Top 30 How Far Will A 45 70 Shoot Accurately Quick Answer

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While the effective range of the . 45-70 on individual targets was limited to about 1,000 yards (915 m) with either load, the heavier bullet produced lethal injuries at 3,500 yards (3,200 m).The . 45-70 Govt is very effective out to around 150 yards with minimal bullet drop, but it’s capable of great accuracy and longer range shooting as well. Using modern, smokeless powder, most of the ammunition manufacturers currently produce a wide variety of loads of varying power for the . 45-70.45-70 is a more powerful cartridge. While this isn’t an issue for medium game, it can give you better performance when you’re hunting big game. If you’re hunting elk, brown bear, or moose, stick with the . 45-70.

45-70 Ballistics Chart
Ammo Bullet Drop (Inches)
Barrel Length 100 yds.
Hornady – 325 GR FTX 24 3
Black Hills – 405 Grain LFN 24
Fiocchi – 405 Gr. LFN 24
22 thg 11, 2021

How many yards is a 45-70 accurate?

The . 45-70 Govt is very effective out to around 150 yards with minimal bullet drop, but it’s capable of great accuracy and longer range shooting as well. Using modern, smokeless powder, most of the ammunition manufacturers currently produce a wide variety of loads of varying power for the . 45-70.

Is a 45-70 A powerful rifle?

45-70 is a more powerful cartridge. While this isn’t an issue for medium game, it can give you better performance when you’re hunting big game. If you’re hunting elk, brown bear, or moose, stick with the . 45-70.

How much does a 45-70 drop at 100 yards?

45-70 Ballistics Chart
Ammo Bullet Drop (Inches)
Barrel Length 100 yds.
Hornady – 325 GR FTX 24 3
Black Hills – 405 Grain LFN 24
Fiocchi – 405 Gr. LFN 24
22 thg 11, 2021

What is a good accurate round at 1000 yards?

Best Long Range Rifle Caliber for Competition

Center fire competitions are held at 300, 600 and 1000 yards. Everything from 22 to 50-caliber is used, with the big bores in their own class. Generally, the 6mm to 338’s is the preferred choice. The smaller calibers have the advantage of lower recoil.

How far will a 45-70 Travel?

While the effective range of the . 45-70 on individual targets was limited to about 1,000 yards (915 m) with either load, the heavier bullet produced lethal injuries at 3,500 yards (3,200 m).

Is a 45-70 Too big for deer?

45-70 for deer hunting in thick conditions and it’s also quite effective on black bear, feral hogs, moose, and grizzly bears. While it can be a very effective cartridge on many species of African game, make sure you read the article below if you’re thinking about using the .

What is the most powerful lever-action rifle?

The . 50-110 WCF (also known as the . 50-100-450 WCF , with different loadings) in modern 1886 Winchesters with modern steel barrels is the most powerful lever-action cartridge, with up to 6,000 foot-pounds (8.1 kJ) of energy.

Which has more recoil 30-06 or 45-70?

The heavier bullets of the . 45-70 Government translate into quite a bit more recoil over the . 30-06 Springfield. Recoil impacts your ability to shoot your gun accurately, so make sure you are prepared for this extra recoil before investing in this caliber.

Which is better 45-70 or 444 Marlin?

444 Marlin load has a muzzle velocity that is almost 300 fps faster than the 325-grain . 45-70 load, it generates more energy out to 300 yards and, when sighted in three inches high at 100 yards, drops three inches less at 200 yards than the . 45-70.

What is bigger a 450 Bushmaster or a 45-70?

45-70 features a 2.105-inch rimmed case whereas the . 450 Bushmaster uses a 1.70-inch rebated-rim case. The . 45-70 offers more bullet weight options, from 225 to 500 grains, while the Bushmaster ranges from 158 to 300 grains.

What rifle did Chris Pratt use in Jurassic world?

Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) is seen carrying a stainless steel Marlin Model 1895SBL lever-action rifle with a gray laminated wood stock as his personal rifle of choice in the film.

Can you hunt elk with a 45-70?

While big bore lever-actions have long been a favorite of deep woods whitetail hunters, 21st Century reloading components and ammunition have made the . 45-70 much more versatile and easily capable of taking moose and elk out to 250 yards.

Which caliber shoots the farthest?

257 Weatherby Magnum, the flattest shooting hunting cartridge period, Next the 6.5-. 300 Weatherby Magnum, it outperforms any other 6.5 period, The . 30-378 Weatherby holds 120 grains of water and outperforms any other . 30 caliber cartridge and has the longest point blank range of any .

What is the flattest shooting caliber out to 500 yards?

Caliber by Caliber
Cartridge/Bullet MV 500 yd
6.5-300 Wby. Mag. / 153-gr. 3,220 49.1
27 Nosler / 130-gr. 3,593 43.6
27 Nosler / 150-gr. 3,400 45.4
7 RUM / 120-gr. 3,705 41.4
13 thg 8, 2021

What’s the best caliber for a sniper rifle?

Considered by many to be the optimum long-range, large-game cartridge, the . 300 Winchester Magnum has proven itself worldwide. It’s a top choice of military snipers and can launch heavy bullets with high speed and exceptional precision. Recoil is stiff and some find it hard to master.


45-70 Bullet Drop – Demonstrated and Explained
45-70 Bullet Drop – Demonstrated and Explained


.45-70 – Wikipedia

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45-70 Govt: The Ultimate Guide To What You Need To Know – Big Game Hunting Blog

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45-70 Ballistics Chart & Other Information

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45-70 Govt: The Ultimate Guide To What You Need To Know – Big Game Hunting Blog

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What is the range of a 45/70? | The High Road

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how far will a 45 70 shoot accurately

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.45-70 Government | Legacy rifle ammo still good in 2021?

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Wikipedia

Rifle cartridge designed by the U.S. Army

The .45-70 rifle cartridge, also known as the .45-70 Government and .45-70 Springfield, was developed at the U.S. Army’s Springfield Armory for use in the Springfield Model 1873, which is known to collectors as the “Trapdoor Springfield.” The new cartridge was a replacement for the stop-gap .50-70 Government cartridge, which had been adopted in 1866, one year after the end of the American Civil War.

Nomenclature [ edit ]

The new cartridge was completely identified as the .45-70-405, but was also referred to as the “.45 Government” cartridge in commercial catalogs. The nomenclature of the time was based on three properties of the cartridge:

.45: nominal diameter of bullet, measured in decimal inches, i.e., 0.458 inches (11.63 mm);

70: weight of black powder, measured in grains, i.e., 70 grains (4.56 g);

405: weight of lead bullet, measured in grains, i.e., 405 grains (26.38 g).

The minimum acceptable accuracy of the .45-70 from the 1873 Springfield was approximately 4 inches (100 mm) at 100 yards (91 m), however, the heavy, slow-moving bullet had a “rainbow” trajectory, the bullet dropping multiple yards (meters) at ranges greater than a few hundred yards (meters). A skilled shooter, firing at known range, could consistently hit targets that were 6 × 6 feet (1.8 m) at 600 yards (550 m)—the Army standard target. It was a skill valuable mainly in mass or volley fire, since accurate aimed fire on a man-sized target was effective only to about 200–300 yards (180–270 m).

After the Sandy Hook tests of 1879, a new variation of the .45-70 cartridge was produced: the .45-70-500, which fired a heavier, 500 grain, (32.57 g) bullet. The heavier bullet produced significantly superior ballistics, and could reach ranges of 3,350 yards (3,120 m), which were beyond the maximum range of the .45-70-405. While the effective range of the .45-70 on individual targets was limited to about 1,000 yards (915 m) with either load, the heavier bullet produced lethal injuries at 3,500 yards (3,200 m). At those ranges, the bullets struck point-first at a roughly 30 degree angle, penetrating three 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick oak boards, and then travelled to a depth of eight inches (20 cm) into the sand of the beach. It was hoped the longer range of the .45-70-500 would allow effective volley fire at ranges beyond those normally expected of infantry fire.[5]

Bullet diameter [ edit ]

While the nominal bore diameter was .450 inches (11.4 mm), the groove diameter was actually closer to .458 inches (11.6 mm). As was standard practice with many early commercially-produced U.S. cartridges, specially-constructed bullets were often “paper patched”, or wrapped in a couple of layers of thin paper. This patch served to seal the bore and keep the soft lead bullet from coming in contact with the bore, preventing leading (see internal ballistics). Like the cloth or paper patches used in muzzle-loading firearms, the paper patch fell off soon after the bullet left the bore. Paper-patched bullets were made of soft lead, .450 inches (11.4 mm) in diameter. When wrapped in two layers of thin cotton paper, this produced a final size of .458 inches (11.6 mm) to match the bore. Paper patched bullets are still available, and some black-powder shooters still “roll their own” paper-patched bullets for hunting and competitive shooting.[6][7] Arsenal loadings for the .45-70-405 and .45-70-500 government cartridges generally used groove diameter grease groove bullets of .458 inches (11.6 mm) diameter.[8]

