Marling 1895 Guide Gun suitable for hunting in BC?

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Rifter

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basically what im trying to ask is is the 45-70 to large of a cartridge for smaller game such as deer and smaller. Or are there enough low power loads out there that it wont be an issue?
 
The 45 70 is an excellent deer cartridge. It don't tear them up like the fast steppers and will handle any bear that walks the planet. Grab one, and you will not look back.
 
Shot my first mulie near Princeton with an iron-sighted Browning 1885 in 45-70. It's not a long range rig at all but it will do the job inside 150 or 200 yards, depending on your abilities.
 
It will work very well actually...

14" & 22" barreled T/C Contender carbines both chambered in 45-70 loaded with 325gr Hornady FTX.

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Practice and keep shot range within your ability ( same with any cartridge). There are better hunting rounds that are flatter and cheaper to shoot. They are though, great fun and no question on killing ability. I believe in "enough gun" and would use one of my 45-70s ay 150yds over one of my smaller calibers like 243 or less.
 
If you're in tight bush with little chance of getting a shot over 50 yards, I'd go for a 44 mag with 240 gr SJHP. American eagle ammo is pretty good for the price. I've killed more large animals in the past 3 months than most folks get to kill in a decade, and can speak well to that little cartridge's performance. I've even killed buffalo with it at close range.

That being said, the 45-70 is a formidable killer. If you can tolerate the recoil, it's a great cartridge for killing. I've used it as well for killing. Everything from gophers to buffalo. However, it's harder to find ammo for, I find, and costs 2-3 times as much to shoot, unless you reload. I even find regular HP bullets for reloading hard to find these days... I favor the Winchester 300 GR JHP.
 
My plan would be for it to be my carry gun in the bush(I do a lot of hiking/camping on crown land miles from the nearest road) and then also double duty for hunting, so I want it to have enough power to stop a grizzly, but at the same time be able to be tamed down(will likely get into reloading) to hunt smaller game.

My original plan was a Remington 870 tactical for my bush carry gun but it doesn't double duty for hunting nearly as well, and for some reason im drawn to the 1895 guide gun, I don't know if its the lever action or the short barell being weighted perfect for carrying IMO but a buddies dad has one and I cant help but ask him if I can fondle it every time im over there lol.
 
Rifter said:
My plan would be for it to be my carry gun in the bush(I do a lot of hiking/camping on crown land miles from the nearest road) and then also double duty for hunting, so I want it to have enough power to stop a grizzly, but at the same time be able to be tamed down(will likely get into reloading) to hunt smaller game.

My original plan was a Remington 870 tactical for my bush carry gun but it doesn't double duty for hunting nearly as well, and for some reason im drawn to the 1895 guide gun, I don't know if its the lever action or the short barell being weighted perfect for carrying IMO but a buddies dad has one and I cant help but ask him if I can fondle it every time im over there lol.
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I bought an 1895SBL more then a year ago for similar reasons/uses you mention. I picked up a 'Safari Ching Sling' and this things a dream. I haven't taken the shotty with me on "bush trips" since. It's my new 'everything' gun:) you won't be disappointed.

Ps: start learning how to reload....45-70 gets expensive! ;)
 
Rifter said:
My plan would be for it to be my carry gun in the bush(I do a lot of hiking/camping on crown land miles from the nearest road) and then also double duty for hunting, so I want it to have enough power to stop a grizzly, but at the same time be able to be tamed down(will likely get into reloading) to hunt smaller game.
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No need to throttle back for smaller game like deer. My pet 45-70 load runs 1950 fps with a 418gr cast bullet. Might be a little sporty in the Guide Gun but it can't be any worse than it is in my 1885 and with a full magazine the Guide Gun might handle the load even better.
 
For about 5 years in a row I carried nothing but a Guide Gun loaded with 405gr Rem or 400gr Speer's and each year I took a deer, a couple years I took two. Ive never had any problems with that rifle/ammo combo on deer. Meat damage is very very minimal. I only wish I would get a chance to shoot a moose or elk with it soon.
 
I packed my 1895GS in 45-70 for appr the same time but I was working as a self employed freeminer so along with my handguns on my ATC this rifle went everywhere with me.

While I carried/shot many different weights of bullets from 300gr - 550gr my favorite bullets for what I was doing were 350gr Swift 350gr A-Frame/525gr Beartooth Piledrivers/550gr Jae-Bok Young Craters.
 
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