"Winchester Legends" TV Show

[Mike D.]

I just caught an episode of this program where the host/hunter headed to BC to shoot a Black Bear on a Spring hunt. He was using a new Winchester 1886 with 300 grain jacketed of some form from Winchester. He kinda embarrassed the gun by insisting that he shoot from 50 yds or less. He ended up taking the bear at only 30 yds, with two shots required to endo it. Well, he didn't have any faith in the weak old .45-70, did he? With a proper handload I would not hesitate to dump a bear at 125 yds. This show is all about Winchester arms and ammo, but it left me a bit cold.

[Rube Burrows]

I caught it one time. If I remember correctly, the one I seen they were hunting rams.

[kimwcook]

Now, they're putting the ole 45-70 in the same box as the 30-30. Can't kill anything or not more than 50 yds. away. Unbelieveable.

[J Miller]

If a hunter does not know his rifle / ammo well enough to take decent shots at 100 to 150 yards, then he needs to get acquainted with it post haste. Even I know what my rifles do at that range, and I need practice.
If some yocal told me to get that close cos my rifle was under powdered I'd tell him to go pound sand.
As for taking two shots from a 45-70 drop a bear within 30 yards, that hunter could stand some practice and anatomy lessons.
I see nothing wrong with his rifle or ammo.

Joe

[AJMD429]

Instead of letting (I'm presuming here) some experienced bolt-gun hunter do a show on 'hunting with lever-actions', they need to have someone demonstrate it who has experience with LEVER-action guns. I'm sure there are guys on the forum who could consistently drop a bear with any number of Winchester leverguns in .45-70, .375, .38-55, .35 Rem, the 'mere' .30-30 Win, and many others I'm leaving out, and do it out to a couple hundred yards if and when necessary. Not that it has to be a show on "look how long a shot this guy took and still lucked out" kind of shooting, but they should at least keep it within the realm of what real lever-gun hunters are out there doing.

[Leverdude]

Might be had little faith in a puny 300 grain bullet. Thats about a varmint load in 45/70. Probably a hollow point too & thats why he needed two shots. I'll never understand hollow points in a .458.

[KirkD]

He kinda embarrassed the gun by insisting that he shoot from 50 yds or less.|

That is pathetic. If they are going to showcase a gun, get someone who knows the capabilities of the rifle and knows how to use it! My grandmother could (and did) do better than that.

[marlinman93]

You'll rarely (if ever!) see hunting involving handloads on TV today. Seems it wont sell ammo, and advertisers, so everything is always factory ammo when they list their equipment now.
I doubt the people making these shows even know how many hunters really handload for their hunts, like most of us do.

[Mike D.]

He was using, I believe, Winchester Ballistic Silver Tip 300 grain cartridges. Still, waiting until the bear walked within 30 yds is a bit of a slap in the face for their ammo.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

From the Winchester ammo site ...

The new bullet design was co-developed with Nosler® and incorporates a plastic tip to help prevent damage from recoil and improve downrange performance. The 300-grain bullet also features a black oxide coating to help reduce barrel fouling.

Marketing people amaze me at times. I think he should have taken a box of Remington 405 grain CoreLokt. He'd have probably been better off. I'd wager a few more bear have been successfully taken with that old 405 grain. I guess he was stuck with that plastic tipped BS since it's the Winchester Legends show.

[kaschi]

Keep in mind: Just 'cause they're on a TV show, doesn't mean they actually know what they're talking about!

[Buzzard II]

Like Dirty Harry said-A man has to know his limitations. Maybe this guy can't shoot worth spit, and he KNOWS it!