History [ edit ]

Profile and headstamp

The predecessor to the .45-70 was the .50-70-450 cartridge, adopted in 1866 and used until 1873 in a variety of rifles, many of them were percussion rifled muskets converted to trapdoor action breechloaders. The conversion consisted of milling out the rear of the barrel for the trapdoor breechblock, and placing a .50 caliber “liner” barrel inside the .58 caliber barrel. The .50-70 was popular among hunters, as the bullet was larger than the .44 caliber and also hit harder (see terminal ballistics), but the military decided as early as 1866 that a .45 caliber bullet would provide increased range, penetration and accuracy. The .50-70 was nevertheless adopted as a temporary solution until a significantly improved rifle and cartridge could be developed.

The result of the quest for a more accurate, flatter shooting .45 caliber cartridge and firearm was the Springfield trapdoor rifle. Like the .50-70, the .45-70 used a copper center-fire case design. A reduced power loading was also adopted for use in the Trapdoor carbine. This had a 55 grain (3.6 g) powder charge.

Also issued was the .45-70 “Forager” round, which contained a thin wooden bullet filled with birdshot, intended for hunting small game to supplement the soldiers’ rations.[9] This round in effect made the .45-70 rifle into a 49 gauge shotgun.[citation needed]

The .45-caliber Springfield underwent a number of modifications over the years, the principal one being a strengthened breech starting in 1884. A new, 500 grain (32 g) bullet was adopted in that year for use in the stronger arm. The M1873 and M1884 Springfield rifles were the principal small arms of the U.S. Army until 1893.

The .45-70 round was also used in several Gatling gun models from 1873 until it was superseded by the .30 Army round beginning with the M1893 Gatling gun.[10] Some .45-70 Gatling guns were used on U.S. Navy warships launched in the 1880s and 1890s.[11]

The Navy used the .45-70 caliber in several rifles: the M1873 and M1884 Springfield, the Model 1879 Lee Magazine Navy contract rifle, and the Remington-Lee, the last two being magazine-fed turnbolt repeating rifles. The Marine Corps used the M1873 and M1884 Springfield in .45-70 until 1897, when supplies of the new M1895 Lee Navy rifle in 6mm Lee Navy, adopted two years before by the Navy, were finally made available.

Realizing that single-shot black-powder rifles were rapidly becoming obsolete, the U.S. Army adopted the Norwegian-designed .30 Army caliber as the Springfield Model 1892 in 1893. However, the .45-70 continued in service with the National Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps until 1897. The .45-70 was last used in quantity during the Spanish–American War, and was not completely purged from the inventory until well into the 20th century. Many surplus rifles were given to reservation Indians as subsistence hunting rifles and now carry Indian markings.

The .45-70 cartridge is still used by the U.S. military today, in the form of the “cartridge, caliber .45, line throwing, M32,” a blank cartridge which is used in a number of models of line throwing guns used by the Navy and Coast Guard. Early models of these line throwing guns were made from modified Trapdoor and Sharps rifles, while later models are built on break-open single-shot rifle actions.[12]

Sporting use [ edit ]

A long-range tang sight, commonly used on black-powder cartridge rifles

A graph showing the relative trajectories of the .45-70-405 and the 7.62×51mm .308 Winchester out to 1,600 yards

As is usual with military ammunition, the .45-70 was an immediate hit among sportsmen, and the .45-70 has survived to the present day. Today, the traditional 405-grain (26.2 g) load is considered adequate for any North American big game within its range limitations, including the great bears, and it does not destroy edible meat on smaller animals such as deer due to the bullet’s low velocity. It is very good for big-game hunting in brush or heavy timber where the range is usually short. The .45-70, when loaded with the proper bullets at appropriate velocities, has been used to hunt the African “big-five.”[13] The .45-70 has been loaded and used to hunt everything from birds to elephants[citation needed] and the cartridge is still undergoing new development work.

The trajectory of the bullets is very steep, which makes for a very short point-blank range. This was not a significant problem at the time of introduction, as the .45-70 was a fairly flat-shooting cartridge for its time. Shooters of these early cartridges had to be keen judges of distance, wind and trajectory to make long shots; the Sharps rifle, in larger calibers such as .50-110, was used at ranges of 1,000 yards (910 m).[14] Most modern shooters use much higher velocity cartridges, relying on the long point-blank range, and rarely using telescopic sights’ elevation adjustments, calibrated iron sights, or hold-overs. Sights found on early cartridge hunting rifles were quite sophisticated, with a long sighting radius, wide range of elevation, and vernier adjustments to allow precise calibration of the sights for a given range.[15] Even the military “creedmoor”-type rifle sights were calibrated and designed to handle extended ranges, flipping up to provide several degrees of elevation adjustment if needed.[16] The .45-70 is a popular choice for black-powder cartridge shooting events, and replicas of most of the early rifles, including Trapdoor, Sharps, and Remington single-shot rifles, are often available.

