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Author Topic: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi  (Read 891 times)

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Offline brandonk_10

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2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« on: September 28, 2009, 04:56:51 AM »
Well after about 10 years of applying I finally drew a kill tag for a bear.  I probably could have gotten one sooner but I was waiting for my brother to get one so we could go together.  I thought you guys might want a report on how the rifle and load performed.

We decided to hunt over bait rather than with dogs.  I was really curious how my .45-70 would perform on bear so I decided that was the gun I was going to use.  I loaded up some Remington 405 grain soft points in front of a fairly stiff charge of IMR 4198.  This guy came in about a half hour before dark and was about 50 yards away slightly quartering away.  I put the crosshairs directly behind the front shoulder and squeezed the trigger...and I have no idea what the bear did after that.  All I saw was muzzle flash and a scope hitting my eye.  The recoil really is nothing to laugh at!  Well I got up to the bait and he was laying about 15 yards from where I shot him.  After skinning him I found that the bullet went through three ribs, clipped the top of the heart, blew up a lung, and exited the opposite front shoulder.  There wasn't hardly any expansion and the penetration was pretty impressive.  I actually would have liked a little more expansion but I guess a dead bear is a dead bear.  I would definitely use the .45-70 for bear again.  Oh, and the Handi put the bullet right where I aimed.  ;)

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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2009, 05:06:19 AM »
Welcome aboard and congrats, thanks for sharing!!  ;)

Tim
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Offline Westbound

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2009, 06:34:11 AM »
Sounds like a good load, a good shot, and a great looking bear.

Congrats!!
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Offline petemi

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2009, 06:47:30 AM »
Ya done good.......the .45-70 too ;D :D ;)

Pete
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Offline PHATINJUN

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2009, 01:12:38 PM »
Congrats on the success. And welcome aboard Kurt
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2009, 01:23:05 PM »
Welcome aboard and good shooting. nice pics too - I always like pictures ;D
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Offline peternap

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2009, 01:40:02 PM »
Quote from: LaOtto222 on September 28, 2009, 01:23:05 PM
Welcome aboard and good shooting. nice pics too - I always like pictures ;D

Great Bear Brandonk...nothing like a 45/70

LaOtto, you might not like pictures after an hour with me. I take a thousand or so a week ;D

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Offline Lazermule

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2009, 01:48:27 PM »
Welcome and Congrats!  Looks like a nice bear.  I shot one as well this past weekend with my 45/70 handy.  All my butcher said was that I was using plenty of gun judging from the wound channel.  I'm pushing a 300 grain Barnes X at 2400 fps.  The bear was 300 lbs.



Lazer
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Offline OBXPilgrim

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2009, 02:35:37 PM »
"I actually would have liked a little more expansion"

Uhhh, I think that's the key with calibers that start with a "4" (or more).  Everything else needs to expand up to what you started with.  Not sure what more expansion would have gained - bear was dead 15 yards away, right?

Congrats on a nice kill.

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Offline blind ear

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2009, 03:08:32 PM »
"they are trying to get to where you started" I like the way you put that OXBPilgrim. I haven't thought of it that way before.
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Offline The Hermit

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2009, 03:44:30 PM »
Thanks for sharing with us, welcome aboard. A lot of us are partial to the 45-70 Handi as you can see.


    The Hermit
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Offline brandonk_10

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #11 on: October 02, 2009, 04:56:11 AM »
I guess the reason I was hoping for more expansion is there really wasn't a blood trail to speak of.  There were only a couple small drops and I can't help but think what would happen if I DIDN'T make a solid hit.  I was also kinda hoping to knock him down right there.  ;)  It really is amazing how much energy these animals can absorb.  But like you guys said, a dead bear is a dead bear.  I'm definitely happy with the performance, I'm just always open to improvement.

