Author Topic: .45 colt schofield and black bear (Read 869 times)

rvtrav · « **on:** September 08, 2005, 05:46:29 PM »

Hello everyone,

I've posted a few questions previously about uberti's schofield.

Tonight I've just got back from southern Utah from a black bear hunt. I'm proud to report that the S&W copy works quite well on the critters!
I killed a 300+ pound old sow (its legal in utah if they do not have cubs)

I'm gonna get some technical advice from my neihbor and try to post some pics. also tomorrow I'm taking the hide/head into the fish and game office, (required in utah) they can tell me the age as well.everyone Present that I was hunting with said that she was at least a 10 to 12 year old and one of the bigger bears for the region.

I'll keep you all posted, rvtrav

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2005, 10:53:14 AM »

sounds like a neat hunting gun. Im sure your going to get the normal (that aint enough gun) crap. But you and i know what a good hardcast swc at even 700fps will do to an animal.

Shorty · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2005, 08:38:34 AM »

"That ain't enough gun" :wink:

Well, maybe if I was shooting from a running position, behind me! :wink:

Drain Rock · « **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2005, 12:35:47 PM »

rvtrav

Details please. Ive been having second thoughts about carrying a colt clone in 45lc with appropriate colt level loads while packing out meat in a forth coming hunt in Colorado. Ill be by myself this year, so Ill have to bone out the critters and spend a couple of days trudging up and down the mountain backpacking them out. I didnt want to carry the weight of my sharps rifle up and down the mountain if I can avoid it, plan on relying on my italian colt, which is much lighter to carry than my rugers, to repeal any and all varmints. At 9 to 12 thousand feet half pound makes a lot of difference to a 60 year old body.

Your bagging a black bear with a 45 schofield is very encouraging, since the colt loads are a little hotter.

Maybe Ive just been hunting too much in grisly bear country where the guys with elk meat are the ones that often get killed by the grisly(s). Either that or they used too little gun one the bear and the bear wins the fight. Ive forgotten that black bears are easier to put down and the chances are slim for me running into to a grisly outside of Glenwood Springs.

Harold

rvtrav · « **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2005, 03:22:20 PM »

IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y9/retiredBT/Tbearweb2.jpg[/IMG]

some pics of the bear.

rvtrav · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2005, 03:34:56 PM »

Drain Rock,

The load that I used was rather mild for the .45 colt. even the replicas.
I used 9.0 gr. unique behind a 250 gr hornady xtp (I panicked at the last minute about utah law requireing an expanding bullet) however I have had exellent accuracy from the same load and my cast 255 flat points, that was my intention to use them in the first place.

The speer #12 manual goes up to 9.5 gr unique for the "standard" pressure listings giving a 250 gr pill 940fps.

I would hate to see a listing for you in the obits based on my advise, but as the pictures show, The loading I used was effective. If colorado doesn't object I would recommend a good cast bullet instead of the jacketed stuff though.

rvtrav · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2005, 03:37:32 PM »

Drain Rock · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2005, 07:48:23 PM »

rvtrav

Good hunt, great shooting. Good pictures.

Colorado has the same wording about expanding bullets. But, honest officer lead bullets do expanda little. I plan on using hard cast semi-wadcutters, 255 gr. at around 900 fps. with properly placed shots that load should do the deed on most critters. Even though I plan on avoiding a bear/human confrontation if possible, the boy scout in me has to be prepared. If for no other reason, I still have one more child to put through school.

Where did you hit ursus americanus and how many times? What kind of peniration and expansion did those expanding bullets achieve?

Harold

rvtrav · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2005, 03:23:25 PM »

Drain rock,

I've got a Uberti SAA with a 5 1/2" barrel that is a great packin' gun much like what you've got planned. I like that weapon for carry too.
Due to avoiding a real nasty bear and dog tangle, I shot urus several times while I had a open shot in the tree.
The fellow shaking my hand in the picture, Shaun Anderson advised me to keep taking shots while I could to ensure that the bear did not hit the ground with any life in it, as that we did have dogs present and in the meley if it could put up a fight would be impossible to seperate dog and bear for a clear shot once on the ground.
The first was through the heart lungs and probably was the killer shot, the second went from a front facing bear, through the shoulder, and just as it fell, the third (aimed at the chest) was a head shot.
Those XTPs penetrated clear through, and I did recover one from the shoulder shot, it hadn't expanded or opened up at all, It looked pristene except for the rifling marks. (so much for the "expanding type" bullet theory.)