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First year carrying a 45-70 bear hunting, just looking for some insight on ammo. Would like to know your experiences with different brands and bullet weights

learn to load your own shells .. barnes bullet in 300 grain works great ,, never seen one walk away ,probably the best gun for bears in the brush

Hornady Leverevolution 325 gr. is all you will ever need. About 3" high at 100 yards, to 4" low at 200 yards. I second reloading your own with the FTX bullets. Much, much cheaper to shoot.

Good replies!

I reload the 45-70 and have used a variety of bullets on big game up to large elk.

I have not used the LeverEvolution factory load on elk in 45-70 but I did use one in my 32 Winchester Special last fall to harves a nice meat cow elk at 188 yards, and the balance of expansion and penetration was quite good. Hit slightly behind the shoulder it angled thru the lungs, and ethe offside shoulder, and lodged under the hide. She mad about 10 wobbely steps and piled up. Admittedly at this range the velocity had dropped off a good bit and hence the bullet held together pretty good and penetrated but I am not sure how it would have worked up close in a tree if it was still moving at 2000 + FPS. My guess in the 45/70 it would be wicked!

The 300 Gr. Barnes TSX is my bullet of choice for stuff bigger than deer in the 45/70 and beleive me it is awesome. Care must be taken on ground bay ups on bear because a lot of times this missle flies right thru an elk like hot butter and it could kill a hound on the other side.

I load a lot of Hunters Supply 350 Gr. hard cast gas checked bullets for general shooting and practice. Much cheaper and still an accurate and effective load.


It is amazing to think here is a cartridge that is over a century old and still making new friends all the time.As fallriverwalker said still nothing better when things get dicey in the puckerbrush!!

Hornady leverevolution 325 grain has put everything down I have shot with it from elk to bear. Very accurate clover leaf at 100 yards. I watch for it to go on sale then stock up. I have been shooting a 45/70 since 1984 used to reload all of my own ammo, Hornady load took care of that hobby.
Darrel

Stay away from the tsx I had one come apart on a bear and wound up in the vet The cut pieces around the hollow point break off and are basically razor sharp pieces of shrapnel. Get something that won't come apart jmo