Lazer, I would definitely like to hear more about those Barnes's and what kind of performance you got out of them.
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Offline peternap

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #12 on: October 02, 2009, 09:55:24 AM »
Quote from: brandonk_10 on October 02, 2009, 04:56:11 AM
I guess the reason I was hoping for more expansion is there really wasn't a blood trail to speak of.  There were only a couple small drops and I can't help but think what would happen if I DIDN'T make a solid hit.  I was also kinda hoping to knock him down right there.  ;)  It really is amazing how much energy these animals can absorb.  But like you guys said, a dead bear is a dead bear.  I'm definitely happy with the performance, I'm just always open to improvement.

Lazer, I would definitely like to hear more about those Barnes's and what kind of performance you got out of them.

I've never shot a bear with anything, that left much blood trail. That includes 12 ga slugs.
Bears have thick coats even in summer and the coat just acts like a sponge. The fat on fall bears also tends to block bleeding. Thankfully, they usually run in a straight line.
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Offline teddy12b

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #13 on: October 02, 2009, 10:25:18 AM »
Congrats!
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Offline Lazermule

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #14 on: October 02, 2009, 01:11:49 PM »
Quote from: brandonk_10 on October 02, 2009, 04:56:11 AM
I guess the reason I was hoping for more expansion is there really wasn't a blood trail to speak of.  There were only a couple small drops and I can't help but think what would happen if I DIDN'T make a solid hit.  I was also kinda hoping to knock him down right there.  ;)  It really is amazing how much energy these animals can absorb.  But like you guys said, a dead bear is a dead bear.  I'm definitely happy with the performance, I'm just always open to improvement.

Lazer, I would definitely like to hear more about those Barnes's and what kind of performance you got out of them.

Brandon,

I have been happy with the Barnes in every caliber I have loaded them in (204 Ruger, 25-06, 7mm-08, 7mm Rem Mag and of course the 45/70).  I also load the Hornady 300gr HP over the same load of VV133.  Over that charge, the Barnes seems to show a bit more pressure signs and my shot was a pass through so I can and will probably tone the charge down a bit.  I also want to experiment with Varget as a propellant as well as it is a new found gem for me in other applications.

The bear I shot was a "bang flop" scenario and he expired right there in a pool of blood.  Had he taken a step anywhere, there most certainly would have been a blood trail.

On the range, the POI on the Barnes is about 1 inch lower than the Hornady and if memory serves me right and they both group pretty well but the Hornady is a bit tighter.

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Offline BBF

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2009, 07:48:37 AM »
At first, reading about the performance of the Rem. bullet had me puzzled and alarmed since it is loaded at very low V from the factory and I have a bunch of them here. They appear to be pure or almost pure lead with a thin jacket and should have opened up. Then I read on that the bullet exited.
         AH SO !!
 You judged the "mushroom" performance on the wound channel not on the bullet itself presuming you did't find it on the ground.

Phew !! all is well and serene again. :D

Last but not least.  CONGRATS, One shot, one dead animal, I like it ,I like it!
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Offline workin man

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #16 on: October 03, 2009, 06:57:21 PM »
Nicely done! You mentioned a poor blood trail, but you also mentioned the bullet got a bit of the heart. If the heart stops pumping, no blood is flowing = poor or no blood trail. I wouldn't be too concerned about it.

Jim
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Offline countryrebel

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #17 on: October 03, 2009, 07:32:28 PM »
Congrats to both of ya. Nice Bears.
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #18 on: October 04, 2009, 01:36:50 AM »
WELCOME & CONGRATS on the bear!!

 My first bear also fell to the 45-70!! 

I am surprised at the bullet performance. I gave up on heavy loads with the rem 405 as I found it too soft. But many here have used it with great success at top velocities, go figure. I like the 400 Speer, that's what I used back then. First shot broke both shoulders @ about 15 yards. She fell right on the bait. Started shaking all over and balled right there in front of me.. quite a site!!!



CW
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Offline D Humbarger

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Re: 2009 Wisconsin Bear Hunt - .45-70 Handi
« Reply #19 on: October 04, 2009, 01:51:20 AM »
Well done!  Congratulations.
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