What caliber do I need next

Double rifle in 450/400 3"

I second the 458wm. Very versatile if you reload. I shoot 400gr ppsn woodlieghs at 2400fps. Zeroed at 100 I hit just below a tallboy can at 200 yards. Not bad for a stopper. It flat out crunches black bears. Light loads with cast bullets it's a big pellet gun. 405gr rem flat nose and trail boss it's a trapdoor specd gun. Then you can load it up to an absolute beast of a standard action
 
If you don't shoot past 200 the 45-70 is not a handicap at all. It can be safely loaded up to some pretty serious horsepower(and recoil) levels! Do give it a chance.

As to another rifle, the 458 wm is just a slight extention of a loaded up 45-70, you may want to go one step further and look at the Lott, or as stated earlier, maybe a double rifle? 470 nitro express?

There is a lot of crossover with the big bores, hard to say how one will do something the next one won't. They all work!

My larger bores include:
375 Ruger (Ruger 77guide)
405 Win (1895 Winchester)
45-70 (Marlin 1895G & 1874 Sharps)
454 Casull (Rossi 92)
458 WM (Ruger No.1-H)

I had a 416 Rigby, but sold it to fund the 405 purchase. It was an awesome calibre, shot a few deer with it, lol. What I didn't care for so much was it was a large, clumsy rifle(to me). CZ550 safari classic. The rifle just did not fit me properly, was too nice to cut down, so I let it go to someone else. I much preferred my 458 wm to it(fit me way better). I do feel the 416 Rigby is a more versatile calibre than the 458 wm though.
 
I think 458 WinMag makes the most sense for your next thumper.

Load it down to 45-70 levels or up to being a true elephant cartridge.

it can be used for all big game in North America.
 
Last edited:
More time afield with what you do have. Need blood on the 45-70. Another black bear thumper I think would be great is 20 gauge rifle barrelled semi auto throwing those 1/2” ~275 gr pills around 1900 fps. Benelli had one that was very accurate from what I read. Similar range to 45-70. How’s your optics rangefinding package? Always some upgrades to be made there if money burning holes in pockets. Buy a hunt? What about ruger 77/44 or 77/357? Pc9 perhaps? Build a cargo trailer offgrid 4-season weekend warrior hunting and fishing adventure pod with diesel heater, solar and some ice fishing holes? Safe queens are meh, get out there and use what ya got. ;)
 
If you are wanting a stainless, laminate rifle that still gives some thump on critters, is fun to carry and shoot, and can still handle any critter that walks in NA, then you may want to look at the BLR T/D in 358 Win that is currently listed in the EE. It even comes with a couple extra magazines which is a good thing for quick and handy reloading. (And no, it is not my rifle. I have a pre-81 in this caliber that has seen a lot of action and carrying as my back up rifle for archery hunting, guiding and for carrying on the atv or horseback, and has taken a few elk and was back up on a friend's grizzly hunt when there was still a hunt.)

It will handle grizzlies out to 250 yards, is light and handy, can be very accurate, and in the T/D version even handier to transport to/from your favourite hunting areas.

While it may not have the same level of thump as your larger bores, it is a fun gun that will put a smile on your face!
(I also have rifles chambered to 9.3x62, 376 Steyr and 416 Taylor, and really enjoy them, but must admit that I have carried the 358 more than these over the years, mostly because it is handier. I may not own the following but have shot, carried and/or hunted with rifles in 458 Win and Lott, 500-450 3 1/4", 375H&H Improved, and 510 Wells.)
 
If you want your next rifle to be a nice blue and walnut rifle, and money you have, get someone to make you something sweet in a smaller caliber that you’ll want to use all the time! 30-06, 270, 308, 9.3x62, 7mm rem mag…. With a nice optic and nice open sights!
Just my opinion though and maybe you can find yourself a really nice used one like some of the used rifle on the Martini web site!
 
BlackRam said:
If you are wanting a stainless, laminate rifle that still gives some thump on critters, is fun to carry and shoot, and can still handle any critter that walks in NA, then you may want to look at the BLR T/D in 358 Win that is currently listed in the EE. It even comes with a couple extra magazines which is a good thing for quick and handy reloading. (And no, it is not my rifle. I have a pre-81 in this caliber that has seen a lot of action and carrying as my back up rifle for archery hunting, guiding and for carrying on the atv or horseback, and has taken a few elk and was back up on a friend's grizzly hunt when there was still a hunt.)

It will handle grizzlies out to 250 yards, is light and handy, can be very accurate, and in the T/D version even handier to transport to/from your favourite hunting areas.

While it may not have the same level of thump as your larger bores, it is a fun gun that will put a smile on your face!
(I also have rifles chambered to 9.3x62, 376 Steyr and 416 Taylor, and really enjoy them, but must admit that I have carried the 358 more than these over the years, mostly because it is handier. I may not own the following but have shot, carried and/or hunted with rifles in 458 Win and Lott, 500-450 3 1/4", 375H&H Improved, and 510 Wells.)
Click to expand...

Agreed. The BLR SS t/d is 358 is my go-to rifle. Very under-rated rifle and chambering IMO. On the off chance you feel the 358 win isn't enough, you can always reach for your 338 win mag.
 
The essential calibres are 223 Rem and 308 Win. You could sprinkle a 270 or 30/06 on top of those. Everything else is luxury.
 
Buckmastr said:
The essential calibres are 223 Rem and 308 Win. You could sprinkle a 270 or 30/06 on top of those. Everything else is luxury.
Click to expand...

I mostly agree with that. Every hunter should get A .223 and a case of ammo (if they don't reload)

.223 is cheap to shoot and handload, you can shoot one all day and not get fatigued. Practice with a .223 will make you a better shooter, no question.

The bigger rifle can be a .308/30-06 300 magnum or whatever. I have at least 20 .223 rifles in various configurations.

I've killed black bear and deer with a .223 and would use it on a moose if I had the proper bullet. It is a killer cartridge although it's not my first choice on a big game hutning trip. But it is for sure the best training cartridge out there...Cheap and has similar trajectory of most larger hunting rounds.
 
Life's too short to limit ourselves to a mere handful of "essential" calibers, that sounds boring.

Sure a 308 or 30.06 could do it all in Canada but that is so utilitarian.

I think the following are a starting point for what everyone should own:

-22LR
-223/5.56
-38/357
-6.5mm
-7mm
-30cal
-338cal
-358cal
-375cal
-416cal
-458cal
-12 guage
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom