45 colt black bear

[45stomp]

Stalked and shot this 300# plus bear opening day of season this fall.
The firearm is a 45 colt built on a sized down version of my own falling block action.
The boolit is a 280 plain base with a .340" meplat, cast of 50:50 (ww-pure lead) at 1100FPS.
Range was 20 yards. Boolit went in thru the tricep muscle, and exited the mid ribs on the offside. Bear managed a short dash of about 30 yards and tipped over.
Cheers,
Stomp:)




https://i.postimg.cc/hJgrPVr5/20200815-175751.jpg (https://postimg.cc/hJgrPVr5)

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[rhemcla]

Congrats 45stomp!
You said you used your own falling block action?

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[Gtrubicon]

Beautiful bear!

[Outpost75]

Bravo Zulu! Nice bear and a great rifle and load combo!

[45stomp]

Congrats 45stomp!
You said you used your own falling block action?

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Thanks,
Yes, my own design and build, I have made several now, but this one is especially handy. Finished weight is just under 4.5# with one in the pipe.
I am seriously considering building another, and documenting the process for a book.

Here's a thread about a previous build.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?325040-My-Rifle-Action


Stomp

[45workhorse]

And folks think the lonely 45 ain't enough gun. Nicely done and nice single shot!

[444ttd]

nice bear!!!!!!

[rhemcla]

Just read the other thread, the action looks great...and it is in my favorite caliber: 45/70!!

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[Markopolo]

Nice job... I bet he was a "bear" to get out of the woods.... 45 colt is plenty of gun!!!!

[Edward]

There is no doubt with the photo of that heart his days were numbered (45) /Congrats Ed

[45stomp]

Thanks guys. This was my first bear with this level of power. I shot several others with 45 colt, but with 325 grain cast at higher velocity. 1500+fps
I didn't see any real difference, but further testing is required.
To the laboratory!:lol:

Stomp

[fcvan]

Stomp45, very nice rifle build, and a great result, albeit not so nice for the bear :) I read the entire thread from the link you posted and enjoyed the detail. I have pondered building a falling block after reading several threads like this. I will not be building a 45 Colt, I already have an H&R 1871 Classic Carbine, with a 20" bbl. I bought that after they quit production and they were being blown at at $225, best deal I ever made.

Well, maybe a close second was an Old Molder Ruger Vaquero chambered in 38-40. It had sat in the case at a local gun store for so long there were dust bunnies in the cylinder. I decided I would buy it, and the lady, I had known for 30 plus years said 'no one was interested because of the odd caliber.' Then she explained she had ordered 3 of the OM Vaqueros, 38-40, 44 Mag, and 45 Colt. It turns out the 44 Mag was purchased by a friend.

The price tag listed the 2005 price (last year of OM production) and she said 'well, that's the price I guess, new Rugers go for a lot more.' Yup, $200 more. Then she said 'I'll get the box and put it aside. It comes with a spare cylinder for 40 S&W.' I bet if others had known that the gun would have been snatched up. As an aside, I only fired 40 S&W when I first received the gun, I was still waiting on brass and dies for 38-40.

Well, once I got the carbine in 45 Colt, which was after I had the 38-40, I just had to find an OM Vaquero in 45 Colt. My Wife and I were at a gun show and she finagled the purchase of that for me by my neighbor. Cool, I had a pistol to go with that carbine. He snatched it up before I could but by the end of the day it was in my hands. I think she did that in part because I bought her a 3.75 inch Ruger SBH 44 Mag at that same show. That gun was so new the test brass was 10 days old, and model wasn't on their website until the following day. My Wife is a Ruger freak, probably since the first pistol I ever bought her was a Ruger.

A long winded prologue for the conclusion. I don't have a carbine to go with the 38-40, I think I need to build one. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Markopolo]

soooooo how did you get him out of the woods??????

[Tripplebeards]

Awsome!!!!!!

[45stomp]

soooooo how did you get him out of the woods??????

He actually fell only a short drag from my driveway. I hunted him on my own property. So I was able, with help, to drag him to the road, and scoot his heavy butt up into my utility trailer for the short ride to the skinning shed.


Stomp

[Tripplebeards]

Lol. The last one I shot was 350 pounds. I was barrel stacking 806 pound farm tires at head level in my work's warehouse for practice at the time. I still didn't get far in my dragging process. lol. I got my buddy and a quad runner with a small trailer hooked to it. Two of us dragging it up hill out of the swamp, after the sun went down, to the trailer a good 100 yards was enough for me.

