Hunting Grizzly with the 45-70

I love my 1895GS 45-70 with a 2.5X Leupold IER scope for what it is. A light carrying, rainy day BC coastal mule deer and black bear carbine.

On the tundra or in the arctic I keep a 20" CRF .375 H&H in or outside the tent. It's what I'd hunt with too though it is heavy.
 
Superbrad said:
I have tried to like the .45-70 for many reasons.... I just can't get it done.....

It lacks punch, has the trajectory of a falling safe and is certainly not a "bang flop" cartridge..... although like most, it will do its job in its range if used responsibly.....

That being said, when I see "guide guns" chambered in it, and hear of folks thinking they have one and that it's the ultimate "bear defence" round, I cringe......

There is a big difference between "eat right up to the hole", and "put it down quick"....
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Curious what you've killed with the 45-70?
 
Slamfire said:
How so? I don't see loading manuals listing +P loads for these.
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Any reloader can create a +P load... in a modern bolt action rifle, the larger .30 cal to medium bores can be loaded for the sort of speed (energy) that Ardent is referring to.
 
I'd like to see your 45-70 penetrate 2 cape buffalo and drop them both with one shot..........Actually many Cape buff have been shot with the 30-06 and 220 gn solids back in the day and I have actually heard of two being killed (don't know about "dropped") with one shot from just such a load in the '06.
 
It's not the cartridge that is interesting but the old lever action that make it compelling Grizly rifle
Hard to beat a lever for a knock around and abused camp rifle

But I'm with others the 30-06 is a better option for hunting Grizlys and keep the 45-70 as a handy good old camp rifle
Now if you can get your hands on a Winchester lever action in 30-06 Forget the model number but I have handled a couple and there way nicer and more interesting then any marlen
 
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geologist said:
I love my 1895GS 45-70 with a 2.5X Leupold IER scope for what it is. A light carrying, rainy day BC coastal mule deer and black bear carbine.

On the tundra or in the arctic I keep a 20" CRF .375 H&H in or outside the tent. It's what I'd hunt with too though it is heavy.
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That's what I have in mind for a 1895 Marlin GBL I acquired a short while back.



Here on the Island, for the same game you've mentioned and the ranges commonly delt with, it should be a good fit. I had a Marlin 1895GS



but my son in the B.C. central interior couldn't live without it. With the load levels of power the Marlins are capable of handling, I much prefer the pistol grip configuration of the GBL vs the GS. A little easier on my fingers :redface: .
 
Purple shoulder said:
A 30-06 is a better anything gun than a 45-70.
I think the 45-70 is very powerful pistol cartridge.
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Most commercial/factory ammo available is loaded to a safe level so it can be handled in many of the older firearms out there. For newer firearms, the load levels of power they can handle are considerably higher and why you see note of this in many of the reload manuals. Even some of the loads of yesteryears power levels ;) can be a handful in a handgun.

 
I've killed 2 wild boars with mine, one about 200 pounds, one 270. According to the owner of the game farm, they are quite difficult to put down, but both were bang flop. One with the 325 FTX, one with a 350 gr. RN.
 
It's a charismatic and grand old service round with a colorful history. In fact still in service by the US Coast Guard but as a round for line throwing guns.

Any game I've shot with it including Elk, Moose, Deer and Bighorn Sheep were all killed quite dead. Big Grizzly beware. :p
 
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MY load 52.5 grs IMR 3031-400gr Speer bullet. CCI 200 primer. Federal cases, with heavy crimp. I have shot 39 moose over 45 Black bear and 2 Grizzly ( that were killing pigs) Some these animals were shot at about 25 yards, all under 100 yds. I have a 3 power Leupold scope on my Marlin rifle. A another load I use in the Marlin with a MicoGrove barrel is Bullet barn gas checked 390gr bullet sized to 460, CCI 200 primer, Federal cases, with 44grs of Reloader 7. MV is 1860 fps. With the Micogroved barrel shoots 1.5 inch groups 100 yrds, with no leading, I have been using this Rifle to hunt with every year since 1977
 
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Slamfire said:
This thread is about the OP intending to use his Marlin 45-70 with the best bullet for the task.
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Right, and as a grizzly hunting outfitter my suggestion is he picks a better suited rifle. It will kill a Grizzly but offers fewer advantages than much more boring and conventional alternatives like a .30-06. Grizzlies are often shot out to 300 yards when hunting, and the ones that are close you're better off with a quicker round that offers far more speed than a .45-70 can provide. If he's stuck with a .45-70 then a 300gr high quality bullet to get the speed up and keep the shots short.

Again, a .45-70 can kill anything. But it's not the best at the job.
 
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