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For BIG bears, there is hardly a better 'normal' gun for the guide, than a heavily loaded M1895 Marlin.
; My buddy's 18 1/2" Guide gun gets 2,007 fps with 400 gr. Barnes FN with standard listed 34,000PSI loads. Considering his particular rifle is getting 150fps higher velocities than the book says he should, his pressure must be higher than the books says - yet - fired cases give no indications at all of other than soft loads - [primers, mesurements, extraction, all indicate low pressure.
; Considering Harold Johnson of Cooper's Landing, Alaska liked his .450 Alaskan M86 Winchester loaded with 400gr. Barnes FN's at 1,900fps for protection from the coastal browns, the modern Marlins seem to stand up quite well on their own, even the short barreled ones.
; People lacking in experience with the larger bores seem to lack an appreciation for what a seemingly 'standard' velocity, large calibre round does to game. They look at the straight case compared to the radically necked modern ones, or to the cavernous cases designed for the low presssure requirements double guns using volitile cordite powders, and fail to realize that within standards for today pressure and still 20,000psi lower than many of the considered normal modern rounds, they are equal or adequate in performance when compared to the old favourites.
; Frank C. Barnes, in Ctg. of the world, when writing the 'brief' on the .45/70 ammo's use in a Model 86 lever action, wrote that that round gave "impressive knockdown on our largest species of big game". He was talking of a 400gr. bullet, 53gr. 3031 at 1,850fps as well as referring to moose, elk and brown/grizzly bears. Today, we drive the same weight but better constructed bullets at upwards of 2,100fps, in similar rifles, yet some people are still thinking in the black powder age.
; I cannot fathom why a .40 cal. 400gr. bullet at 2,050fps(suggested velocity) that penetrates completely through a buffalo, is immensley superior to a .458 calibre, 400gr. bullet travelling at the same speed(chronographed velocity), that penetrates completely through a buff.

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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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