Help deciding

[akshrop]

Ok I am trying to make a decision on my next gun. Free fill to help, or talk about what you want next. I am torn between a .257 wby and a 45-70 gg. The 45-70 I think is more practical, but I really like the 257. My dad and brother both have one and they are very nice guns. They both fill a niche that I don’t have right now, well that may not be true, but that is what I tell myself and of course my wife. They are certainly very different tools, so it is not a dilemma like 450 or 45-70; it is just which one first. The 257 seems to be a good sheep/goat gun and the 45-70 an awesome brush gun. Now I beat the brush a lot and have never hunted for sheep or goat, but I want to. I am leaning to the 45-70, but I can’t shake the 257 bug.
Ok now shotguns. I really do need a new shotgun. I don’t have one that is less than 60 years old. I am thinking Benelli (super nova) it is affordable and really shoulders nice for me. The 870 just does not feel right to me. These are the two I have spent the must time looking, because of price and reliability, but I know there are other good options out there. What are you guys’ thoughts.

[LuJon]

I have a Mossberg 500 that I really like. It may get handed off to the wife if she decides she likes it and I will get myself a Benelli. If she doesn't take a fancy to it though it is in no danger of getting replaced any time soon.

Just to add to your decision making the 257 is also a great bou gun! The GG is only really aplicable for bears in the brush in my opinion. It will kill anything in AK but I wouldn't carry it for anything except bear, or maybe bison, for the same reason I would haul my 30-30 for blacktails, simply because it is the clasic caliber for that species not because it offers the best chance for success.

All that said I would have to grab the .257 because it is a frickin lazer, and just keep hauling my Mossberg 500 w/ the short barrel on it in the brush.

[Phil]

New Rifle

Well, I won (at a SCI banquet) a new rifle and had my choice of calibers since it had to be exchanged for a lefty. I chose a 300 WSM becaue I wanted something more powerful than my 06. However, you didn't ask about them so I would vote for the 257. I can remember when it was "all the rage" and my opinion hasn't changed.

As to shotguns, I don't like most of the new ones because I have always favored one with a short (21 or so inches) barrel. In fact I bought an 870 in 1953 and the first thing I did with it was have the barrel shortened & a polychoke put on it. Ended up 22 inches long. Everyone thought I was crazy until they hunted pheasants with me. So, if I bought a newer shotgun (I now have a 10 year old SPS 870) I would want one that could be shortened or an 870 with a short barrel. I doubt I would get one that shoots 3 1/2 inch shells since the 3 inch do just fine and I don't need the extra pounding.

Someone mentioned a Stoeger 2000 as a Benelli knock-off. I have a friend who bought one 2 years ago and is very happy with it.

[AlaskaCub]

45-70's are cool ...

in a Quigley Down under sort of way, but the 257 (depending on which one your looking at ) is a death ray in its Roy configuration! So I'd go 257

[.338 mag.]

Alaska ?

If I lived in Alaska I would get the 45-70. If I was state side and was hunting deer and antelope on a regular basis I would get the .257 Weatherby, the ballistics are impressive. A grizzly bear can be very impressive also! So for an Alaskan sheep rifle I would want a 7 mm or .30 caliber hole in the end of my barrel.

[AkHunter45]

The 45-70 is not only good for bear, you can kill moose and I know of one guy that shot a goat with his. If you don't have anything that can kill sheep at long distances I would go with the 257 but that's the only reason i'd go with that caiber. The 45-70 is an absolute hammer and with the right loads will drop a brownie like right now. If you bust a lot of brush while hunting I think you already know the answer to this question.

[Amigo Will]

I've used the 45/70 on everything from bear to goats in the full size Marlin and now use a Ruger #3 in 45/70. I would guess that whatever you get now the other will be gotten next year. For shotguns the Ithica is a good gun and you could probably fine a 60 year old one thats a good shooter.There are some nice SxS shotguns out there now but some junk also. The 257 could be used for most everything from varmits on up so its just what do you want first.

[Vance in AK]

Well since this isn't a 450 vs 45-70 debate (I have the 450) I would have to say the 45-70 Guide Gun hands down.
The 257 is indeed a laser, but if you look at a recent thread listing the avaerage shot distance on different species, you'll see that the "laser" isn't really needed for the most part. I have a 358 Norma Mag that will do fine on everything from Goats to Brownies, & in my opinion is a do-it-all caliber for Alaskan hunting.
BUT, the guide gun is jusp plain fun, easy to carry, & with good sights (I put on an XS ghost ring peep set) is a 200 yd gun on anything. And yeah, it really excells on stuff like bear & moose up close.
Want to get real wild with it, add a scout scope rail & QD scope rings for a little more precioion at the longer ranges. With the scope & good loads, learn your gun & it's a 250 yd gun with ease.