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I have to take exception with you opinions of the 50s. The 50 Alaskan is a fantastic round capable of great accuracy within it's range, which is about the same as the 45-70. Both are 150 to 200 yard cartridges before the trajectory starts to get a little steep, and anything the 45-70 can do the 50 AK can do with quite a bit more athority. I own both a Contender in 45-70 (15") and an Encore in 50 AK (12") they are as different as night and day. My 45-70 launches a 300 gr. JHP bullet at 1790 fps. My 50 AK launches a 450 gr. SP bullet at 1727 fps. Almost the same velocity, but with a bullet weighing half again as much. The 50 AK far surpasses the 45-70 in terms of energy at all ranges. While the 45-70 will push it's 300 gr. pill out to arrive on target at 100 yards with 1372 ft-lbs of energy, the 50 AK's 450 gr. bullet arrives on target at 100 yards carrying 2264 ft-lbs of energy. My 50 AK is more accurate than any of my 45-70s, including three rifles, but this is probably in part, if not wholly due to the fact that the 50 AK is using a Shilen premium bull barrel while the others use standard factory barrels (I recently, while having an extremely good day at the range, put three 750 gr. A-Max bullets out of the 50 AK -1150 fps-into .950" at 200 yards, I was really shooting out my butt that day and most likely could not repeat that performance if I tried. That bullet is brutal out of a handgun and I don't shoot them often, only when I feel the need to punish myself for something!). With both shooting relatively flat nose bullets, both with a 145 yard zero, the 45-70 has dropped 9.51" at 200 yards while the 50 AK has dropped 8.28" at 200 yards, so their trajectory is for all intent and purposes the same. Both are down exactly 25" at 250 yards.
While you did not compare the 50 AK to the 50-70 directly, your statement about the 45-70 replacing the 50-70 seems to be equating the 50-70 to the 50 AK. They are in no way alike any moreso than the 30-30 is the twin of the 300 Weatherby even though they are both 30 calibers. The 50 AK is quite likely the most powerful round that can be fitted into the Marlin's short 336/1895 action and gives far superior performance to the 45-70, if one feels the need for increased power over the 45-70. I do not mean to disparage the 45-70 in any way as it is obviously one of my favorite rounds since I own 3 rifles and one handgun chambered for this great old round. As to your admiration of the 50 BMG, you could not be more correct. My AR-50 is by far the most accurate rifle I own in any caliber. Any rifle that will shoot military ball ammo into less than 1/2 MOA at 500 yards is something you just have to love.
I know that I will buy a Marlin in 50 AK if they ever quit reinventing the wheel-450 M-and do something really exciting. I will also spend whatever it takes to convert a 45-70 to 50 AK if Marlin decides not to cash in on sure hit, but right now, I'm doing all I can to persuade Marlin to bring out an 1895 in 50 AK. Now if they would also bring out a longer action for both the 45-70 and the 50 AK, like the old 1895's, we would really have a couple of winners on our hands.
(Edited by Big Bore at 11<!--emo&:0--><img src="http://beartoothbullets.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'><!--endemo-->0 am on Dec. 22, 2001)
While you did not compare the 50 AK to the 50-70 directly, your statement about the 45-70 replacing the 50-70 seems to be equating the 50-70 to the 50 AK. They are in no way alike any moreso than the 30-30 is the twin of the 300 Weatherby even though they are both 30 calibers. The 50 AK is quite likely the most powerful round that can be fitted into the Marlin's short 336/1895 action and gives far superior performance to the 45-70, if one feels the need for increased power over the 45-70. I do not mean to disparage the 45-70 in any way as it is obviously one of my favorite rounds since I own 3 rifles and one handgun chambered for this great old round. As to your admiration of the 50 BMG, you could not be more correct. My AR-50 is by far the most accurate rifle I own in any caliber. Any rifle that will shoot military ball ammo into less than 1/2 MOA at 500 yards is something you just have to love.
I know that I will buy a Marlin in 50 AK if they ever quit reinventing the wheel-450 M-and do something really exciting. I will also spend whatever it takes to convert a 45-70 to 50 AK if Marlin decides not to cash in on sure hit, but right now, I'm doing all I can to persuade Marlin to bring out an 1895 in 50 AK. Now if they would also bring out a longer action for both the 45-70 and the 50 AK, like the old 1895's, we would really have a couple of winners on our hands.
(Edited by Big Bore at 11<!--emo&:0--><img src="http://beartoothbullets.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'><!--endemo-->0 am on Dec. 22, 2001)