The .45-70 is a long-range caliber, and accurate use requires knowledge of windage and elevation by minute of angle and a sense for estimating distance in these calculations. The .45-70 retains great popularity among American hunters, and is still offered by several commercial ammunition manufacturers. Even when loaded with modern smokeless powders, pressures are usually kept low for safety in antique rifles and their replicas. Various modern sporting rifles are chambered for the .45-70, and some of these benefit from judicious handloading of homemade ammunition with markedly higher pressure and ballistic performance. Others, which reproduce the original designs still take the original load, but are not strong enough for anything with higher pressures. In a rifle such as the Siamese Mauser (commonly converted to fire .45-70 due to it being the only Mauser 98 derivative designed to feed rimmed cartridges, and the limited availability of ammunition for its original 8×50mmR chambering) or a Ruger No. 1 single-shot rifle, it can be handloaded to deliver good performance even on big African game. The .45-70 has also been used in double rifles since the development of the Colt 1878 rifle and the more modern replicas, like the Kodiak Mark IV.

In addition to its traditional use in rifles, Thompson Center Arms has offered a .45-70 barrel in both pistol and rifle lengths for their “Contender” single-shot pistol, one of the most potent calibers offered in the Contender frame. Even the shortest barrel, 14 inches, is capable of producing well over 2,500 ft·lbf (2,700 J) of energy, double the power of most .44 Magnum loadings, and a Taylor KO Factor as high as 40 with some loads. Recent .45-70 barrels are available with efficient muzzle brakes that significantly reduce muzzle rise and also help attenuate the recoil. The Magnum Research BFR is a heavier gun at approximately 4.5 pounds, helping it have much more manageable recoil.[17]

Only with the recent introduction of ultra-magnum revolver cartridges, such as the .500 S&W Magnum, have production handguns begun to eclipse the .45-70 Contender in the field of big-game-capable handguns.

See also [ edit ]

45-70 Govt: The Ultimate Guide To What You Need To Know

There are plenty of myths and misunderstandings out there regarding the capabilities of the .45-70 Government. Here’s what you need to know about hunting with the 45-70 Govt today.

Most hunters in North America are probably familiar with the .45-70 Government. However, while the .45-70 Govt was beloved by hunters during the 1800s, popularity of the cartridge has dropped off in recent years. A loyal segment of hunters and shooters still use the cartridge, but many others are skeptical of the capabilities of the venerable .45-70, especially when compared to more modern cartridge options.

Indeed, the .45-70 Government was one of the very first centerfire rifle cartridges ever invented and was originally designed to use black powder. Though modern loadings using smokeless powder have certainly improved the performance of the cartridge, the ballistics of the .45-70 on paper simply can’t compete with many newer options like the .444 Marlin, the .450 Marlin, and the .458 Win Mag.

So, while the .45-70 is about as American as apple pie, the .30-30 Winchester, the .30-06 Springfield, and the .45 Colt, only a relatively small percentage of dedicated hunters and shooters still use it these days. This is for a variety of reasons, but there are more than a few hunters out there who are skeptical of the capabilities of the cartridge when they see its somewhat anemic looking ballistics on paper.

In this article, I’m going to do a detailed analysis of the .45-70 Government in an effort to cut through some of the myths and misunderstandings out there regarding the capabilities of the .45-70 Govt so you can make an informed decision regarding whether or not you should hunt with one.

Before we get started, I have an administrative note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Thanks for your support.

.45-70 Government History

Designed in 1873 for use in the single-shot “Trapdoor” Springfield, the original .45-70 Government cartridge loading fired a 405 grain bullet propelled by a powder charge of 70 grains of black powder in a copper case.

In case you were wondering, the name of the cartridge comes from the black powder naming convention in common use at the time that consisted of the caliber of the cartridge followed by the standard load of powder in grains (like the .50-110 Winchester for instance). Since the new cartridge was designed at the United States government operated Springfield Armory and used a 405 grain, .45 caliber bullet (.458″ diameter) propelled by 70 grains of powder, the cartridge received the designation “.45-70-405.”

