Hunting Grizzly with the 45-70
- Thread starter Weatherby2
- Start date
76 yards was to long lol... german are using metric system ....
WOW while I have read a few posts that are bang on trying to answer the OP's question most are just a load of uninformed spewings...
Myself I wouldn't hesitate to pack a 45-70 for hunting grizzly if my shots are going to be under 200 yards only reason for this distance restriction is I do not practice with my 45-70's further than that anymore.
I carried my Marlin 1895GS in 45-70 for years for bear defence and hunting while I worked solo as a self employed free miner.
My favourite jacketed bullet are 350gr Swift A-frames my favourite wide meplat cast gas checked bullets are 460gr Cast Performance in stock at Rusty Wood Trading Company - 525gr Beartooth Pile-Drivers - 550gr Jae-Bok Young Crater's all loaded with a top load of H322 powder.
Bears are thin skinned animals like posted even a 243 will kill them so if you are loaded with 325gr FTX and can put your shot into the lungs it will kill it faster than almost any other bullet out there meaning it might only run 50 - 100 yards instead of 200 + yards with a hole from a hard cast.
While I have never shot a grizzly with a 45-70 I do pack them into the bush when I am going in looking for the grizzlies we have shot as the "last of the sourdoughs" article will tell you it will get the job done for fast close bear encounters.
https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?tocid=1532&magid=104
Myself I wouldn't hesitate to pack a 45-70 for hunting grizzly if my shots are going to be under 200 yards only reason for this distance restriction is I do not practice with my 45-70's further than that anymore.
I carried my Marlin 1895GS in 45-70 for years for bear defence and hunting while I worked solo as a self employed free miner.
My favourite jacketed bullet are 350gr Swift A-frames my favourite wide meplat cast gas checked bullets are 460gr Cast Performance in stock at Rusty Wood Trading Company - 525gr Beartooth Pile-Drivers - 550gr Jae-Bok Young Crater's all loaded with a top load of H322 powder.
Bears are thin skinned animals like posted even a 243 will kill them so if you are loaded with 325gr FTX and can put your shot into the lungs it will kill it faster than almost any other bullet out there meaning it might only run 50 - 100 yards instead of 200 + yards with a hole from a hard cast.
While I have never shot a grizzly with a 45-70 I do pack them into the bush when I am going in looking for the grizzlies we have shot as the "last of the sourdoughs" article will tell you it will get the job done for fast close bear encounters.
https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?tocid=1532&magid=104
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Well stated. My Grizzly experience is limited to one average sized Bear with a 308NM,
some years back. However, perhaps to actually go after a Grizzly, while a 45-70 wouldn't be my 1st pick, if circumstances were such, I wouldn't hesitate to use the 45-70 on one.bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
While I myself have never shot a grizzly either, I've seen a video shot by a close friend who guides, and in it a large inland boar soaks up 8 (yes,8) rounds of 378 Weatherby without much sign of "bang flop" or "instant stopping power", and with each hit he gets more and more angry, biting at the impact and showing little effect. This is at distances from 200-300 yards. He finally succumbs to his wounds, but not until after shredding everything in sight. While this is perhaps not normal behaviour, few things in hunting are normal and routine.
If it were me, I'd leave the 45-70 at home if I knew I was hunting grizzly, especially at close range. Of course, it's a free world and anyone can choose their weapon, but that's my uninformed spewing anyhow.
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While I myself have never shot a grizzly either, I've seen a video shot by a close friend who guides, and in it a large inland boar soaks up 8 (yes,8) rounds of 378 Weatherby without much sign of "bang flop" or "instant stopping power", and with each hit he gets more and more angry, biting at the impact and showing little effect. This is at distances from 200-300 yards. He finally succumbs to his wounds, but not until after shredding everything in sight. While this is perhaps not normal behaviour, few things in hunting are normal and routine.
If it were me, I'd leave the 45-70 at home if I knew I was hunting grizzly, especially at close range. Of course, it's a free world and anyone can choose their weapon, but that's my uninformed spewing anyhow.
"Biting at the impact", huh?
Well now we know you can piss off a grizzly by shooting it in the ass 8 times. Good to know!
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
"Biting at the impact", huh?
Well now we know you can piss off a grizzly by shooting it in the ass 8 times. Good to know!
Why would you assume he was biting at his ass?
Black bear do it, especially with archery, and coyotes and wolves as well. Seen it many times.
x2.
Ok. I have no idea what that means.
Even a bear has to stretch to reach an "impact", and it's easier for a bear to bite a bad hit over a good one. Easier to bite his ass than his head, right?
Why would you assume he was biting at his ass?
Black bear do it, especially with archery, and coyotes and wolves as well. Seen it many times.
Because the 378 is a honking big and fast cannon. 8 hits with quality bullets and good shot placement *from an elephant gun* just isn't necessary. It's not a tyrannosaurus or an armored bus from mad max. Needing 8 shots has to have an element of what Phil said earlier: Poor bullet choice and poor shot placement. "Shot in the ass" is a euphemism for poor shot placement as "the ass" is a poor choice for a place to shoot a bear. Does that clear it up?
