1876 for Brown Bear

[EG73]

Not gunna happen but what cartridge would you choose, if having to go with original ballistics?

I think .45-75 because the 350gr bullets going to have better penetration than the 300gr .50-95’s.

Next question is would you, if you could?

[RIDERED350r]

I may be mistaken, but didn't the 50-95 also use a 350gr bullet?

I'd say with the right type of cast bullet, either would get the job done.

As to if I could, would I... Probably not, just because there are better options from just a little bit later in that time period. I would prefer an 1886 in 45-90 or 50-110 loaded stout

[barbarossa]

Possibly a Winchester 1895 in 405 win

[Bill in Oregon]

Interesting question, as I would seem to have a '76 in .50-95 in the house.
Cartridges of the World, 17th edition, lists the .45-75 factory load as a 350-grain bullet at 1,383 fps, giving 1,485 foot-pounds.
COW lists the .50-95 factory load as a 300-grain bullet 1,557, for 1,615 foot-pounds.
It would be instructive to do side-by-side penetration tests with these two loads; my money would be on the .45-75, but not by a whole lot.
I am using Tom Ball's Accurate Mold 51-350CL and will test it as soon as I receive the .50 Alaskan brass I scrounged up for shortening and conversion.
By the way, Mike Venturino in "Shooting Leverguns of the Old West" reported 1501 fps out of the .50-95 with a 314-grain gas-checked NEI bullet, over 85 grains of the old Goex Cartridge, and 1,442 out of the .45-75 with a 324-grain RCBS bullet over 70 grains of Goex FFg.

[veeman]

I shoot 350 grain bullets in both my 50/95 and 45/75, Barnes in the .50 and Berry's in the .45. If it could take a griz in the 1800's, it can do it now. Bears aren't any tougher. I cast bullets for both and are the main bullets for both. Even the 45/60 like the 350 grainers.

[Griff]

I'm not particularly fond of bear meat... so I hope y'all forgive for taking a pass. I believe my 45-70 in the 1886 will get the job done... and with better sights, the Sharps 1874 in .40-90SBN will also, with the added advantage I can remain farther away!

[GunnyMack]

This thread reminds me of the old adage when hunting elephants-
Get as close as you can then get 5 steps closer.

[coyote nose]

The OPs question refers to which 1876 cartridge would you use, not which gun. In the 1876 I would use the 45-75. I shoot hard cast bullets in my Chaparral, 60% Linotype, 40% lead, with a load of 777 or Pyrodex RS. They are accurate, they are tough. Never shot any bear let alone a Brown. Probably would spoil my pants if I saw one close but in the 76 I think the 45-75 is the way to go.

[Bill in Oregon]

The 350-grain bullet used in the .45-75 has a definite advantage in predicted penetration; a .459 bullet of that weight has an S.D. of .237 vs .191 for the .512, 350-grain pill. If you compare it with the original factory-loaded 300-grain bullet, the .50-95 pill has an SD of only .163, although supposedly traveling about 150 fps faster at the muzzle.

[Ray]

Autumn of 1884 bighorn mountains.....

Theodore Roosevelt.....

“I shall not soon forget the first one I killed. We had found where he had been feeding on the carcass of an elk; and followed his trail into a dense pine forest, fairly choked with fallen timber. While noiselessly and slowly threading our way through the thickest part of it I saw Merrifield, who was directly ahead of me, sink suddenly to his knees and turn half round, his face fairly ablaze with excitement. Cocking my rifle and stepping quickly forward, I found myself face to face with the great bear, who was less than twenty five feet off—not eight steps. He had been roused from his sleep by our approach; he sat up in his lair, and turned his huge head slowly towards us. At that distance and in such a place it was very necessary to kill or disable him at the first fire; doubtless my face was pretty white, but the blue barrel was as steady as a rock as I glanced along it until I could see the top of the bear fairly between his two sinister looking eyes; as I pulled the trigger I jumped aside out of the smoke, to be ready if he charged; but it was needless, for the great brute was struggling in the death agony, and, as you will see when I bring home his skin, the bullet hole in his skull was as exactly between his eyes as if I had measured the distance with a carpenters rule. This bear was nearly nine feet long and weighed over a thousand pounds. Each of my other bears, which were smaller, needed two bullets apiece; Merrifield killed each of his with a single shot.”