[Gone_rabid]

Beautiful bear!

I’ve been wanting to get one but only been once in WV, without dogs.

[EMC45]

Nice bear! Super cool rifle! What is the barrel length on that little beast?

[DougGuy]

soooooo how did you get him out of the woods??????

Some years back a guy took a blackie in PA with a 585lb bear, field dressed! Had he left the guts, would have been an all time state record for PA. It took 6 men a total of 16hrs to get him out of the woods and into the bed of a truck, If I remember reading that correctly.

Edit: Wow I did a search for this bear, and I didn't find this specific one, but I found that there have been a BUNCH of 800+ lb black bears killed in PA! One was taken at 5 yards with a handgun, but the 879lb record was taken with a bow and arrow...

[45stomp]

Nice bear! Super cool rifle! What is the barrel length on that little beast?

Thanks.
It's 14 inches.

Stomp

[HawgBonz]

Great hunt, Stomp! Mucho congrats and thanks much for posting.
Love the pics and I'm diggin that very "handy" lookin piece!! :razz:
Nice work! d:^)

[doghawg]

Congrats on a beautiful bear and a really well placed shot! I hope to do the same thing in a couple of weeks.

[KMac]

Conrats on the Bear. And that rifle is awesome. Looking forward to the book, will buy one for sure when it is available.

[sharps4590]

What am I reading here? The impossible? You honestly mean to say you killed something bigger than a jack rabbit that didn't take a $4.00, solid copper bullet at 3500 fps fired from a rifle with a 36X, laser range finding, BDC scope....at less than 1000 yards? Blasphemy!! Can't be done with the armor plated game of today.....

To which I say, BS. Well done, outstanding bear and to have taken it not only with a load you put up but a rifle you built as well. That's some, that is!!!

[45stomp]

Thanks guys, I'm in the process of final finishing this rifle now that it has been properly initiated and understands it's purpose:smile:. I'll post finished pics in a day or 2.

Stomp :drinks:

[45stomp]

Finally finished her up.
Nothing fancy like my last build, just a light, compact, handy little package, capable of significant horsepower if needed.
Outfitted with swivel studs for a regular sling, as well as attachment for a single point sling. Useful for still hunting or sitting in a stand.
I was trying to achieve a deep red stock finish like the old Winchester's. I'm fairly pleased with the outcome.
Weight is 4.5# loaded including the sling.

Cheers,
Stomp :drinks:


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[onelight]

Wow I like that ! It looks like a great rifle for thick woods hunting . Should be a handy and fun.

[rking22]

Very nice, I like nice lightweight rifles! Looks to be a heavy hitter too.

[versa-06]

Top notch in my book I must say! (Of course I have a small book) but the quality in that bang stick is Impressive!! Nice Work Mate! Thanks for sharin'.

[jonp]

Well done!

[Conditor22]

Thats a good looking dog, nice lines and color

[Edward]

Nice bear /nice shot and a really nice rifle built by a talented bear shooter :bigsmyl2:

[big bore 99]

Very good job!

[45stomp]

Thanks guys.
Conditor22, thanks, she's a pretty good porch warmer:grin:

Stomp.

[BobT]

Congrats on a fantastic bear, a wonderful rifle and a beautiful dog!

[woodbutcher]

[smilie=s: Very nice Sir.Only one thing that I don`t like about it.It does`nt reside in my gun rack:lol:.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[Tom_in_AZ]

Awesome bear!


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[Hank Ryan]

Awesome bear, helpful bear, and a curious bear.

[missionary5155]

Good morning and Congratulations !
That hunt has to be very satisfying on all accounts. Building your own design and putting it to the real test.
Thank you for the write up and excellent photos plus adding the link to the original build..... Thank you !!!

[Eddie Southgate]

Thanks.
It's 14 inches.

Stomp

Did you have to register it as an SBR ? Congratulations on the bear and the beautiful rifle .

[45stomp]

Canada has no SBR restrictions. If it's not semi auto, and overall length exceeds 26 inches, it's non restricted. Can't cut a barrel shorter than 18", but can make a new one to any length as long as OAL remains 26"+

We can legally put a butt stock on a mares leg and go hunting.
Can't hunt with pistols though.

Cheers,
Stomp