The .45-70

This is another "oldie-but-goodie" that just refuses to die. It was introduced in 1873 as the cartridge for the "Trapdoor" Springfield rifle. The standard load was a .457" diameter bullet weighing 405 grains ahead of 70 grains of blackpowder -- hence the name.
Modern loading manuals show three separate power levels for the .45-70. The lowest power for old blackpowder rifles, a much higher "medium" power for use in modern lever-action rifles such as the Winchester 1886, and a top-power load range that is suitable for bolt-action rifles chambered in .45-70 such as some Mauser 98s. As you can see, this is a very versatile round.
The .45-70 can take almost any game animal on Earth. When loaded for strong bolt-action rifles it has almost as much power as the .458 Winchester. With the other loads it is still suitable for smaller big-game. It's a good round for some of the "long-range rifle" competitions that are held during Cowboy Action shooting matches. It is fun to shoot with light loads. It is a bit much for home defense, but if it's all you have it WILL do the job. Ammunition is still readily available.


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