.

I've been halfheartedly looking for a SS M70 WSM action to convert to .450 Marlin...

Why the Marlin and not the .45-70? Seems to me the brass availability of the old Govt round would be mo betta. Nice rifle it should thump things real good!

Because the 45-70 won't fit or feed from cheap m7 action.

Adam

Ouch.

I've shot lots of tier 2 45-70 handloads with 300, 350, 400, 450 gr bullets. A 300 at 2000 ft/sec in a 6.5 lb rifle is gonna be a bit 'feisty'.

Indeed, but in hindsight a 12ga 870 with 1oz 3" slugs isn't much worse.

Adam

I totally understand that finding parts to put together a .450 Marlin on a M7 is easier. However, it looks like you have the tools and knowledge to rework a Siamese Mauser to a .45-70. Finding a decent stock would be the major issue with the Mauser.

I'm sure you get a discount through Brownells that I don't, but I picked up a complete M700 .223 for only $10 more than that M7 would cost me after transfer fees and shipping. I can pick up an old Siamese for about 1/2 the price of the M7 action.

Either way both rifles would cost me a lot of money, since I have neither the tools or the skills that you posses. I'm just happy I'm not really restricted as to what cartridge I can use. Neat rifle for sure.

I think this is a really cool project. I have a 450 in a H&R single shot. It is very accurate and hard hitting. I have only shot the factory hornady loads through it and I prefer the interlock bullets over the flex tip. It really worked well on the several deer that I shot with it and did not destroy hardly any meat at all. It is pretty stout on the recoil though but that is with the 350 grain bullet at 2100fps. I went with an extended eye relief scope on mine just to make sure I didn't end up with "scope eye" when twisted around in a stand to get a shot off. This model 7 will definitely be one you want to hold onto when you touch one off.

I have a Siamese on the bench that was destined to be a 45-70. It might still become that, but the m7 was an easier choice due to the easy piece together parts, as you pointed out. No drilling and tapping, no polishing and soldering. Basically this is a dead pan build. Thank you though for the compliments. I got the shipping notice from bansners this morning, now we wait.

Adam

I am putting together a .450 Alaskan on a Siamese Type 45 Mauser and just ordered a classic stock from Richards Micro Fit Stocks for roughly the same price as a Boyds. It comes 96% inletted- 8 to 10 week lead time.

While it may not look like much it's, I feel, an important step mostly overlooked. Setting the lock time on the cocking piece is something almost all my rifles get, this started with +.075" cocking set. I used the little grinder to nip .060" off the trigger stop and .010" of the cocking can piece to leave +.005" cocking cam over but with 99% engagement between the two. Leaving a very safe and secure set up.

The stock arrived today, now I'm just waiting on the bushings and reamer.

Adam

Go a little more done today.

Adam

After a while of waiting "6lbs of Fury" is coming to life.



The end is neigh.

Adam

Awesome project

Well the 450M M7 is finished, but it's not. Sighted it in and damn it's accurate, but it destroyed the Leupold in 14rds. Factory 350gr ammo, the elevation won't work and there's a heavy black spot on the lens. 7lbs may be a bit too light.

Adam

Those targets are 100yds 3 shot groups.

Adam

What's next on scope choice?

I'm jealous of folks with the equipment and skills to build their own.

Mike

Time for something fixed power I'd say!