45/70 or 30-30?

Which lever gun caliber would you recommend for Black Bear hunting?

  • 45/70

    Votes: 236 76.6%

  • 30-30

    Votes: 72 23.4%
  • Total voters
    308
  • Poll closed .
Slug870

Slug870

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Well once again I find myself with a tough decision to make, and once again I will tap the vast wealth of knowledge that is the CGN community...

I will be heading out on my first bear hunt in May with a friend of mine who is going to "show me the ropes" so to speak. The only thing is, when we were discussing which rifles we were going to use, he mentioned depending on the terrain we were hunting each day, he would use either a high powered "reach out and touch me" rifle or his 45/70 lever gun. It then dawned on me that while I have the "reach out and touch me" rifle covered, I have no lever guns! :redface:

So here it is; I need to buy a lever gun! I have narrowed it down to two choices of caliber; 45/70 or 30-30. My question to all of you is which would you recommend and why? :popCorn:

Thanks in advance for any input!
 
Around here, most bears are encountered in heavy bush or wooded terrain at modest distances. The nice thing about the 45-70, is that it puts in big holes and leaves even bigger ones. You may also encounter more bang, flops for your buck. If not you get a nice blood trail.

Rick
 
I don't know. Part of the fun is learning to handle and shoot it well. A good shot with the .30-30 would be formidable against blackie anyhow, right? Maybe handloading is the key?

Isn't the ammo about half the price? Aren't the guns cheaper too? One might throw several hundred extra rounds down range for the same $.

Mind you, there's something about a .45 caliber. Given bears why not the Guide Gun with LEVERevolution stuff?
 
The .30-30 Winchester would work well but I voted for the old .45-70 Government ,just for the fun factor of using the old cartridge.
 
Both will put down a Black Bear with a well placed shot & a good bullet. I think you should figure how much do you want to pay for a lever? A decent 30-30 will start at around $300 & up used; where as a 45-70 will probably run at about $500 or more used. I voted for the the 45-70 but with no real advantage for Blackies, more of an affection for the cartridge...
 
I have both but would choose the 45-70 they will both do the job but I think the edge has to be with the 45-70.
and if you just gotta have one I have one for sale
 
For me, 30-30 for deer and 45-70 for bear. I know the 30-30- can take down a black bear, because I've taken down a black bear with a 30-30. But, the 45-70 is more powerful, and I like having that extra umph for bear. Both will do the job, but the 45-70 gives me confidence for the bear. Doesn't mean I won't take a bad shot because it's more powerful, but it does give me that extra confidence in the field. My dad was attacked by a bear when he was in his twenties, and I've seen the scars. Another reason for the 45-70 is, if a bear rushes me and the adrenaline/panick kicks in, the extra power will certainly be more beneficial than a 30-30.
 
Either will do the job just fine. Black bears are't that big, or hard to get close to. I know two fellows who hunted them very successfully with .44 magnum carbines. I'd shoot one with my SKS any day...
 
I want to add that my brother was a guide in Atlin BC. The Win 94 in 30/30 was the rifle that was used numerous times to dispatch problems bears in the camp. At least once it was a grizzly. Yes it was reported. He said it was no big deal and was mostly pissed that he kept getting woken up by the horses going snakey. Shot one out of the cabin window and went back to sleep. Dealt with it in the morning. :cool:
 
i have shot blackies with both but find that the 30-30 is cheaper and easier/ quicker to get back on target for a followup shot (if needed). Place your bullet where it will do the most good and he will fall. MHO
:)
 
I'd go with the 45/70 with good handloads, your trajectory will match the 30/30 with far more knockdown power. If you are not able to handle recoil, then the 30/30 or some of the other lever cals. will work. I like the 38/55 and the .356 Win., .35 Rem. over the 30/30, but that's just me.
 
x2 what gatehouse said.


But....when selecting your lever you left out some things.

Is this gun going to be specifically relegated for close bear encounters? Is it going to be a general shooting gun?

If you're looking for a very specific purpose gun ("close" in, bear specific shooting) then go with the 45-70.
Pros - hard hitting, ammo commonly available, parts commonly available for marlin guide guns
Cons - Expensive to buy, expensive to shoot, medium/high recoil,

If you want a general purpose bear capable gun that you'll also often shoot for fun or hunting, 3030.
Pros - Common/cheap ammo, common/cheap guns, accurate to say, 200?, good multi purpose bullet, light recoil, light gun
Cons - not much oomf past 200 yards, less "knockdown" if you mess up,


In your position I'd probably just carry a win 94 in 38-55.... has more power/range than a 3030 but is easier to carry in the bush than a 45-70, and has the reload speed of both.

I can't choose between the 3030 and 45-70 because I don't know the answers to the above questions. I think both are good options if you shoot them often enough to shoot them well, and for that reason I would be inclined towards 3030... less expensive to practice with, which is often a factor in how well you shoot a gun.
 
If you showed up with a .30-30 for black bear I wouldn't say you're undergunned. But if you are trying to choose I'd go with the 45-70. As one guy already said, it's not that there's anything wrong with a .30-30, I just like .45-70's a lot and 2 big holes are better than 1 medium sized hole for letting blood out of a fat bear.;)
 
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