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Common uses: Hunting, Big Game
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 405gr Prvi Partizan (PPU) SJFP (Semi-Jacketed Flat Point) |
| Muzzle velocity | 1329 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 1589 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.225 |
| Case length | 53.3 mm |
| Overall length | 68.6 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 28000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:20" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1329 | 1588 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 1132 | 1152 | 0 |
| 200 | 1009 | 915 | -25.6 |
| 300 | 927 | 773 | -85.2 |
| 400 | 864 | 671 | -185.4 |
| 500 | 811 | 591 | -332.1 |
At 1,000 yards, .45-70 (405gr at 1329 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 191.8 MOA / 55.8 MIL, retaining 612 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 927 | Subsonic | -85.2 | 27.1 | 7.89 |
| 400 | 864 | Subsonic | -185.4 | 44.3 | 12.88 |
| 500 | 811 | Subsonic | -332.1 | 63.4 | 18.45 |
| 600 | 764 | Subsonic | -531.9 | 84.7 | 24.63 |
| 700 | 721 | Subsonic | -791.6 | 108.0 | 31.41 |
| 800 | 682 | Subsonic | -1118.4 | 133.5 | 38.83 |
| 900 | 646 | Subsonic | -1521.4 | 161.5 | 46.96 |
| 1000 | 612 | Subsonic | -2008.6 | 191.8 | 55.79 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .45-70 is a large-bore, straight-walled cartridge prized for delivering heavy bullets at modest velocity, producing deep penetration and hard-hitting terminal performance at short to moderate range. It excels on large, tough North American game including bear, moose, and bison, and is a popular choice for close-cover hunting and bear defense, most often in lever-action rifles from makers like Marlin and Henry as well as single-shots. Its trajectory drops steeply, so it is fundamentally a short-range cartridge rather than a long-range one, and recoil with full-power loads is stout. Handloaders commonly divide it into three pressure tiers keyed to the action's strength, from mild loads safe in original Trapdoor rifles up to much stronger loads suited only to modern lever guns and rifles like the Ruger No. 1. It has also gained renewed popularity as a legal option in states that restrict deer hunting to straight-walled cartridges.
Developed at the U.S. Army's Springfield Armory and adopted in 1873, the .45-70 was created for the single-shot Springfield Model 1873 "Trapdoor" rifle, replacing the earlier .50-70 Government service round. Its original military loading, the .45-70-405, drove a 405-grain lead bullet with 70 grains of black powder, and it served as the Army's standard infantry cartridge until the bolt-action Krag-Jorgensen supplanted it in the 1890s. Beyond military service it saw heavy use on the frontier for hunting bison and other large game, and it has remained in continuous production for over 150 years.
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