My next bear rifle

caboverbobby said:
I have yet to learn how to reload. I have not had good luck at finding someone around here to teach me. I'd be willing to drive within 3 hours of Kingston to have someone show me and i'd be willing to buy lunch and a few beers for after the lesson.
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Well I am a little too far to help since I am in Parry Sound. Did you look at some of the reloading videos from Lee and on YouTube? They really show you what you need to know if you have no one near to help.
 
Ive never hunted bear, but ive heard if you cant stick youre finger in the muzzle it isnt good enough.

Diameter means something apparently, so a 45-70 loaded to a maximum velocity sounds right.

I just dont know if the average shooter can take the brutal recoil of a fully loaded 45-70 in a light single shot rifle.
The factory loads are nothing compared to a full charge.:)
 
caboverbobby said:
Not worried about using a one shot rifle, I just want knock down power. I figured the 500S&W would do the trick.
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That worries me. What do you think "knock down power" actually is? No rifle can actually "knock down" anything. I hope you are not expecting what you see in movies as a reaction to being shot.
 
I bought a henry 357 mag for bear hunting next spring. Now you guys got me thinking that its going to be a fun ride Laugh2
This spring I used a 30 30 and the bear took a real good tumble at twenty yard away. Needless to say my heart was pounding.
 
rral22 said:
That worries me. What do you think "knock down power" actually is? No rifle can actually "knock down" anything.

I hope you are not expecting what you see in movies as a reaction to being shot.
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Do you have much experience with "dangerous game calibers"...?

This (5:00 mark) is "knock-down power" @ 100yds (he says it 4:53). I think it's a Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan in .375 Ruger.

And don't bother with the "any well placed shot with X-caliber", I'm just calling it like I see it.

I also don't claim to be a professional/experienced hunter either...

[youtube]oviOJIva2l8[/youtube]

*while the OP isn't buying an H&R in .375Ruger, the 45/70 will have the same effect on any baited bear @ <50yds...

1 shot, dead in his tracks.
 
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Boomer74 said:
Do you have much experience with "dangerous game calibers"...?

This (5:00 mark) is "knock-down power" @ 100yds (he says it 4:53). I think it's a Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan in .375 Ruger.

And don't bother with the "any well placed shot with X-caliber", I'm just calling it like I see it.

I also don't claim to be a professional/experienced hunter either...

*while the OP isn't buying an H&R in .375Ruger, the 45/70 will have the same effect on any baited bear @ <50yds...

1 shot, dead in his tracks.
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As a self judged somewhat experienced hunter, yes a .30-06 will do that too through the shoulders. I hunt almost everything with a .375 H&H regardless of continent, however that was shot placement you see there. I do agree the right amount of gun is important, but the .500 Smith isn't a terribly powerful gun, and bore diameter means less than bullet weight. .45-70 isn't terribly powerful either and reality. I like to see heavy bullets of high sectional density doing 2,400+ FPS to have a "knock down" gun. For Black Bear, even a .30-30 is great. A .30-06 is even better, and I'd say better than a .500 S&W too. At a certain point we're just chucking small pieces of lead around, they kill things.
 
Seeing as you have such confidence in your shooting, anything will do. If you want to play with an odd cartridge/ caliber, that is good fun, but bears are not that hard to kill, a 303, any '06 based cartridge or a host of others would work very well. It is hard to kill them deader than the next guy does, which is what it looks like you are after. If you measure success in how far they go after shooting, shoot them in the spine or behind the ear with a 30-30 and you will be the king, you will be far superior to the guy with the 458 win mag who shoots them through the lungs. His bears will take a few steps..
 
in the HandR I would get the 45-70 since im already reloading for it and its plenty for anything. Wouldnt' want to buy factory ammo for either. The 50 does sound cool and will flatten bears on your baited hunt.
 
caboverbobby said:
Thinking of buying an H&R single shot in the 500 S&W calibre.... I think the bear should drop instantly.

What do you guys think?

Good or bad idea?

I just want the bear meat, not the pelt.
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What is the weight on the handi rifles? As a single shot i can't imagine it weighing to much, which i would think would pack quite a punch when you fired it.
 
there is more than 1 max load for 45/70 it depends on the rifle
mild -trap door
med - marlin guide guns,hnr's
heavy- ruger #1
I have gone 2 full grains past max load in my Marlin GG,with no signs of psi or cycling issues and its a blast(pun intended). it gets the attention of everyone at the range + the 3' ball of fire near dark is also interesting.I wouldn't hesitate to use it on anything on our side of the world.


7mmlefty said:
Ive never hunted bear, but ive heard if you cant stick youre finger in the muzzle it isnt good enough.

Diameter means something apparently, so a 45-70 loaded to a maximum velocity sounds right.

I just dont know if the average shooter can take the brutal recoil of a fully loaded 45-70 in a light single shot rifle.
The factory loads are nothing compared to a full charge.:)
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rral22 said:
That worries me. What do you think "knock down power" actually is? No rifle can actually "knock down" anything. I hope you are not expecting what you see in movies as a reaction to being shot.
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I've been using firearms for over 25 years, pretty sure i know what to do with them. Keep watching your movies.
 
caboverbobby said:
I've been using firearms for over 25 years, pretty sure i know what to do with them. Keep watching your movies.
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OOOOoooo..... "using them" for 25 years??? And yet you still use the term "knock down power". Just makes me want to go "Hmmmmm........"

Bullets, any size, do not "knock down" anything. It's called physics. There are shots that will, almost all the time, cause an animal to drop on the spot. The vast majority of shot placements cannot be counted on to produce immediate effect. But no bullet can actually knock an animal down like a linebacker.

The choice of a 500 S&W for bear hunting is just fine, although limiting in some ways, but it will not guarantee bang flops any more than any other "adequate" round.
 
caboverbobby said:
Thinking of buying an H&R single shot in the 500 S&W calibre.... I think the bear should drop instantly.

What do you guys think?

Good or bad idea?

I just want the bear meat, not the pelt.
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Not a bad idea for hunting at close range (except that Handi Rifles are crude and unappealing) but if you're thinking about being in an up close and personal then a single shot is a mug's game.
 
rral22 said:
OOOOoooo..... "using them" for 25 years??? And yet you still use the term "knock down power". Just makes me want to go "Hmmmmm........"

Bullets, any size, do not "knock down" anything. It's called physics. There are shots that will, almost all the time, cause an animal to drop on the spot. The vast majority of shot placements cannot be counted on to produce immediate effect. But no bullet can actually knock an animal down like a linebacker.

The choice of a 500 S&W for bear hunting is just fine, although limiting in some ways, but it will not guarantee bang flops any more than any other "adequate" round.
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I fail to care for your opinion.
 
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