45-70 Government Ammunition

The 45-70 Government was adopted by the US Army in 1873 and developed for use in the Springfield Model 1873 single shot rifle. It's considered a medium power cartridge generating around 1,600 pounds of muzzle energy in original loadings.

The 45-70 derives its name from the old convention of the caliber of the bullet over grains of powder. A 45 caliber bullet with 70 grains of black powder. The straight-wall cartridge is a rim design the rim being used to control headspace.

Although originally developed for the Trapdoor Springfield, it's also been used in lever actions, double rifles, and gatling guns.

One of the best qualities of the 45-70 is its versatility, bullet weights range from 300 to 550-grains. Factory ammunition is available today from all major manufacturers.

In North America, it's often recommended for the largest of game. In addition to being popular for long-range Cowboy Action shooting.

Although introduced in the 19th century the 45-70 Government is still popular today and it's a unanimous choice for the Cartridge Hall of Fame.