Hornady has bailed on 480 Ruger and 450 Marlin shooters

[Beaverhunter2]

I saw 18 pieces of once-fired 450 brass for sale for over $4 a piece.
I guess we kind of knew this but I emailed Hornady about brass for these two calibers Hornady helped develop and market. Here is their response:


_____

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, we have discontinued the 450 Marlin and 480 Ruger Unprimed Brass as a component. Please understand that we only started making our own brass about 7-8 years ago. Before that we would rely on Vendors. Then during times like this of high demand, we could not always get what we needed to load our ammo. When we purchased the brass machines our intent was to supply our own ammo. Then came a few years where we had extra brass, so we packaged it. Now due to the demand of the ammo, we are using everything we make in our own ammo. So these 2 cartridges for brass we are no longer able to offer as a component.

Thank you again.

Hornady/SnapSafe Sales Team

____________

Fortunately for me, I have enough brass in both that my grandkids will be set. I will say there won't be any "PRC" or other new Hornady developments in my gun safes. Sad. My reloading bench and shelves are covered with "red". There's probably going to be a lot more "green" and "black/gold" in the future.

[Tracy]

Starline still makes it, although they are out of stock right now. But both of those are pretty good rounds to have because you can make .480 from .45/70 brass, and 450 Marlin from any number of belted magnum cases.

[delftshooter]

if you go through history and add up the number of guns chambered in these calibers, youll most likely find out that its more economical for them to load up 38 smith and wesson to sell.

[dverna]

Not surprised.

I have posted this before. If someone decides to purchase a "boutique" caliber, they should purchase a "lifetime" supply of brass if that brass cannot be made from a popular parent case.

That applies to the older calibers that are or are becoming obsolete. Say the .25-20??? Some great calibers are going to be affected as well. The .35 Rem is one of them.

This will be happening to folks buying .30SC, .400 Legend etc etc. Once the marketing hype wears off, and sales slump, cartridges are abandoned. There have been many calibers this has happened to in the last 30 years. Try buying affordable .225 Win brass.

[Kestrel4k]

[...] you can make .480 from .45/70 brass, and 450 Marlin from any number of belted magnum cases.

Good luck making the 450 Marlin, its belt is ~twice as long and cannot be made from other belted magnum cases.
This was to "protect" people from using the 'wrong cartridge' - lucky them. :-/

If Marlin would have done the sensible thing by legitimizing the .458x2 wildcat instead, there wouldn't be that problem.

[Kestrel4k]

And honestly - the manufacturers /want/ orphaned cartridges - so they can line up even more suckers for the next time around.

[rkrcpa]

The way I read their response is that they are using all the brass they can produce to make factory ammunition. If that is the case it is hardly a case of having "bailed" on the cartridge.

[35 Rem]

I would say this is a fair warning to buy up enough factory ammo to be a lifetime supply of brass while you have that option. I love oddball cartridges but I always stock up a big box of brass for them when I get the gun. I know it's distasteful for a handloader to buy factory ammo to get brass but if that option goes away you will wish you had. I'm VERY glad I bought 200 cases for the 460 Weatherby back when they were $30 per 20. Now it's closer to $100. When you can even find them. And they do split right along the shoulder/neck area.

[delftshooter]

I would say this is a fair warning to buy up enough factory ammo to be a lifetime supply of brass while you have that option. I love oddball cartridges but I always stock up a big box of brass for them when I get the gun. I know it's distasteful for a handloader to buy factory ammo to get brass but if that option goes away you will wish you had. I'm VERY glad I bought 200 cases for the 460 Weatherby back when they were $30 per 20. Now it's closer to $100. When you can even find them. And they do split right along the shoulder/neck area.

hey lets go buy ammo right now..

480 ruger on gunengine is 3.40 to 4.95 per round at the 5 places that claim to have it instock.

maxammodepot has cases of the 450 instock. 500$ for 200 rounds. wow, i thought 44 was bad.

[35 Rem]

I didn't say it was a good situation in the present time but it will be if they discontinue factory ammo and there is no other choice but scalpers prices on Gunbroker.

[cpaspr]

Like rkrcpa said, it appears they're using everything they make for their own ammo, and don't have any excess production to offer bare components to the public.

That said, Hey rkr, same occupation?

[rkrcpa]

That said, Hey rkr, same occupation?

Going into my 35th tax season, just can't seem to get enough.

[LeonardC]

I have a .480 Ruger. I have no Hornady brass for it. I have mostly Starline and a couple of boxes of FC used to top off my inventory. I "shared" with those in need a couple of times when I thought I could hold out until new supplies hit the market; I won't be doing that again!

I read the note from Hornady as: "We can make more $ on loaded ammo than we can on the brass." Thank goodness for Starline.

I have a .375 Ruger and brass is unobtainable for it as well. I hear people can find some loaded ammo ($95+ a box); never tried any.

Great rounds, sad situation.

[376Steyr]

Note my screen name. As soon as I realized the 376 Steyr wasn't going to take the world by storm, I stocked up on brass. I never saw a box of loaded ammo on a store's shelves. At least I can always form some more from 9.3x64 Brenneke (ha!)

[Beaverhunter2]

I too have plenty of brass. I feel for those that don't. When loaded ammo costs $4/round and is essentially being bought for the brass because it doesn't shoot as accurately or to the same POI as your handloads, it's not much of an option. I agree with Kestrel- the 450 Marlin brass has a taller belt. You can load to headspace on the boolit or hope you don't get misfires and/or head separations.

I bought 3 boxes of 450 when I got my rifle and brass after that. I never bought a 480 factory round until I wanted some nickle plated brass to put in leather loops. Darn near cried when I had to pay $42/20 rounds.

I figured I'd best hedge my bets buying new calibers that I couldn't make brass for so I got above the 500 round point early. The only reason I risked a 6.5 Grendel is I could make brass from 7.62x39mm. Im glad i did because I love Grendel and have 3 of them now. I won't tell you how many rounds....

[elmacgyver0]

I think dverna summed it up pretty well.

[dtknowles]

I mean thank God for reloading and cast bullets. For many guns 500 rounds of ammo would cost more than the gun.

Tim

[Gray Fox]

I'm seriously thinking about selling my Pedersoli .45-110 Quigley rifle, and I think the fact that I have 120 pieces of new brass and 30 loaded rounds will be the key to selling it. GF

[725]

I guess the best thing to do with a .450 Marlin is to have it re-barreled to .45-70. I'm hard pressed to think of a need greater than the abilities of the 'ol Gov't round. Especially in that strong marlin action.

[Bmi48219]

Can’t speak from experience about 450 and 480 but I have reservations about Hornady brass, specifically their case length. I understand they have their reasons but IMO, if you make your brass shorter than industry standard length you’re screwing any reloader who doesn’t have it in large quantities. From that perspective I agree with LeonardC’s take on the Hornady response and also Don’s advice on ‘stocking up’.