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
Well put fer sure. Love reading about Ed Stevenson's exploits. That feller has really led the bush life and done well.
I'd use hard cast loads myself though, because they hold together so well and give full penetration on center of shoulder hits on bear facing broadside and for well centered shots placed at the top of the chest at the base of the neck. Good hits on these areas as well as base of the ear hits ensure a quick dispatch of unwary critters.
The main thing to ensure success on beasties (Aside from knowing their anatomy.) is to take the time to setup for the shot. Ye want to take the critters on your terms, not theirs.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Grizzlies aren't nearly as "hard" as often portrayed, they're thin skinned, fairly soft animals (compared to classic dangerous game), and that's why I don't like the .45-70 or similar rounds. I've never been taken aback by what it takes to kill one from 7x57 to .375 Ruger, but with poor hits they're an athletic animal that contains a lot of blood to lose before they stop. Eight .378 hits just means poor placement and too stiff of bullets. I wasn't overly impressed with stiff bulleted 200gr .300 Win (Trophy bonded bear claws) at 200 yards either in September on a couple Grizzlies. It worked and both died within a handful of yards of where they were hit, but both had time to think about it and absorb follow ups. That handful of yards also got one into the river and going downstream dead.
Most Grizzly hunting is pretty straightforward and wouldn't make a great book. Perhaps that's the .45-70's allure on them, more odds of drama. I kid... But really, it's not a good recipe in comparison to far less colourful choices like the .30-06 and .300 or .338 Win, or even 7 Mag or .375 H&H. Just get impacts above 2500 without too stiff a bullet and have a good hunt. I would very honestly advise a client they're better off with 150gr .270 than .45-70 to hunt Grizzly. Again, it's not that a .45-70 won't kill one, it's that its terminal ballistics are highly underwhelming due to a lack of speed, and Grizzlies respond to shock from speed.
Most Grizzly hunting is pretty straightforward and wouldn't make a great book. Perhaps that's the .45-70's allure on them, more odds of drama.
I kid... But really, it's not a good recipe in comparison to far less colourful choices like the .30-06 and .300 or .338 Win, or even 7 Mag or .375 H&H. Just get impacts above 2500 without too stiff a bullet and have a good hunt. I would very honestly advise a client they're better off with 150gr .270 than .45-70 to hunt Grizzly. Again, it's not that a .45-70 won't kill one, it's that its terminal ballistics are highly underwhelming due to a lack of speed, and Grizzlies respond to shock from speed.Sounds like you have it all figured out.
Cheers buddy.
Douglas' and Angus' (edit: and hoyt, and you, and whynoy and gate and....) posts have a lot of friggin' valuable information laying around in 'em. If both of those guys say a 300 win mag is fine...
Grizzlies aren't nearly as "hard" as often portrayed, they're thin skinned, fairly soft animals (compared to classic dangerous game), and that's why I don't like the .45-70 or similar rounds. I've never been taken aback by what it takes to kill one from 7x57 to .375 Ruger, but with poor hits they're an athletic animal that contains a lot of blood to lose before they stop. Eight .378 hits just means poor placement and too stiff of bullets. I wasn't overly impressed with stiff bulleted 200gr .300 Win (Trophy bonded bear claws) at 200 yards either in September on a couple Grizzlies. It worked and both died within a handful of yards of where they were hit, but both had time to think about it and absorb follow ups. That handful of yards also got one into the river and going downstream dead.
Most Grizzly hunting is pretty straightforward and wouldn't make a great book. Perhaps that's the .45-70's allure on them, more odds of drama.
Did you find that the TBBC just penciled right though?. As in the bullet was too stiff to expand due to the speed at 200y.
Yeah bearkilr knows nothing....
Never said that. Don't put words in my mouth. Read.
I mean, are you saying that it *does* take 8 rounds of 378 Weatherby Magnum to kill a grizzly, or are you just being snide?
I want to know. Do you think the 8 rounds of 378 Weatherby Magnum are necessary to kill anything on earth? Less than that would kill a blue whale.
Stop following me around trying to find fault. It's beneath you.
This thread would be pretty short if it was limited to those that have actually shot a grizz...
It would be even shorter if it was limited to those that have actually shot a grizz with a 45-70.
Hunting from the couch with the keyboard seems to get the most mileage, as does using imagination and pretend to do the shooting.
Again, pretty easy to tell the ones that have, from the ones that haven't.
R.
It would be even shorter if it was limited to those that have actually shot a grizz with a 45-70.
Hunting from the couch with the keyboard seems to get the most mileage, as does using imagination and pretend to do the shooting.
Again, pretty easy to tell the ones that have, from the ones that haven't.
R.
Following you around? Get over yourself. Were all 8 rounds needed? Maybe not. Why on earth would you not keep shooting once you've wounded him? Why wouldn't you use the biggest possible cartridge you had access to? to question bearkilr who probably gets more experience bear hunting in one year than you will in 10 years is ... (you fill in the blank yourself)
