In essence, there are a few different ways of evaluating Big Bores and/or making a choice:
1) The practical approach.
2) The emotional /sentimental view.
3) The “luck of the draw”/circumstantial/incidental means.
4) Following “the leaders”.
5) Having tried one or more, why not “try” another one?
The practical approach: This involves such mundane issues as initial cost and subsequent outlay for scope and mounts, ammo, reloading components and availability of same. There’s a huge difference, for example, between the costs of feeding a .458 Winchester and a .470 Nitro Express. And when it matters to us that a .458 Win Mag can be had for around $1000 whereas a .470 will be at least ten times that amount, practicality dictates the purchase of the .458 Win Mag.
Another aspect of practical has to do with intended purpose. Not all Big Bores are created equal when it comes down to the actual hunting of mega fauna. In this respect, the all-up weight of the rifle and its recoil are real concerns! So is the physical conditioning of the hunter! The all too often complaint of PH’s and guides is that the hunter is in such poor shape that he can’t keep up the needed pace to track a herd of buffalo, let alone tote a 10 lb rifle! And, when the moment arrives to squeeze the trigger he has a severe case of the shakes because he’s afraid of the rifle! And, perhaps, the buffalo as well.
The sad truth is that by the time MOST hunters can AFFORD a real hunt in Africa for DG, or Alaska for the dreamt-of 10-ft brownie falling to a single shot from his custom .600 NE at a mere 3 yards… he’s into his sixties, retreaded, tired and badly out of shape!
Sooooo…. the practical approach insists that all the issues be faced squarely! No hiding from them!
Hard facts show unequivocally that the ancient .45-70 is far-and-away the most prolific and popular Big Bore. And there are good reasons why that is so. It far surpasses all of the other Big Bores, heaped together, in sheer numbers and popularity. AND, it has been successfully used on ALL the big game of the world, including the brown bear of Alaska AND the DG of Africa! It has been my most cherished and used class of firearm for well over two decades, and I’ve used a bunch of others including .375 H&Hs, .338s, .300 magnums and 7mm magnums.
But a rifle like this neat little .44 magnum carbine isn’t the answer either… Though it’s a great little gun for it’s intention: self protection in the woods while baiting bear, deer hunting, etc.
By the way, I’ve ordered some 330-grain Barnes Banded for my Marlin and Ruger. At around 2200 to 2400 fps, that would make a very practical load for bear, moose or deer out to a maximum of 300 yards, methinks. Will let you know testing results… which leads me to say that testing of the 480 DGX and the 325 FTX are not yet complete. That’ll take a few more weeks. As before mentioned, that’s why I like .458″ bore.
The emotional–sentimental view: Of course, this has to do with such unquantifiable things as traditional cartridges AND rifles. Also, the look and feel of the whole package. The wood must be “beautiful”, have good grain, color and texture. It must give a feeling of warmth and je ne sais quoi mystique, like that of the attraction of a warm, beautiful female. I must admit, I can’t relate… I’m more of the practical sort, I suppose.
On the other mitt, sentiment is a good thing when the rifle is a hand-me-down family heirloom, or the gift from a cherished friend.
The “luck of the draw”/incidental/circumstantial: You came across a “great buy” that couldn’t be passed-up! Hooray for you! It matters little if it’s a .577 Martini Henry or a .460 Weatherby… It’s a BIG BORE!! Really, though, to “luck into” a .45-70, .458WM, Lott or .416 Remington would be la creme de la creme! (Sorry, but my word program doesn’t have the correct accents!)
Following the “leaders”: Many don’t have a clue as to how to go about making such an awesome decision, so they make it simple by following the icons! They’re sure-and-certain that in choosing what their icon has bragged about they couldn’t go wrong. Really?
Having tried one, or more, why not try another? This is the jaded mind set. Boredom has taken up residence in the brain! It has nothing to do with need, nostalgia or practicality, it’s just “must have so I can become the authority and impress others with my experience and knowledge. Surely, they should listen to the expert!”
Well, there you have it… which one is THE best?
The .45-70, naturally! No, no… NO! NOT the .450 Marlin! It’s almost as good, just not quite.
Next time, I’ll try to explain that.
Shalom
BOB MITCHELL