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Bears and Leverguns

Colonel Plink
I had posted over in "General" about wanting a big-bore lever gun for the remote possibility of bear hunting. So I went out to my "Man-Cave" to look up the ballistics on the common, big-caliber lever actions. A couple of the manuals I have say that 444, 450 Marlin and even 45-70 aren't powerful enough for the big bears. Geez-Louise! What in the heck would be? And can I get it in a Lever action for under a grand?
It's all pretty hypothetical at this point, but I'm curious nonetheless.

"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Bert H.
    Kodiak Browns are indeed very BIG bears[:0]. If I were to hunt one of them with a lever-action rifle, it would either be a Winchester Model 1895 chambered for .405 W.C.F., or it would be a Winchester Model 71 in 348 Win. The .405 WCF would be my first choice due to the larger bullet it launches (a .411 diameter, 300 grain JSP @2250 fps). Either cartridge will do the trick as long as you don't piss the bear off first[:D]. Recoil is a bit on the brutal side though[:0][B)].

    Now, truth be told, my personal preference to shoot a Kodiak Brown would be a custom built bolt action rifle chambered for the .50 BMG cartridge[}:)]... whomever gets up first after the shot wins[:D]

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a WINCHESTER Single-Shot!
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  • Colonel Plink
    quote:Originally posted by Bert H.
    Kodiak Browns are indeed very BIG bears[:0]. If I were to hunt one of them with a lever-action rifle, it would either be a Winchester Model 1895 chambered for .405 W.C.F., or it would be a Winchester Model 71 in 348 Win. The .405 WCF would be my first choice due to the larger bullet it launches (a .411 diameter, 300 grain JSP @2250 fps). Either cartridge will do the trick as long as you don't piss the bear off first[:D]. Recoil is a bit on the brutal side though[:0][B)].

    Now, truth be told, my personal preference to shoot a Kodiak Brown would be a custom built bolt action rifle chambered for the .50 BMG cartridge[}:)]... whomever gets up first after the shot wins[:D]

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a WINCHESTER Single-Shot!


    Good to know. I've shot My dad's 1895 in 30-40 and even it has an authoritative pop.

    I like your theory on the BMG. [:D]

    While reading some gun rag or another I ran across a Marlin (I think) that had been 'smithed to the S&W 500. Looked interesting and expensive. Maybe not as pricey as an Winchester 1895 in 405, but still over my $1,000 (hypothetical) cap.

    "When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
    Hunter S. Thompson"
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  • aglore
    quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink


    While reading some gun rag or another I ran across a Marlin (I think) that had been 'smithed to the S&W 500. Looked interesting and expensive. Maybe not as pricey as an Winchester 1895 in 405, but still over my $1,000 (hypothetical) cap.


    I don't think the Marlin will handle the pressures of the 500 S&W. The Marlin will handle about 48,000 to 52,000 CUP and the 500 S&W is running well above that in pressure. 60,000 PSI.

    AlleninAlaska
    Delta Firearms & Supplies
    http://www.galleryofguns.com

    aglore@gci.net
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  • allechalley
    Savage made the 99 in .358 Win. and a few .375 Win. but they are rare to find. Also Browning made the BLR in .348 Win., .358Win. and .300 WinMag and .450 Marlin. Marlin .450 Marlin Mag. All of the above are rarer to be found and all, I assume, hand out some fair amount of recoil. Still, it beats trying to bull dog a bear.
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  • Talking Head
    Russell Johnson, a gunsmith out of Coopers Landing, Alaska had a great idea back in the mid/late 50's, he took a Winchester 71 in .348 Win., re-barreled it to 458 caliber, then blew out the cartridge some, and expanded the neck to .458 caliber, and created the .450 Alaskan. A little later he did the same in .50 caliber and created the .50 Alaskan. Story is with the .50 Alaskan he couldn't find a decent .50 cal hunting bullet back then, so he took .50 BMG bullets out of old miltary surplus rounds, and loaded them backwards in the case so the blunt,flat base of the bullet impacted the animal, was suppose to have been very effective on bears.

    Wild West Guns makes conversions of the Marlin 1895 to .50 Alaskan and their own cartridge the 457 Wild West, a lengthened 45-70 case.
    LINK:

    http://www.wildwestguns.com


    Or, you could get a Browning BLR with a magnum action and re-chamber/re-barrel it to .458 Win. Mag., plenty of power there.

    Happy_Camp.gif
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  • Jim Rau
    For my trip to Kodiak (which did not happen because I did not draw a tag) I was going to take my 45-70 Guides Rifle. My only question was "What load"? Well after reading about the 400 gr Cor-Bon killing TWO cape buffs with ONE shot I decieded on that load. If that will not be good enough to stop a BIG bear I don't know what would!!![^]

    Self defence is an ablsolute and natural right. Keep your powder dry! J. Rau, Alaska
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  • kingjoey
    I've been considering the 1895GS in 45.70 with hot loads, but something in the .458 WM would make me feel better.

    Love them Beavers
    info_EB.gifth_israelC3.gif Here's an extra one for you Hairy th_israelC3.gif
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  • Talking Head
    Good point by Jim Rau, you get some of the 45-70 hot loads by Cor-Bon or Buffalo Bore or Garrett, or hot load you're own, you could use a Marlin 95 for Grizzly. Some guy recently used the Garretts in a Marlin in Africa on Cape Buffalo, Rhino, and Elephant, stretching it a bit but they worked.

    LINKS:

    http://www.garrettcartridges.com/

    http://www.buffalobore.com

    If loaded right and with a good bullet you can get a 45-70 almost up 458 Win Mag power, not quite, but almost, and use it in a Marlin 95.

    Happy_Camp.gif
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  • Colonel Plink
    quote:Originally posted by aglore
    quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink


    While reading some gun rag or another I ran across a Marlin (I think) that had been 'smithed to the S&W 500. Looked interesting and expensive. Maybe not as pricey as an Winchester 1895 in 405, but still over my $1,000 (hypothetical) cap.


    I don't think the Marlin will handle the pressures of the 500 S&W. The Marlin will handle about 48,000 to 52,000 CUP and the 500 S&W is running well above that in pressure. 60,000 PSI.

    AlleninAlaska
    Delta Firearms & Supplies
    http://www.galleryofguns.com

    aglore@gci.net




    It was either in G&A or American Rifleman within the last three months

    "When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
    Hunter S. Thompson"
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  • gskyhawk
    how about the new Winchester 1895 in 30-06 or 405 win ? I know a shop that has at least 2 in 30-06 and I think they have 1 in 405
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  • rusty3040
    i rebarreled a 1895 winchester to 35 whelen for my bear rifle , it makes a great bear rifle and is a cheap and easy conversion
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