About
The .45-70 Government Ammo was designed and developed in 1873. The cartridge was created to replace the stopgap .50-70 Government Ammo. The .45-70 Government Ammo has the minimum accuracy of 4-inch drop at 100 yards, but the slow and heavy bullet in longer ranges would have a rainbow trajectory. Still, skilled shooters can easily hit targets with ease using the .45-70 Government Ammo. This cartridge was even used in several Gatling gun models, especially on US Navy warships in the 1880s and 1890s. The .45-70 Government Ammo is s super hit amongst the sportsmen, and that's the main reason this bullet is still alive today. The overall length of the .45-70 Government Ammo is 53.5mm, while the bullet diameter measures 11.6mm. One variant of the .45-70 Government Ammo is loaded with 300-grain that can travel at a velocity of 2,275 feet per second and produce an energy level of 3,449 ft.lbf.Â
Manufacturer
To fill out the gap left by the 50.70 Government Ammo, the US Army's Springfield Armory designed and developed the .45-70 Government Ammo.
Uses
The traditional 405-grain variant of the .45-70 Government ammo can take down any North American big game species within its effective range. Thanks to its low velocity, the .45-70 Government Ammo doesn't destroy the edible meat on the delicate game like deer. The .45-70 Government Ammo holds the potential of taking down the big five African game in the range of 1,000 yards.Â
The 45-70 was designed at the US Army’s Springfield Armory for use in the Springfield Model 1873 rifle. The full nomenclature was .45-70-405, with the designations being the caliber of bullet, the black powder load, and the weight of the bullet in grains. In 1879, a new load was developed, the .45-70-500 with a lethal range of 3350 yards.
.45-70 Government History
.45-70 Government Usage
.45-70 Government Usage
The 45-70 is used primarily as a hunting cartridge today and considered adequate for any North American big game animal. It is also a popular choice for bear defense for people living, working, or hunting in large bear areas.
.45-70 Government Trivia
The 45-70 was chambered in several models of Gatling Guns during the late 19th Century. It has taken game from birds to the “African Big Five” with proper ammunition choices. It regained fame when chosen as a prop for a movie in the Jurassic Park franchise and the movie Wind River.
.45-70 Government Trivia
.45-70 Government Design
.45-70 Government Design
The .45-70 Government is a rimmed, straight walled cartridge with an overall length of 2.55” and case capacities ranging from 73.5 to 80.3 grains (H2O) depending on case manufacturer. It fires a .458” diameter bullet and uses large rifle primers with a maximum pressure of 28,000 PSI.
.45-70 Government Types
The modern shooter has ammunition options of cast lead, hard cast, and polymer tipped hollow points with weights ranging from 225 to 460 grains depending on needs. The bullet designs are safe for tubular magazines.