Commercial publications and catalogs also soon began referring to the cartridge as the “.45-70 Government” (.45-70 Govt or .45-70 Gov for short).

This original black powder load pushed a cast lead bullet at a velocity of about 1350 feet per second. With more than 1600 foot pounds of muzzle energy, this cartridge was one of the most powerful loads available at the time and was effectively used by the Army through the Indian Wars in the late 1800s.

The U.S. Army continued to use various models of this rifle and cartridge in limited numbers through the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In addition to the many variations of the Trapdoor Springfield the Army used, several early Gatling Gun models fired the .45-70 Government cartridge. The US Navy and Marine Corps also used the cartridge in a few different rifles as well.

Due to excellent the reputation it earned while in use with the Army, the .45-70 Govt also quickly became popular among sportsmen in the United States. In response to significant demand for good rifles chambered in the cartridge, it didn’t take long for the major manufacturers to began building .45-70 Govt rifles specifically marketed and designed for civilian hunters.

Soon, hunters had access to quality lever action and single shot rifles and repeaters such as the Remington Rolling Block, the Remington-Keene, the Sharps 1874 “Buffalo Rifle,” the Winchester-Hotchkiss, Winchester Model 1885 “High Wall,” and the Winchester Model 1886. Even when using the relatively simple solid lead bullets available at the time, the .45-70 was an extremely effective on game ranging from whitetail deer and black bear all the way up to the larger, tougher, and sometimes more dangerous species like moose, grizzly bear, and bison.

.45-70 Ballistics

Typical 45-70 ballistics with modern factory ammo are a 300gr bullet at 2,350fps (3,678 ft-lbs), a 325gr bullet at 2,050fps (3,032 ft-lbs), and a 405gr bullet at 1,330fps (1,591 ft-lbs). The .45-70 Govt is very effective out to around 150 yards with minimal bullet drop, but it’s capable of great accuracy and longer range shooting as well.

Using modern, smokeless powder, most of the ammunition manufacturers currently produce a wide variety of loads of varying power for the .45-70. Indeed, there are several .45-70 ammo options out there that provide vastly improved ballistics when compared to the original black powder loading.

Not all 45-70 ammunition is safe to use in all .45-70 rifles though. So, what ammo you should use depends on the rifle you intend to shoot it in.

If you have an older rifle such as a vintage Trapdoor Springfield or a Winchester Model 1886, you should avoid modern ammunition (especially anything labeled “Magnum” or “+P”) and instead stick to low pressure loads that mimic the original performance characteristics of the round.

Using modern, high pressure ammunition in one of those older rifles can be very dangerous. Fortunately, there are still some good options out there that are plenty safe to use in those older rifles.

However, most modern handguns and rifles, such as the Marlin Model 1895, the Ruger Number 1, or a converted Siamese Mauser bolt action rifle, can handle increased pressures and there are several loads in production that have significantly improved ballistics when compared to the original black powder .45-70 loading.

For instance, Federal Premium ammunition makes a load firing a 300gr Power-Shok at 1850 feet per second, generating a 2280 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle.

Since the .45-70 Govt is very popular in lever-action rifles with tubular magazines, most loads feature a round nosed or flat-tipped bullet. This is because bullets are stacked one in front of the other and recoil could potentially cause a bullet with a pointed tip to detonate the primer of the cartridge in front of it.

Unfortunately, those bullets have a low ballistic coefficient and poor downrange performance.

Well, designers at Hornady attempted to solve that problem with their “LEVERevolution”, line of ammunition for cartridges like the .30-30 Winchester, .35 Remington, and .45-70 Govt that are popular in lever guns. This ammo is loaded with bullets that have a pointed, flexible, polymer tip.

This improves the ballistic coefficient of the normally round nosed or flat tipped bullet, but is still safe to use in a rifle with a tubular magazine. Not only does this ammunition use more aerodynamic bullets, but it’s also quite a bit more powerful than traditional .45-70 ammo.

.45-70 LEVERevolution ammunition is available with either a 250 grain MonoFlex or a 325 grain FTX bullet. The 250 grain load has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2025 feet per second (2,276 foot pounds of energy) and the 325 grain load has an advertise muzzle velocity of 2050 feet per second (muzzle energy of 3032 foot pounds) with a 24″ barrel length.

Finally, Buffalo Bore produces some of the hottest .45-70 loads available. Among other options, they offer a load featuring a 405 grain jacketed flat nose bullet propelled at 2000 feet per second for a tooth rattling 3597 foot pounds of muzzle energy.

