there seems to be two schools here, one says penetration but if you dont hit vitals in a defensive situation you might be bear poop the other expansion but you might not penetrate enough your bear poop. i like hunting with my guide gun but when you shoot around big bears the dinner bell rings and you might be defending your kill. should i have both in the tube? alternate? or stay at home andlive a long and boring life but as i say, there is no shame in being old but there is in not being able to tell good stories. thanks!

Boomstick-If I was around "Big Bears" all the time and only had the 45-70,I would use the 405 grain Kodiaks(Super Premium Bonded Core) with a heavy charge of H-322.There made in Alaska just for that and used in Wild West guns new carbines in 457 and 500 also.

I edited to give you this link on an interesting Article on Bullets and Alaskan Bears and the 45-70 also!
http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?tocid=1532&magid=104

Jayco

North Fork.

www.northforkbullets.com

wow! awesome article jaycocreek!

They were recommended to me by a friend whom lives in Alaska and spends the summer in North Idaho.He has a fishing boat and does alot of Bear hunting off his boat and they kill alot of Big Bears with the 338/375 and 45-70.He swears by the 405 Kodiak Bullet for the 45-70 for a close range thumper...He's alot like that Ed from the article I posted.

I like to hear this stuff from those that have used and done it. Not what should work!!!!!

Jayco

I would use woodleigh's 405gr Flat point especially designed for the 45/70.

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
I would use woodleigh's 405gr Flat point especially designed for the 45/70.

PC-There pretty soft like the Hawk bullets.They expand rapidly but do hold together but penetration suffers from the expantion.I know a guy who just tested them in Alaska on Moose leftovers and it was impressive but expanded alittle to much in my opinion.

I will hunt for the pictures and you can see...

Jayco

Posted on another forum is the 500 grain Interbond and the 405 grain Woodleigh.Both shot out of a Ruger #1 which the velocities are slightly more in this case than can be achieved in the 45-70.


The Woodleigh is a great boolit but it only appears to me it is softer than needed and made for the 45-70.The North Fork is also a great one for the 45-70/450 Marlin in fact the Swift A-Frame/Nosler and Barnes arn't bad either..

To each his own......Jayco

Jayco,

it certainly does hang together and that bullet is designed for 45/70 speeds, I think it is a great bullet as it does not shed it's core you get big expansion at the speeds 45/70's are made for. I imagine if you drove it at lott speeds it would suffer from over expansion.

Depends what your after suppose, I think it is a lot better bullet than a hawk all the same.

Here is a picture of a 350 grain North Fork takin from a 6X6 Bull at a lazered 213 yards with a 45-70.Muzzle velocity was 2183 fps(22 inch barrel and pressure checked) and it went in breaking bone from the start at the front leg and recovered just inside the hide on the far side by a super guy that loves the North Fork Bullets.


Jayco

good stuff jaycocreek...1000 words woth + + +

looks like expansion was about .6" these bullets are just like tools i guess, use the right one for the right job and it looks like it got the job done here...sounds like plenty of penetration to me.

i wonder what the retained weight was.

thaks for all the great posts, keep em comming