Goin' black bear hunting, got my new rig yesterday!

Kizmo

Kizmo

New member
I've never been black bear hunting (or any bear hunting for that matter), so I'm booking a hunt for next year. I found a peach of a 1972 Marlin 1895 pre-micro groove rifling and decided to top it with a Leupold VX-6 1-6x24mm with the Firedot duplex reticle. Rifle and scope came in yesterday.

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With the scope, I get one free customized turret, so I'm trying to decide on a load to go with. I realize a custom turret on a .45-70 is a lot like teats on a boar hog. It's pretty much a 200 yard gun at most. Anyway, I was thinking about using Garret Hammerheads but they don't post all the values necessary to get the custom turret. Also, i'm beginning to wonder if Garret loads be overkill for black bear?

Any thoughts from you bear hunters &/or .45-70 aficionados would be greatly appreciated.

PS-I don't reload.
 
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Pretty much any bullet that you shoot out of a 45-70 will stop a blackbear with no problems. I shoot the hornady leverevolutions out of my guide gun and they are amazingly accurate and expand really well.
 
IMO, when it comes to bears there is no such thing as TOO MUCH GUN!
Never used Garret's after looking at the price I see why. I've used my Marlin 444 for bear when I lived in Colorado and the 265 grainers did just fine.
 
Thanks fellas. I don't know squat about bears and this is the first .45-70 I've ever owned, so y'all keep it coming.

motown-I've shot those leverevolutions out of my .45 LC pistol. Haven't seen them in .45-70.

Rbreb-yeah, those Garrets are high dollar stuff. I'm thinking that if .444 265 grainers did the job, .45-70 regular 405gr JSP's ought to as well. I'll probably go ahead and load up my S&W 29 with Garrets, just in case of a Close Encounter of the Bear Kind.
 
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Great rifle... I have a 1974 issue M1895 .45-70 that I have tipped over quite a few whitetails in the timber with. After the first few bucks got slammed I nicknamed the rifle "The Hammer." My rifle...

 
Hey Kizmo. Assuming you aren't taking long shots over clear cuts or something the 45.70 is a great choice for black bear.

I shot a monster with my 45.70 a couple weeks ago. Here's the link:

Manitoba black bear

If you're interested I can hook you up with the contact info for the guy I go with. Good outfit and reasonable cost.

wily
 
Nice rifle !



As for black bears, they aint real tuff. They are tuff to get a good blood trail on sometimes. Tracking can be troublesome ,esp if raining.

My bud just got a 45-70 and is using Buffalo Bore, they shoot really well.

My wife and I have killed 15 blackies and have used 30-06, shotgun, 300wsm and archery so far.

2 things I like when shooting black bear. 1. big entrance hole and 2. a bigger exit hole.
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Kizmo the hornadys are a 325 grain bullet moving at close to 2100fps and you can still find them priced half decently around $30 a box. I setp my guide gun with a 2.75 power leupold scout scope and at 100 yards i normally average around 3/4" groups which is about half of what i really expected.
 
Thanks for all the info fellas. I've never bear hunted, as most of the counties in Georgia with a bear season are way up in north Georgia.

I'm expecting 1-2 MOA at best. I get a 3/4" group at 100 yards, y'all will all hear me hooting.

Tim-I forgot about Buffalo Bore. I'll check their loads out.

GC-that rifle looks like my rifle's younger brother!
 
I get 5-shot groups at 100 yards with my 444 Marlin that all shots are touching. This is with a VX II 2-7x33 scope. You will quickly fall in love with your Marlin Big Bore, This is the last gun I will ever get rid of.
 
I think you made an excellent choice for your black bear hunt. Love the rifle, and is a perfect candidate IMO. I prefer lever guns of .358 or larger for my black bear hunting. I have a bunch of them, but my 444 and 348 seem to be the ones I go to most often.

A Garrett Hammerhead is certainly not needed to drop a blackie, but if that is what you want to use, it will most certainly get the job done.

If I had more time, I'd post some pics of a few. But right now I'm runnin' late for a softball game. Maybe later.........
 
Killing a poor little old black bear with a 45-70.
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Anything that shoots good out of your new (good Looking gun) will kill a blacky.
 
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