45-70 Hunting

[DJ_Mack]

How many of you guys hunt with 45-70?  I am looking at a marlin lever action.  Would any of you hunt a grizzly with one? Or what is the largest game you would take with one?

Interested in hearing what your responses are.

[HighlandLofts]

It would probably work on a grizzly, but I'd feel more comfortable with a 7mm mag, 300mag, 338mag or any other sizable magnum rifle.

[DJ_Mack]

Anyone deer hunt with one?

[jdb]

Properly loaded they will take any game on the planet. pretty popular in alaska.

[kselkhunter]

The 45-70 can be loaded down for deer and up for griz up to 500grain bullets.   

[Firedogg]

 The heavy 405grn hard cast lead loads have been known to bust a front shoulder and exit out the pelvis of a large bear.

[jrebel]

I've shot deer and o e bear with mine and it was very effective.  I was using 325 gr leverevolution factor ammo.  I have seen one drop a buffalo in it's tracks. 

[syoungs]

Im loading a 350g Hornady fp over a stout load of h4198, very handy bear gun, hits hard and is a blast to shoot, recoil is pretty harsh, but not as bad as some say imho.

With deer it's also very effective, and wastes no meat, you can eat right up to the hole.

If I we're going after grizz or moose, I may choose a different caliber, but the 45-70 would get it done.

[Bob33]

Not that I would, but lots of people carry a 44 Magnum handgun for bears shooting essentially the same bullets but with half the energy.

[JimmyHoffa]

.45-70 is a really good gun for animals, just has an undesirable trajectory.

[b23]

.45-70 is a really good gun for animals, just has an undesirable trajectory.

This is very true, they have the trajectory of a brick but on the positive side, kept within their range, they hit like a brick as well.

[JDHasty]

Im loading a 350g Hornady fp over a stout load of h4198, very handy bear gun, hits hard and is a blast to shoot, recoil is pretty harsh, but not as bad as some say imho.

With deer it's also very effective, and wastes no meat, you can eat right up to the hole.

If I we're going after grizz or moose, I may choose a different caliber, but the 45-70 would get it done.

I used the 350 Hornady and 4198 for years /a Marlin 1895SS and it will definitely go through a large black bear the long way, break everything it touches, and exit.  Ditto what you say about deer.  I suspect that it would be as good as anything against big bear.  The gun is very handy too.   

[JDHasty]

The 45-70 can be loaded down for deer and up for griz up to 500grain bullets.

You run into OAL problems w/the 500 grain bullets in the Marlin.  If you put another cannelure on the bullet and seat it deeper it would probably take up too much powder to make  it a good performer too. 

[BigGoonTuna]

could always use a lee factory crimp die and seat the bullets where you want?

i love the flexibility of the .45-70.  it can do everything from mouse fart plinking loads to some really nasty bear medicine.

[kselkhunter]

Buffalo Bore sells a factory loaded 500grain ammo intended for the Marlin 1895.  I imagine that would make a nice size hole in a bear.  But you're right, they must use less powder as the velocity and energy are much lower I'd expect from a 45-70.

I'd go for the 300gr Barnes TSX if shooting the 45-70 at a bear though.  ~3500 ft-lbs of muzzle energy.