Kodiak Island hunt report

[wyobohunter]

I loaned my Marlin 1895 GS 45-70 to a friend for a Kodiak Island Bear/Deer combo hunt. He is interested in getting one of these rifles as he shot mine at the end of this years Goat hunt. I figured I'd let him field test mine before slapping down the dough. Three conditions, 1: if he hurts my baby or loses her in the drink he replaces it with all the upgrades, 2:I keep all the brass and extra ammo he accumulates between practice and hunting, 3: he gives me a performance report.

Rifle

- Marlin 1895 GS 45-70 govt w/
- XS sight systems Ghost ring sights.... .191" I.D aperture
- Wild West "Bear Proof Ejector"
- Trigger cleaned and lightened to 3.5#
- Action cleaned and smoothed

Ammo

- Cor-Bon 460 gr. hard cast
- Velocity = 1650 fps (advertised not chronied)
- Energy = 2780 ft/lbs (advertised)

-Buffalo Bore 430 gr. hard cast
- Velocity = 1925 fps (advertised not chronied)
- Energy = 3539 ft/lbs (calculated base on advertised V)


Game Taken

-Brown bear (smallish, 7' 1.25")
-Range ≈ 75 yds
-Hit: two simultanious shots with 300 win. mag (bullet wt/type unknown) and 45-70 w/460 gr. hard cast. One hit in shoulder, one in chest (didn't dig out bullets to find which hit was which cartridge).
-Bear was stone dead

-Sitka blacktail x 2
-range ≈ 75 and 85 yds
-Both hit with Buffalo Bore 430 gr. hard cast
-Both hit shoulder bone and passed through completely (one breaking far side front quarter bone prior to exit, one exit through ribs) both stone dead with little to no meat damage.

I'd be curious to see how she does on a larger bear, but not every bear on Kodiak Island is an eleven footer. I got my rifle back in the same condition as it was when lent out plus a full box of very expensive ammo and a good chunk of brass.

After his father in law got his bear, he switched to bow hunting without packing a rifle (which he's never done on Kodiak) because he said that he has never fealt more confident than he did with the handy little thumper being carried as a backup. Wish I coulda been there.

 

[The Terminator]

It sounds like the rifle did well. I am glad to see that some of these are living up to their name sakes. Big game in the big state. I have quit shooting factory ammo from mine. Never again. All she gets is hand loads these days. I have a couple hundred 300 and a couple hundred 350 grain boxes of solids, and a couple boxes of 300 gr hollowpoints, plenty for Georgia. For a stout load I use 350 grs, and 50 grs of IMR 3031, for light loads I back it down to 40 grs of 3031. Even the light load will take down anything in the lower 48. How about a photo of your jewel?

 

[mnshortdraw]

45/70

A lot of folks here using the Marlin guide gun in 45/70. If I was bear hunting, I think I would be using that combination. My buddy took a 9'6" brownie at the south side of the island that came back to life after 7 rounds from the 300wsm. He is now buying either a 45/70 or a 375h&h.