Wasn't a 1876 .45-75 used on this hunt ?

[Drawdown]

Yes it was Ray

[Drawdown]

20231019_165116.jpg

[Drawdown]

20231019_165050.jpg

[EG73]

20231019_165050.jpg

That’s interesting. Seems he thought it just fine for the times.
Also didn’t know he owned a Bullard.

[Bill in Oregon]

Four rounds at 50 yards yesterday, Uberti 1876, .50-95, trimmed and formed Starline .50 Alaskan brass, Accurate 51-350CL, sized .515 and lubed with SPG clone over 33 grains AA 5744. I'll chronograph this when I have a chance.

[Grizz]

That looks great!

[EG73]

Autumn of 1884 bighorn mountains.....

Theodore Roosevelt.....

“I shall not soon forget the first one I killed. We had found where he had been feeding on the carcass of an elk; and followed his trail into a dense pine forest, fairly choked with fallen timber. While noiselessly and slowly threading our way through the thickest part of it I saw Merrifield, who was directly ahead of me, sink suddenly to his knees and turn half round, his face fairly ablaze with excitement. Cocking my rifle and stepping quickly forward, I found myself face to face with the great bear, who was less than twenty five feet off—not eight steps. He had been roused from his sleep by our approach; he sat up in his lair, and turned his huge head slowly towards us. At that distance and in such a place it was very necessary to kill or disable him at the first fire; doubtless my face was pretty white, but the blue barrel was as steady as a rock as I glanced along it until I could see the top of the bear fairly between his two sinister looking eyes; as I pulled the trigger I jumped aside out of the smoke, to be ready if he charged; but it was needless, for the great brute was struggling in the death agony, and, as you will see when I bring home his skin, the bullet hole in his skull was as exactly between his eyes as if I had measured the distance with a carpenters rule. This bear was nearly nine feet long and weighed over a thousand pounds. Each of my other bears, which were smaller, needed two bullets apiece; Merrifield killed each of his with a single shot.”

Wasn't a 1876 .45-75 used on this hunt ?

Which book was this from? (If a book).

I gotta order a copy of the one listed above.

[Ray]

https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org ... %20Grizzly

https://www.amazon.com/Hunting-Trips-Ra ... 0375751521

[buckeyeshooter]

1886 Winchester, chambered in 50-110 Winchester shooting the .535 grain Woodleigh RN at about 2000 fps.

[oldebear1950]

I was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska twice , when I was in the US COAST GUARD, FROM 1975 - 1978, and again from 1983 - 1986. I carried both a Ruger #1 with really hot loads with 500 grain Barnes solid bullets, and various 1895 Marlin's with as strong a load as I could get with 350 barnes solids for brownie. I never ran into a bear, but was a comfort.
At that time the Alaskan fish and game department recommended to guns for defense against brown bears, the Marlin and Ruger 45-70s, and a good 12 guage with slugs.
That was it, no pistols were recommended.
In the 1970s the perferred pistol was always a 44 mag.
In the 1980s that had changed dramaticly, to the 454 casull.
But the two long guns stayed the same,

[EG73]

1886 Winchester, chambered in 50-110 Winchester shooting the .535 grain Woodleigh RN at about 2000 fps.

Doesn’t appear to be a winchester 1876

[Bearskinner]

After shooting my family (original 1876, built in 1876) centennial 45/75 in Raton last year, with Trailboss loads, I felt it was pretty anemic. I’m working on a SR4759 load for it. I’m powder coating and gas checking some 350 grain .459’s. I’ll bring it up slowly, as the Rifle is perfect, and after 148 years in the family I don’t want to be the one to damage the toggles. This has got me thinking about a spring black bear hunt here. I usually only hunt with a handgun, but this would be a fantastic exception.

[buckeyeshooter]

1886 Winchester, chambered in 50-110 Winchester shooting the .535 grain Woodleigh RN at about 2000 fps.

Doesn’t appear to be a winchester 1876

Correct. I don't own one. But the 1886 I have and a Marlin 1895 Cowboy that has been reworked to .50 Alaskan. The 1876 is the same design as my uberti yellowboy and I shoot that with 44-40 black powder loads for cowboy action. I do not even shoot smokeless in it. I put the 1876 in the same category. I like my body without parts being chewed off by an angry grizzly or brown bear, so I'll cheat and use a stronger design.