Where did you go on the post about the thumpers?
Did Specialty Pistols forum tell you any more info?
What did you find out?
Have you ruled out the 45/70 a time proven cartridge for over 100 years?

Morning (6:30 here) Meplat.
I appreciate your interest in helping me find the best barrel to suite my needs.
My short list became the 45-70, & the 450 Marlin. There wasn't much more info on SP or any other sites on the 450 in handguns (no shortage on 45-70 info).
From what I can find, they are just about balistic twins. No real advantage either way. I can shoot the same bullets at the same velocities in either one of them. Both should work good for big bear to 100 yds (150 on the "perfect opportunity"), & be a fine 200 yd moose & smaller critter cartridge, & I'm sure I can load either one up to levels that a recoil wimp like me will have no interest in.
Guys with both calibers say they get great accuracy, & once I have brass loading costs will be very similar. I don't currently have dies for either.

So, how will I make the decision between the two?
Well I carefully weigh the attributes of each, studying everything I can get my hands on,...... & then I'll buy whichever one I find at the best price.
I'm currently working on a deal for a 450 at a reasonable price, but if that falls through I'll still be watching for a good price on either one, & in the meantime will play with the .444 Contender.
On a note you'll appreciate, I've decided to go ahead & play with cast bullets with gaschecks in the Contender. I can see the brake manafactures liability concerns & covering his own tail, but I think you guys are right & it's a 1 in a million chance for a gas-check to hang up in there. I shot quite a few through there before his warning without problem, so I'm loading some up with 300 hardcast wfngc that I have on hand. If the 450 deal doesn't go through I'll pick up some 340s & play with them.

Seems like you are coming right along in your decision making process Vance. Whether you decide on the 45-70 or the .450 Marlin makes little difference. I think that you will be surprised how easy the Encore will handle if you have the barrel compensated and have that great rubber grip installed on the Encore. I do believe that the Encore will be better bear medicine. I am also glad that you decided to continue the use of gas checked bullets. I have not had any problems with their use in compensated handguns. Isn't this fun messing around with these choices. I love it.

Thanks recoil.
Are you referring to the factory rubber grips, or the soon to come Pachmyers?
Mine currently wears factory wood.
The barrel I'm ealing on has the factory muzzle tamer. It may get replaced with something else. We'll see.

Vance, I'm meaning the factory black grips with the rubber insert. They really work well for me. They make my .375-06 JDJ quite manageable.

I have the 450 in a tc custom heavy barrell 15in and have custom grip set from Denzel Roberts his recoil tammer set they work great and look even better.

Thanks Medic, his grips look nice.
Do the recoil tamers really seem to make much of a difference in felt recoil?
Have any 450 loads you'd like to share to shorten my learning curve? Taken any critters with yours?
Does your barrel have the TC muzzle tamer brake?
Sorry for so many questions, but I'm having a hard time finding others shooting the 450 in a handgun.

Vance, I'd probably swing towards the 450 a little just because of case life, I never had a head seperate in my contender or bfr and the bfr I loaded to 450 velocities but I had regular problems in my marlin 1895, my brass would last about two to three loadings max before they would seperate, in fact I started carrying a case extractor with me everytime I took it out.

Well a MO went out in the mail for a 450 Marlin barrel this morning.
A huge thanks to Big John for setting it up!!!
It's amazing how small the great folks on these boards make the world.
Brass & a base are on the way, & dies & bullets are availably locally!!
Hopefully in a little over a week I'll have a range report & it will be this springs brown bear thumper!
Right now it's a balmy sunny +1* out so I'm heading to the range to try my new (to me) Encore for the 1st time I'll be playing with the 7mm-08 barrel.
See ya.
And thanks for all the input guys!!!!

I have been useing the hornady leverevolution round not reloading yet but starting to piece together equipment to do so the buck i have on the new bragging board was taken with my 450 encore this past season bigest buck i have ever killed with a pistol or long gun. waiting for him to come back from taxedermist now.

Oh and recoil tammer grips work great make you have the same grip point every time.

Thanks medic. I sent him an email.
Trying to decide between those & the new Pachmyer for the Encore.