45-70 or 300 Weatherby

[leadshot]

My son has both and is going on his first Black Bear hunt south of Hudson Bay. Would you use the 45-70 or 300 Weatherby? Thanks for the advice.

 

[J E Custom]

My son has both and is going on his first Black Bear hunt south of Hudson Bay. Would you use the 45-70 or 300 Weatherby? Thanks for the advice.

For stand hunting the 45/70 will be fine but if your going to spot and stalk where distance
will/could be over 200yards I would chose the 300 WM.

J E CUSTOM

 

[theodore]

Don't know much about the 45-70 performance on bears. But I do know that is the preferred gun for defense against kodiak bears in Alaska.

The 45-70 is not a long range gun, the 300 weatherby is an excellent choice for long range.

 

[angus-5024]

If the counrty doesnt allow long shots, or your son is up for a good stalk then take the 45-70 (is it a marlin?). They are so much fun for black bear hunts. The way I think is if I cant shoot it from far away then I want to shoot it as close as I can. The 45-70 is the perfect close quarters bear gun. If your son is looking to be versitile take the 300 wby. both are awsome calibers.

 

[eric2381]

If it's over bait, take the 45-70. If it's spot and stalk on cutlines or open meadows, take the 300 Wby

 

[trebark]

Why not take them both? 45-70 for close work and 300mag if there's a possibility of a long shot?

 

[JUDD]

If it's over bait, take the 45-70. If it's spot and stalk on cutlines or open meadows, take the 300 Wby

+1 on this.

Killed my cananda bear with a Marlin 45-70 huntin over bait. Its was just the ticket for my first bruin!

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I shot a Maine blackie last year with the 45-70 using a 350gr FP Hornady bullet @ about 1,900 ft/sec. The bear didn't get far enough away to even get out of sight.

Out to 100yds or so the big fat, slow bullets have rather impressive terminal performance. Even the 300 Wby doesn't normally expand to 80 cal. but the 45-70 does.

 

[akksolo]

I would agree that he should take both rifles, i have one of each and have hunted with the lever as much as the bolt in weabm, the bolt has all the harvests, but i mostly hunted the high country in Alaska and long shots are plenty..but the bolt is not fun in the alder forests and the lever is quite handy..no matter what use a good performing bullet and assure good shot placement...good hunting

 

[BCID]

The 300 wby will work up close or far out , it would be my choice but both would work.

 

[akksolo]

very true i have shot a wolf at 30 yards with my 300 and caribou at over 450 it will do the job without a doubt the lever is just more nimble in the brush

 

[eaglesnester]

I shoot a 300 Weatherby and live and hunt in the northern interior of B.C. Canada. I hunt spring bear and the Roy has never let me down. I load er up with RE22 and Burger 190 gr. Drops em like a bag of rocks. Leave the 45/70 home the Roy will do it all for you. Enough said.

Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester

 

[bigngreen]

Try 300gr HP's in the 45-70, it will shock you what it will do, under 300yrds I all ways grab the 45-70 over the 300WBY. My 45-70 is on a Mauser 98 so I smoke them out there as hard as possible. We have killed several elk with both and in closer there is no comparison, I have hit spooked running elk with both and when the 300grainer hits there feet stop moving and they pile, the 300 WBY takes a few hits less a hit in the CNS. You can push them hard in a Marlin also but the load I use would chunk a Winchester.

 

[alaska]

45-70 with a good 350 grain Hornady in the Marlin at 2000 FPS makes a excellent bear gun .........with a good low power scope .

Another good load is the 350 grain Speer FN that I use in my Ruger No 1 in 45-70 with Reloader 7 or IMR 4198 again around 2000 FPS really stomps the grizzlies and Black Bears.

My MK 5 in 300 weatherby with 180 gr at 3295 FPS with IMR 7828 is very good long range bear and moose medicine here in Alaska zero 4" high at 100 yards and it's only 19" low at 500 yards.......excellent . Only thing the rifle is a little heavy to carry up the hills.