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Looking for a 45-70 lever action

Discussion in 'Buy and Sell' started by carcus, Nov 22, 2021.

  1. carcus

    carcus Well-Known Member

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    My new moose hunting area has grizzlies and probably polar bears, I would like to have a gun in camp for protection as we are bowhunters, thinking a 45-70 would be the gun to have, preferably stainless, anyone have one they want to part with?
     
  2. chrism

    chrism Well-Known Member

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    May I suggest a 12g shotgun with slugs. Best bear gun made. Have shot a few nuisance bears in my day, nothing works better IMHO. 700 gr hunk o lead at 1600fps has some serious knock-down power
    Put it thru the front quarters, and they won't take a step - break bone is what you want to do.
     
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  3. carcus

    carcus Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Chris, That was my other option, only thing is the gun would be used as a backup if one of us has a bow failure, not sure on range of the shot gun slug, 100 yards and in is fine, I don't want to shoot past that anyway. The shotgun would need open sights
     
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  4. chrism

    chrism Well-Known Member

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    Smoothbore slug 50 - 75yds is about max
    Rifled shotgun with sabots (way smaller lead) prob 100-125yds.

    I would opt for a smoothbore and 1oz slugs. More knockdown. Moosing the way you hunt, will rarely have to shoot past 50 yds

    think of a slug gun as a longer range bow with serious ooomph.
     
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  5. Patty

    Patty Well-Known Member

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    There is nothing in North America that says no to a 12ga slug!!! I wouldn’t have any issues telling a grizzly where to go and how to do it with a 12ga lol

    If your dead set in the rifle side of things, I think there are a few other options cartridge wise (.444, .450 etc) that may be a bit better (or not?) or have better bullet selection than the ole 45-70... That said I’m not familiar with those big bore cartridges...
     
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  6. carcus

    carcus Well-Known Member

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    Thanks guys, if I go shot gun route I would like a stainless one with open sights on it, what brand do you suggest ? I had started a thread on another forum comparing the 450 bushmaster vs 45-70 almost all the responses where pro 4570 for what I am using it for. Idk... I just love the looks of the marlin lever actions!
     
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  7. Green

    Green Well-Known Member

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    Chiappa 1887 Lever-Action Shotgun 12GA/22″BBL
     
  8. Patty

    Patty Well-Known Member

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    Remington 870 marine magnum, find a used one... I even have a aftermarket stock set up for one... never should have got rid of mine lol
     
  9. mulefan

    mulefan Well-Known Member

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    Since there have been no new Marlin's since Remington went bankrupt, people are asking crazy money for one. If you wait a bit Ruger has announced they will be releasing them soon. They bought the Marlin division from Remington. Not a good time price wise to be looking for a Marlin. I'm with you, I've been in the market for a .444 for awhile. Just waiting it out at this point
     
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  10. lewbank

    lewbank Well-Known Member

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    45-70 are elephant guns, and perfect for stopping a giant bear. Like the others said, a 12 guage slug is hard to beat, but 45-70s are great too.

    Sent from my SM-G981W using Tapatalk
     
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  11. carcus

    carcus Well-Known Member

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    I noticed that, crazy money, $ 2000-3000 for new or slightly used
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2021
  12. mulefan

    mulefan Well-Known Member

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  13. carcus

    carcus Well-Known Member

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  14. Frank_NK28

    Frank_NK28 Well-Known Member

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    I'm 100% a shotgun guy when it comes to protection from all manner of predators, two-legged or four. I have a Rem 870 Tactical with 6 round detachable box magazine. Bought it brand new last year at Prophet River for $749...ammo for a 12ga is more readily available anywhere you travel and much more affordable than a 45-70 or 444 etc. I don't hunt or plink with it so being carried as a back-up gun is not really a consideration for me but I would not hesitate to put a slug through a moose, deer, bear etc out to 100 yards with it. There is no shortage of STOP in a 12ga slug out to 100 yards!! Heck there is plenty in a 20ga slug too and I would not hesitate to punch a deer out to 75 or 100 yards with a slug through my 20ga or a moose out 50 or 75 yards.....this is the 870 I purchased for a "protection" gun. It's not as pretty as a classic lever rifle but with a 6 shot mag enabling a total of 7 rounds with one in the chamber there is plenty of predator stopping power readily available in a fairly short and fast reloading platform....perfect for a camp gun!

    IMG_7555.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2021
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  15. Patty

    Patty Well-Known Member

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    Hey @Frank_NK28 I have a nice tactical stock that will fit that 870 if your interested!!!
     
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  16. Frank_NK28

    Frank_NK28 Well-Known Member

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    @Patty thanks but I had a choice of synthetic tactical or wood "police styled" stocks when I bought it and chose the wood version. I am an old FUDD at heart when it comes to guns...what can I say? I like wood stocks. :thumbsup1:
     
  17. mulefan

    mulefan Well-Known Member

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    I have to agree with Frank on this though. Bar none, the most practical camp defense, hunting gun for anything is a 12 gauge. I take my 12 when I go fishing for a week, just better to have and not need than need and not have. I hunt fowl and small game with it, but I bought a three barrel combo that also has a rifled cantilevered barrel that I can mount an optic on. In my zone here there is no rifle season for deer, only bow, black powder and shotgun. They are reasonably priced, and ammo is cheap. I don't deal with brown bear here only black so double odd buck is plenty for that nuisance. If I do ever go bear hunting I will go with a big bore lever though, I guess it's just in my head. As useful as a shotgun is, there is no rifle as beautiful as a lever, and Marlin, in my opinion, makes the best. Love the winchesters and browning blrs, don't get me wrong, but I like a pistol grip stock with side eject. I also prefer the look of a tubular magazine vs the browning box mag. You can find any number of companies that chamber all calibers.
     
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  18. carcus

    carcus Well-Known Member

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    I ended up going the shotgun route, I purchased a benelli supernova tactical pump action, less expensive and probably a better bear defense option
     
  19. carcus

    carcus Well-Known Member

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    Hopefully never have to use it! 20220422_211603.jpg 20220422_204800.jpg

    Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk
     
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  20. mulefan

    mulefan Well-Known Member

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    Nice!!!