Combined with modern bullet construction, these enhanced loads dramatically improve the performance of the .45-70 on virtually all game species when compared to the original black powder load. This allows the hunter to ethically take game at longer ranges and still consistently penetrate deep enough to reach the vitals of the animal for a quick and ethical kill.

IN-STOCK 45-70 AMMO

MORE IN-STOCK 45-70 AMMO

For a more detailed discussion on .45-70 Government hunting ammunition, read this article:

Best .45-70 Ammo For Hunting Deer, Bear, Moose, & Other Big Game

Make no mistake: the .45-70 is capable of excellent accuracy in the right hands. The effective range of the cartridge is also quite a bit longer than many people probably think at first.

Unfortunately, the .45-70 Govt is difficult to shoot at longer ranges because the slow velocity and low ballistic coefficient of the bullet, even when using modern bullets such as Hornady’s “LEVERevolution,” combine to produce a pretty steep trajectory.

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to shoot the .45-70 at longer range, it just means doing so is very challenging.

This is illustrated in the table below comparing a two different .45-70 Govt loads to a pretty typical .30-06 load.

One .45-70 load approximates the performance of the original .45-70 Govt black powder loading of a 405 grain bullet (.307 BC) at 1350 feet per second while the other is a 325gr Hornady LEVERevolution factory load (.230 BC). The .30-06 Springfield load is a 150 grain Nosler Partition (.387 BC) at 3,000 feet per second.

All three loads used a 100 yard zero.

As you can see, there’s a pretty stark contrast between the trajectory of the older .45-70 Govt load and the newer Hornady .45-70 load. At the same time, there’s an even bigger difference between the newer .45-70 load and the .30-06 Springfield load.

This table illustrates just how important precise range estimation and applying the proper hold over become at ranges past about 200 yards with the .45-70. For instance, using the ballistics of the original black powder .45-70 load, a bullet will drop nearly 90 inches between 300 and 400 yards!

For this reason, long range shooters using cartridges like the .45-70, such as buffalo hunters back in the late 1800s, used “tang” or “ladder” iron sights with Vernier scales that allowed for very precise elevation adjustments. As long as he estimated the range correctly, a skilled marksman using a high quality rifle and sight could accurately hit targets out past 1,000 yards using the cartridge.

Due to these constraints, while the .45-70 Govt is popular among black powder silhouette shooters, few modern hunters use the cartridge at ranges past 200 yards.

.45-70 Govt Advantages

Even though there are some very real challenges associated with using the .45-70 in certain situations, the cartridge also offers some significant advantages to hunters as well.

For one thing, the .45-70 Govt delivers the bone crushing power and deep penetration necessary for hunting large, tough animals such as moose and grizzly bear. Not only are those animals extremely large and, in the case of the big bears, potentially very dangerous, those hunting situations very rarely necessitate longer range shooting.

Another advantage of the .45-70 is that most of the rifles chambered for the cartridge are short barreled lever action rifles like the Marlin Model 1895 and the Henry .45-70. These rifles are often easy to carry, whether on foot or on horseback, and are quick to mount and fire.

BUY A NICE 45-70 HUNTING RIFLE HERE

For these reasons, the .45-70 is an ideal cartridge for hunting deer, black bear, feral hogs, moose, brown bear, and other big game in thick woods or heavy cover where short range shots (>100 yards) are common.

After all, there’s a reason why the Marlin Model 1895G Guide Gun is so popular among hunters and outfitters in Alaska. There are few other rifles I’d rather have in my hands if I had to deal with a charging brown bear than an easy to handle lever action loaded with heavy hitting modern .45-70 ammo!

At the same time, don’t let anybody tell you that the .45-70 Govt is a bad choice for deer hunting because it’s “overkill” or because it “ruins a lot of meat.” On the contrary, unlike high velocity cartridges (like the .300 Win Mag), the low velocity bullets used by the 45-70 do not produce large amounts of ruined, blood shot meat on thin skinned animals such as deer.

In addition to use on North American game, the .45-70 Govt can also be a very effective cartridge for an African Safari.

While it would not be my first choice for the longer range shots that are sometimes encountered in areas like the Kalahari Desert or Serengeti Plain, the cartridge shines when taking shots in the thick bushy conditions often encountered in the Lowveld or Mopani Bush areas common in many parts of Africa.

Using high quality soft point bullets, the cartridge can be absolutely deadly on plains game like blue wildebeest and kudu at short range. I took a Marlin 1895 to Namibia many years ago and successfully used it to take a gemsbok and red hartebeest with excellent results.

