Shotgun Vs. 45/70 or like rifles

Polar Bear Protection Which Do You Prefer?

  • Total voters
    97
I used to carry a 12 gauge 870 Express with a 18.5" rifle sight barrel, extended mag tube, shoulder sling that I put 7 rounds on for storage when transporting in vehicle or when the gun was unloaded (these are the rounds that I loaded the gun with, I didn't shoot with them on the sling). I also keep an extra 4 rounds on my Cadwell Ridge butt stock holder.

Due to not being able to find slugs that I personally felt where fast/hard/heavy enough, I have now switched to carrying a Marlin 1895GS 45-70 which I load with my own reloads of 550gr Crater hard cast bullets @ 1600fps when in big bear country and 420gr Crater hard casts, 400gr Speer JFP's and Rem 405gr JFP's @ 1950fps when I'm only dealing with black's.

I find the 45-70 lever gun easier/lighter/handier to pack than my shotgun as well.
 
My advice would be to bring both. In or near town shooting a heavy rifle, is dangerous, you wouldn't want your bullet to exit a bear and hit something unintended. If you are heading out of town the .45-70 certainly has a penetration edge, but it's a little harsh on ptarmigan if you want some while you're out. Good heavy handloads in the .45-70 will certainly out perform a shotgun. While running into trouble with a big male is possible, it is far more likely that a juvinile is the one causing problems, but a 400 pound problem bear is still a problem.

Let me know when you're coming and I can show you some good places to see them bears.
 
Both those choices are girl guns :p

Try an old 70-150 instead. Here it is next to a shotgun shell.

Patrone70-150WCF.jpg
 
bump for great justice, as its been awhile since weve had a bear defense thread.... and this isnt even regular bears, its Polor Barez! :runaway:

also wondering if anyones opinions have changed in the last 5 years (5 year anniversary - these threads must never die!).

well folks? what would you rather have if this were you:
polarbearchase.jpg
 
Why not the 450 marlin guide gun basically a heated up 45-70 then you can buy the factory hot ammo
 
Well, if you ask me i'd say the shotgun. Its more versatile. The ammo is cheaper and available at crappy tire. Magnum 00 buck mixed with slugs makes short work out of anything. Bear repellant is normally at very short range.
The 45/70 can be pricey and you'd have to get into reloading it, especially if you live somewhere remote. Good bush gun mind you.
 
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I think that new Hornady Leverevolutino ammo would work just fine--- no need to handload with those puppies.
I think it's a toss up between the two for me. Just comes down to what you're most familiar with shooting.
 
Who is taking photographs of the guy playing musical chairs with a polar instead of trying to help him? His ex-wife?

If you are safe enough to be taking those photos I expect you are inside a vehicle, or at least on a snowmobile with the engine running, and you should be using it to do something to draw the bear off.
 
TheTooner said:
Who is taking photographs of the guy playing musical chairs with a polar instead of trying to help him? His ex-wife?

If you are safe enough to be taking those photos I expect you are inside a vehicle, or at least on a snowmobile with the engine running, and you should be using it to do something to draw the bear off.
Click to expand...

my thought as well. there may be more than 1 other guy too, since there are 2 trucks. the series of photos is from several years ago.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...hilling-game-hide-seek-hungry-polar-bear.html
is the guy smiling in the second photo? i think by the end he realized that the bear wasnt playing :)
 
Foxer said:
It's got a little more range, hits maybe a little harder.

Not that shotguns are bad choices - but a good lever rifle with the right handloads is hard to beat.

If you can't handload, it might be a little different.

If for some reason you'd RATHER carry the shotgun, maybe it's lighter or whatever, that's fine. But a 45-70 is a pretty deadly little blaster.
Click to expand...

:D
Survival firearm in high arctic?

Bin there ......dun that.

Mosy or Remington 12 gauge Marine Magnum or DA Grizzy.

Any tough questions?

Muzzle energy of factory loaded 12 gauge - about 3000 ft-lbs.

Muzzle energy of factory loaded .45-70 ammo - around 2000 ft-lbs.

Range - You won't be making anything more than 50 yard shots on polar bears with either of them as they both have "garden hose" trajectories.

The 12 gauge slugs are very accurate in my 870's.

Marine Magnum is impervious to rust & weather & the pump action is very reliable doesn't jam or freeze up if not over lubricated with the wrong oil.

I've own Marlin levers .......30-30 Win., 35 Rem., .444 & have had occasional jams.......the Rem. 870 pump never jams in my hands because I've fired so many shots with that action.

The 12 gauge can double as a sustenance firearm for Arctic Ptarmigan & hares which were plentiful as pizz ants at a picnic when I was in the Arctic in the 80's. With a shotgun you could bag 2 or more with one shot......a plus if ammo is limited in a survival situation.

Good luck hitting a ptarmigan with a .45-70 & having anything more than the feet & wings left to put in the pot.

12 gauge shells are easier to pull apart than a rifle cartridge if you need some powder to help start fires with damp scrap lumber & stuff because there are no trees in the arctic.......not a major point .......but a point that could save your life.
 
I'll not wade into that debate of 45/70 vs 12 Ga., but all those heavy factory loads mentioned are easy to duplicate at home with a good hard 400+ grain cast flat point and heavy dose of H-335, H-322, or AA2015. I've used the 480gr. flat pt to 1900 fps and I'm sure no bear would share my enthusiasm. Folks using these types of loads should make sure they are prepared for the recoil with lots of practice before they venture out. Some of the other loads mentioned may lack the length/hardness/penetration to stop big stuff quickly, like the leverevolution or .450 Marlin factory loads.
 
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