BLR for bear

Bush pilot

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Hey all with returning to bush flying possibly this summer I am thinking of grabbing a lever action rifle to carry in the plane just in case a bear finds me or my cargo tasty. I am leaning towards the Browning BLR in a take down model. I am just not sure about the caliber. Lots of folks are saying the 450 marlin is a good cartridge. I am not 100% sold on it. I am afraid that it may be come an orphaned cartridge. Seems the 45-70 would be a better choice. Is there another cartridge the BLR is chambered for that would be suitable for stopping a charge?

Bush pilot
 
BLR's a good choice because of the removable mag. A lot faster to load than a tube mag.

Even a 270 is going to work... You've got 4 shots, use 'em

I most whole heartedly disagree with this post after having crashed 2 planes, I want my magazine firmly attached at all times to my rifle, and full. The last thing you need is to be looking for some stupid magazine and ammo in the dark or near dark or a foot of snow. For the same reasons I don't recommend a take down, I want the most robust reliable rifle I can find and hope it survives a crash.

IF you are really concerned with bears and they ARE a problem where you will be flying, the 450 Marlin or guide gun in 45-70. As far as the Marlin becoming obsolete just buy 5 boxes of ammo and keep them in the plane they should last you for a hundred years or so. If you decide on the 45-70, throw a box of 410 bore 3" #7 1/2 in as the 45-70 shoots them just fine too. Will keep you in grouse and bunnies for days.
A lot of the old boys and outfitters in the Yukon used to keep an old 94 in 30-30 in back of their supercubs for extreme cicumstances. You could do a lot worse.
 
Good pick man, BLR's are awesome. I have an 1895 in .450, think of it as a 45-70 loaded hot( case is totally different). .450 is a great and powerful round. Only 2 loads available tho and both hotter than hell. If you are a handloader I would say go with the 45-70, it can be loaded as hot as the .450 and brass is way more common. The whole purpose of the .450 was to replacate the hot loaded 45-70 ballistics. Ammo manufacturers cant load the 45-70 to its full potential because the 100 year old guns chambered in 45-70 cant handle the pressure. A new guide gun would take it all day long. Even if your not a hand loader I would still say go for the 45-70, off the shelf ammo is way more common and with more options. Also if it is to be your protection gun your shots will prob be close range and under loaded 45-70s have been handling situations like that for over 100 years.
 
Great answers guys! I am in job search mode right now. I am looking everywhere west of Manitoba. I would ultimately like to get back to the west coast but for now I will go where the job is. I think C-FBMI has a good point about a strong robust rifle. I may have to look at the marlin again. I was talking to one gunsmith who said the new aluminum recievers are junk. I haven't heard anything about them. On the subject of 410 shot shells; I had read that you can use a .45 gas check and waxed cardboard wads to build a brass hulled shot shell. That just may be the ticket!
 
I have blr lightweight pistolgrip. 223 remington, comes in a takedown model too. Point blank wouldn't a 75 grain 223 mess up a bear?

Blr also comes in 308. Shot one I liked it.
 
I most whole heartedly disagree with this post after having crashed 2 planes, I want my magazine firmly attached at all times to my rifle, and full. The last thing you need is to be looking for some stupid magazine and ammo in the dark or near dark or a foot of snow. For the same reasons I don't recommend a take down, I want the most robust reliable rifle I can find and hope it survives a crash.

IF you are really concerned with bears and they ARE a problem where you will be flying, the 450 Marlin or guide gun in 45-70. As far as the Marlin becoming obsolete just buy 5 boxes of ammo and keep them in the plane they should last you for a hundred years or so. If you decide on the 45-70, throw a box of 410 bore 3" #7 1/2 in as the 45-70 shoots them just fine too. Will keep you in grouse and bunnies for days.
A lot of the old boys and outfitters in the Yukon used to keep an old 94 in 30-30 in back of their supercubs for extreme cicumstances. You could do a lot worse.

Basically this.

I just can't see a bear defense/survival situation where a Marlin guide gun with 45-70 handloads and a box of small game shot is not going to be superior to a BLR takedown in 450 Marlin.
 
I can tell you from personal experience that a BLR takedown in .308, with 180 gr. in it, stops a 400 lb black bear dead in its tracks. Literally.
 
I can tell you from personal experience that a BLR takedown in .308, with 180 gr. in it, stops a 400 lb black bear dead in its tracks. Literally.

X2... Though mine is not a take down, my .308 BLR has taken more bears than I can recall on the place over the years paricularly during calving time without any issue. Works well in close quarters too. One year we had a griz come into the line shack while we were still in the racks. Emptied the rifle in it and it was over.
 
I have a Marlin .45-70. This is one of the reasons I bought it. Like it's been mentioned before, you go down you want all your stuff together and close. Also a Rossi Ranch Hand will fit in your average flight bag. A hot loaded .44Mag should make a bear think twice.

Oddly enough I've bought a lot of my guns with "Will this work in the plane?" in the back of my head.
 
Point blank wouldn't a 75 grain 223 mess up a bear?

You may only get one shot. If the bear doesn't stop, you die. What calibre would you want in your hands if you had to face this:

More food for thought: Brown bear guide Phil Shoemakers backup rifle is a short barreled (20") Mauser action .458 with a synthetic stock. Can't think of much better for beating up in the back of a plane, or strapped under the struts.
OleUglyauthorswellusedMauser458Win_zpsf4ca14f2.jpg
 
I am not sure about 44 mag. The Rossi ranch hand seems like a nice small compact gun and I considered the attributes of 44 mag and 45 long colt but if things come down to it I don't want adequate, I want overkill! A big bolt seems like a good idea but the cycle time between shots be a little long and cycling the bolt would require shifting your hold. I do hand load so working up a nice warm load with a premium stopper would be an enjoyable winter project. My only hesitation is some experts say for wilderness defence your best to use factory ammo for maximum reliability. Anyone have any suggestions about bullet/ powder selection? Also for a float plane with all the humidity should I go with a stainless rifle? I do keep my firearms well oiled but I would hate to have the internals rust up.
 
why not a savage hog hunter in 338 win mag, it has a 20" barrel so it should ride in a plane. The only draw back would be the internal mag( just don't miss the first shot....lol)
 
I wouldn't worry about the humidity - I have carried this old Baikal 12 ga on wilderness canoe trips all summer, every summer, for 32 years. Never done anything about moisture or whatever 'cept a bit of oil now-and-then. Not a speck of rust or anything ever:

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and, incidentally, that is what I carry back in the bush for bears, not my BLR....

Still firin' fine after all these years - right up to Christmas Eve 2 weeks ago:


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:D :D
 
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