With all that in mind, there is no plains game animal that I would hesitate to use the cartridge on at ranges out to 100-150 yards. Even very large animals like the eland should present no problems as long as a heavy for caliber, controlled expansion bullet is used and placed appropriately.

With all that being said, I would be very cautious about using the .45-70 Government on thick skinned dangerous game like buffalo and elephant though.

Yes, I know it’s been done before, but that doesn’t mean hunting cape buffalo with the .45-70 is a good idea.

For one thing, even when using very high pressure loads designed for modern rifles, the cartridge only produces between 3,000 and 3,600 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. This falls short of the legal minimum energy requirement of some countries (namely Namibia and Zimbabwe) for use on dangerous game.

Additionally, at .204, .238, and .276 respectively, the 300, 350 and 405gr bullets most commonly used in .45-70 fall short of the commonly recommended minimum sectional density of .300 to reliably penetrate deep enough to reach the vitals on a buffalo or elephant.

For a more detailed discussion on hunting cape buffalo with the .45-70 Government, read this article:

Read This Before Hunting Cape Buffalo With The 45-70 Government

Before we wrap up, I wanted to touch on how the .45-70 Government stacks up against the .30-30 Winchester. Those are the two most popular cartridges among hunters who use lever-action rifles in North America.

I’ve actually written a very detailed and comprehensive article on how those two fantastic lever action cartridges compare to each other. Click the link below to learn all about the pros and cons of the .30-30 Winchester vs the .45-70 Government.

30-30 vs 45-70: Which Lever Action Is Best For You

.45-70 Government Conclusions

Buffalo and elephant aside, the .45-70 Govt is a wonderfully capable rifle for hunting virtually any species of big game in the world. Get a good hunting rifle, learn to shoot it well, use quality bullets, and you’ll be all set for most hunting situations.

As a remnant from a bygone age in American history, there are few other cartridges that have as long and storied of a history as the .45-70. While it certainly has its limitations, the .45-70 Govt is still an extremely effective cartridge when used under the proper conditions. There are few modern cartridges that can match balance of power and portability that the .45-70 Government offers.

Are you just itching to take a rifle chambered in .45-70 on a hunt?

Book an incredible black bear hunt here.

Book an outstanding African safari hunt here.

To learn more about some more modern big bore centerfire rifle cartridges that are either comparable to, or far exceed, the .45-70 Govt in terms of power, read the articles below:

450 Bushmaster vs 458 SOCOM vs 50 Beowulf: Battle Of The Big Bore AR Cartridges

458 Win Mag vs 458 Lott: What You Know May Be Wrong

.450 Marlin: Everything You Need To Know

The Lyman 50th Edition (p352-360) and Hornady 10th Edition (p754-761) reloading manuals were used as references for this article.

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45-70 vs 30-30 | Which Rifle is Right for You?

If you’re looking for a lever action rifle, you’ll often run into the same few calibers. Two of the most popular are .45-70 and .30-30. These are both great hunting cartridges, and can be used for a lot of the same game. That said, there are also some major differences between them.

Both the 45 70 and the 30 30 have a long track record, and have been in use for more than a hundred years. The main difference comes down to what type of game you’re hunting, and the kind of hunting you’re doing.

So, what makes one of these cartridges better or worse than the other? We’ll start with their history, then talk about what they’re used for, and what makes them different. Here’s everything you need to know about the two most popular lever action rifle cartridges.

45-70 History

The .45-70 has its origin in the late 1800s. Metal cartridges were a relatively new innovation, and the US Army had been using the .30-40 Krag. The .45-70 first debuted in the army in 1892, with that year’s version of the Springfield rifle. This newer, heavier cartridge saw action throughout the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection. Thanks to its popularity with the troops, the .45-70 soon became popular in the civilian market as well.

Incidentally, the name .45-70 comes from the caliber and the powder weight. The caliber is .45, and the original cartridge used 70 grains of black powder. Hence, .45-70. Due to its original use as an official military cartridge, it’s sometimes also known as the “.45-70 Government”.

Specs

Date Designed 1873 Case Type Rimmed, straight Bullet Diameter .458 in (11.6 mm) Case Length 2.105 in (53.5 mm) Neck Diameter .480 in (12.2 mm) Base Diameter .505 in (12.8 mm) Rim Diameter .608 in (15.4 mm) Rim Thickness .070 in (1.8 mm)

30-30 History

The original .30-30 was a civilian round developed by Winchester in 1895. It was one of the first smokeless powder cartridges, and Winchester marketed it as the “.30 Winchester Smokeless.” Marlin soon introduced a .30-30 of their own, but simply called it a “.30-30,” so as not to have to put their competitor’s name on their cartridges. Nowadays, you’ll still see a lot of .30-30 cartridges labeled as “.30-30 WCF,” which is short for Winchester Center Fire.

