Marlin dark is 45-70 for deer and bear in thick brush?

So much internet rhetoric in this thread... it is clear that some armchair experts are just regurgitating stuff they have read online. The Marlin 1895 QC issues have largely been sorted out for years... the companies transition years were bumpy, they lost many of the original craftsmen and the learning curve was steep for the new workers. As for the 325 FTX bullet, I have shot half a dozen deer and a large black bear with them and they held together just fine with good terminal results... and they were very accurate to boot.

As for Henry rifles... my experiences have been overwhelmingly positive... and their customer service is second to none.
 
nowarningshot said:
A bear stomper that doesnt dead stop bears. Curious, are there bears? That caliber is stupid expensive, only rather expensive if you load if there aren't bears, a Jm Marlin in anything...30/30, 32, 35,; would be much more realistic if your set on a lever. In a bolt, owe say pick of 40 calibers if its only Deer.
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You mean that 45/70 is to small for those Vananda deer ??
;)
To the op check out Ken Waters thoughts on brush guns and his tests.
Google is your friend .
Rob
 
jonyork said:
Hey folks,

I’m thinking about getting one of the new fangled marlin dark in 45-70 for deer and bear in the western Quebec dense brush forests.

What do you guys think? Overkill? Wrong caliber?

Over a 100 yard shot would be extremely rare for the woods I’ll be in.

Thinking the 45-70 with the hornady leverevolution 325 FTX would be a pretty sweet combo.

Thanks!
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This is a good choice for your situation. Mine is much the same. I have a Marlin 1895 SBL Guide Gun. Have taken many deer with it. Don’t listen to the ney sayers regarding meat damage...it’s all about shot placement. My fave part....they always drop where they stand...no running. But watch out for those plastic tipped Hornady rounds, they tend to jam. That tip gets in the way. Much better action with cast round nose projectiles. Oh...and mine is a Marlington from a short while after they were bought by Rem and after a bit of polishing on some sharp edges, it runs flawlessly. Don’t pay much attention to the QC issues you will hear. Most of that crap has been sorted. The quality is back to “much better”....also, not sure if I would recommend the “dark” edition. It may look cool but is not practical...not easy to see in the in the forest if you ever set it down to clean an animal at last light. I chose the “SBL” because it can handle all weather conditions and I don’t have to be concerned with rust, even if I get a scratch on it.
 
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Caliber and energy do not guarantee a quick kill. I shot a 300lb black bear at 20 yards with a 300winmag using a 200gr partition. The bottom half of his heart was gone and one lung mostly liquified, yet he ran through 300 yards of the thickest, most impassible new growth trees in the blink of an eye. I spent a full day looking for him with no luck. Choked at not finding him, I went back the next day for another look. Saw a bunch of birds circling in the sky and thought " something is dead over there". I was shocked but not totally surprised to find the bear had gotten so far with that mortal wound.
The next year, I shot a much bigger bear with a .25-06 Rem using plain old 117gr hornady interlocks, and the 375lb boar dropped dead right there. The shot was about 120 yards, and it hit 1 lung and did not exit.
All this blathering is just to point out that a high energy round may not kill any better than a normal round. But the cost will be higher and with a big recoil & cost, you may not shoot it as often. I'd suggest a 30-30 as they can be had in the dark models also I think?? Very under-rated round if you ask me.
 
If that’s the particular Marlin you are attracted to and the caliber you want then Have at er. For deer and bear in thick bush it will do everything you want. If you don’t handload I wouldn’t worry about ammo just use whatever the rifle likes and you can shoot well. Any factory loaded 45/70 ammo will kill deer and bear reliably at close range.
 
I've used a 45/70 ( a few different 1895 Marlins , Winchesters , Rugers and Brownings ) for over 40 years , it's a good reliable cartridge . I've used everything from hot rod loads in my youth to original ballistic versions , they all killed animals . I have used the 325 FTX's on a few animals , they did drop game very quickly , so yes , they're a good game bullet . Unlike hoytcanon , I've had two that completely came apart , one on a 250 ish pound Black Bear and another on a fork horn White-Tail . Both animals dropped like wet tents , but it did leave me with some doubt . I wouldn't hesitate to use them again , but on larger game , I'll stick with 405 gr hard cast gas checks YMMV .
 
id go with the 3030.
its what i use here in northern sask for varmint, predator, deer, bear, everything.

way cheaper, faster shots, ammo is everywhere
 
I've used a 405gr hard cast gas check out of an RCBC mould in various 45-70's for the last 12-15 years on everything from mice to moose. Handload them to a Lev 2 rating around 1550fps and you will never recover a bullet. Most critters that are hit with it don't usually take more than a few steps before taking a dirt nap.
 
.45-70 all the way. Don't let anyone tell you its too much gun. It can be loaded from below 30-30 levels to loads that produce 3700 ft/lbs of energy (check out buffalo bore for the fun loads)
 
.45-70 for deer and bear is marginal at best, you should reserve it for critters no larger than a German Shepherd. I mean, c'mon - it's been years since they used them to almost eliminate the American bison, and everyone knows that all animals have gotten tougher and more bullet-resistant in the intervening years... it takes at leas a .25-06 to shoot prairie dogs now...

I read it on the interwebz...
 
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