Howdy Folks.
I hunt some pretty thick woods where most shots from the stand are about 40-80 yards. I currently am using a full sized bolt rifle (300 win mag) for bears and deer in my area but am looking to get into something more compact.
Any recommendations on a rifle and calibre combo?. I am leaning towards a 45-70 (impossible to find) or a 358 Winchester.
Thanks in advance!
Honestly, in thick woods a 30-06 760 with a 20" barrel would be my first choice with a 1-4x or 1.5-5x optic from Leupold..
If you are hunting only from a stand I would say anything goes, but at 40-80 yds while I love the 300wm, I would consider a 308, or similar. In honesty if 80yds is pushing your max, I would consider a 12ga with good slugs.
I used to use this in thick woods in NE BC, 7X57, short, nimble, and cleared of high-speed-high-drag guff, less snags etc when I was pushing through 1yd visibility stuff, the red dot made for easy hits out to 100yds.
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What stock is that on the Howa?
Custom one by Wildcat
You think that 358 will be easier to find that 45-70? I'd like to visit your LGS!
Honestly, in thick woods a 30-06 with a 20" barrel would be my first choice with a 1-4x or 1.5-5x optic from Leupold..
Fixed it for you ....... I've pretty much gone with the 1.5-5 on mine over the receiver sight.
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I couldn’t even fathom how many 760’s or 740’s are in Deer/Moose or Bear camps yearly across this country…
Here's my 45-70, a Pedersoli Boar Buster Shadow with a Romeo5 Red Dot and SpearHead Machine muzzle brake. IIRC it has a 19" barrel, so not as compact as some other versions like the Chiappa with a 12.5" barrel...
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You did say 45-70 OR 358, so I assume you want more horsepower but I thought I would post up my Taylors & Co stainless lever takedown in 44Mag, also with a Romeo5 dot. It has a 16" barrel. I set it up as a "camp gun" where you might need a flashlight in a hurry if a bear was to wander in... And some have asked, does the flashlight wash out the red dot. No it doesn't.
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Jay, you are a man after my own heart when it comes to the Lever Guns!
I have a 20" 44 Alaskan myself and just gone back to a red dot. (Burris Fastfire). Used to have a Leupold 2.5x28 Scout Scope on it but I'm really enjoying red dots at the moment.
That Pedersoli Boar Buster is a thing of beauty! Peep sight as a back up where is needs to be, close to your eye, handy to pop the red dot off and drop the comb if you want to shoot the peep.
I made a change to my Alaskan where I put the XS peep sight across the back of the action as I could not get on with the peep in front of the ejection port on the rail
Scrummy
There are more 760s in Ontario and Sask. compared to the rest of the country. I see more 740s here in NB then 760s, but that has changed towards bolt actions in the last 30yrs.
358 Win browning BLR SS T/D is my go-to rifle. Much less recoil than a 45/70. That being said, there's only one commercial loading for it and it's been hard to find since the pandemic: hornady 200 gr SP. There was briefly some HSM 225 gr gameking available but it seems to have dried up. Not that there's anything wrong with the hornady, just something to consider if you don't reload.
although the 45/70 will give you more commercial ammo options, I'd still go for the 358. Despite having a 45/70 I always reach for the 358 for deer, bear and this year moose.
Sent the BLR out for black box customs' fall cerakote promo. Very impressed with the result.
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Wild west guns co-pilot (marlin 1895 stainless) with same treatment.
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