Specs

Date Designed 1895 Case Type Rimmed, bottlenecked Bullet Diameter .308 in (7.8 mm) Case Length 2.039 in (51.8 mm) Neck Diameter .330 in (8.4 mm) Shoulder Diameter .401 in (10.2 mm) Base Diameter .422 in (10.7 mm) Rim Diameter .506 in (12.9 mm) Rim Thickness .063 in (1.6 mm) Max Pressure 42,000 psi (290 MPa)

Uses

In many respects, the .45-70 and the .30-30 overlap. They’re both great for medium game like deer, hog, and black bear. They’re also both serviceable at 200 yards, which is plenty long for most hunting applications.

That said, the .45-70 is a more powerful cartridge. While this isn’t an issue for medium game, it can give you better performance when you’re hunting big game. If you’re hunting elk, brown bear, or moose, stick with the .45-70.

Major Differences

So, what is it that sets these two cartridges apart? There are a number of factors, but the four most important are the size, cost, velocity, and energy. Let’s look a little closer at all four.

Size

The .45-70 is significantly larger.

At .458 inches in diameter, the bullet itself is almost half again as fat as the .308-inch .30-30. The most noticeable difference between the .45-70 and the .30-30 is the size when you put the two of them side by side.

Despite the wider bullet, the .45-70 cartridge isn’t all that much wider. It’s .608 inches in diameter, compared to the .506-inch .30-30 Winchester. As a result, the .30-30 looks even slimmer than it is, with a comparatively narrower-looking neck. The height of the cartridges is identical, at just over 2 ½ inches.

That said, thanks to its thickness, the .45-70 is significantly heavier. The typical .45-70 weighs somewhere between 250 and 400 grains, while the average .30-30 is between 125 and 170 grains.

Cost

The .30-30 is clearly the cheaper round.

The cheapest cartridges come in at around $0.74 per round, and the most expensive come in at around $1.23 per round. There’s less variation with the .45-70 rounds, but they cost significantly more. The cheapest rounds cost about $1.50 each, with the most expensive costing around $1.75

Cost is a relatively minor concern, because you’re probably not shooting a ton of these rounds. At most, you might shoot off a box of ammo when sighting in, then use a handful of rounds in the field. After all, we’re talking about hunting rifle rounds, not plinking rounds.

Velocity

The .30-30 Winchester has a slight edge in terms of bullet speed.

Depending on the exact load, you can expect anywhere from about 2,200 to 3,000 feet per second. By comparison, the .45-70 averages anywhere from 1,500 to 2,500 fps. So while the most powerful .45-70 will be faster than the slowest .30-30, that’s generally not the case.

As a result, the .30-30 has an edge when it comes to long-range shooting. If you plan on shooting more than 200 yards, you’ll see significantly more drop with the .45-70.

By their very nature, lever action rifles tend to have a lower velocity than bolt action rifles. This is for two reasons. First off, the blunted shape of the bullets can create more drag. Secondly, the cartridges aren’t as large as something like a .308, so there isn’t as much powder.

Energy

The .45-70 is the clear winner for energy packed.

When it comes to the type of game you can take, the most important factor is how much energy the round delivers. Here, there’s no comparison. Even the heaviest .30-30 rounds aren’t anywhere near as heavy as the .45-70. Since the difference in velocity is not that great, you’re looking at more energy from the .45-70.

Every cartridge is different. But your typical .30-30 will have around 1,900 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, with around 950 foot-pounds at 200 yards. A comparable .45-70 will have around 2,300 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, which will drop to around 1,300 foot-pounds at 200 yards. Again, every cartridge is different, so check the specs on the box before you buy.

Which Lever Action Rifle is Better?

So, which of these cartridges is the best? For most applications, they’re going to be equivalent. That said, a quality .30-30 is going to outperform a .45-70 at long range. Then again, the greater muzzle energy of a .45-70 is far superior if you’re trying to take big game like moose or elk. But for anything else, you can’t go wrong with either cartridge.

So you have finished reading the how far will a 45 70 shoot accurately topic article, if you find this article useful, please share it. Thank you very much. See more: 45-70 at 300 yards, 45-70 vs 30-06 for bear, what does 45-70 mean, shooting a marlin 45-70, what kicks more 308 or 45-70, 45-70 at 200 yards, 45-70 rifle for deer hunting, how much recoil does a 45-70 have

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