Black Hills .45-70 Government 405gr LFP Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • LFP
Black Hills .45-70 Government 405gr LFP Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • LFP
Solved from this product's advertised 1250 fps, 405gr bullet and G1 BC 0.290, with the sight 1.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .45-70 Government.
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 8" vital zone, ±4" either side of the line of sight. Dashed line: where the bullet goes subsonic. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 400 yards.
.45-70 Government 405gr with a 100-yard zero
Zeroed at 100 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load first crosses the line of sight at 13 yards, peaks +2.5" at 57 yards, returns to zero at 100, and is -26.5" at 200 and -86.3" at 300 yards. It drops below the speed of sound at 91 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,250 | 1,406 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +1.2" | +4.58 | +1.33 | 1,211 | 1,320 | 0.2 |
| 50 | +2.4" | +4.59 | +1.34 | 1,176 | 1,244 | 0.7 |
| 75 | +2.1" | +2.60 | +0.76 | 1,143 | 1,176 | 1.6 |
| 100 | 0.0" | +0.02 | +0.01 | 1,114 * | 1,116 | 2.7 |
| 125 | -3.8" | -2.87 | -0.83 | 1,087 * | 1,063 | 4.2 |
| 150 | -9.4" | -5.96 | -1.73 | 1,063 * | 1,016 | 5.9 |
| 175 | -16.9" | -9.22 | -2.68 | 1,041 * | 974 | 7.9 |
| 200 | -26.5" | -12.62 | -3.67 | 1,020 * | 937 | 10.1 |
| 225 | -38.1" | -16.15 | -4.70 | 1,002 * | 903 | 12.6 |
| 250 | -51.9" | -19.80 | -5.76 | 984 * | 872 | 15.4 |
| 275 | -67.9" | -23.57 | -6.86 | 968 * | 843 | 18.3 |
| 300 | -86.3" | -27.44 | -7.98 | 953 * | 817 | 21.5 |
| 325 | -107.0" | -31.42 | -9.14 | 939 * | 793 | 24.9 |
| 350 | -130.2" | -35.51 | -10.33 | 925 * | 770 | 28.5 |
| 375 | -155.9" | -39.69 | -11.55 | 912 * | 748 | 32.3 |
| 400 | -184.3" | -43.98 | -12.79 | 900 * | 728 | 36.4 |
405gr G1 .290 at 1,250 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. * Below the speed of sound (1125 fps) from 91 yards; expect groups to open up past the transition. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.45-70 Government 405gr with a 150-yard zero
Zeroed at 150 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load first crosses the line of sight at 8 yards, peaks +6.8" at 81 yards, returns to zero at 150, and is -13.9" at 200 and -67.4" at 300 yards. It drops below the speed of sound at 91 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,250 | 1,406 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +2.8" | +10.57 | +3.07 | 1,211 | 1,320 | 0.2 |
| 50 | +5.6" | +10.58 | +3.08 | 1,176 | 1,244 | 0.7 |
| 75 | +6.8" | +8.58 | +2.50 | 1,143 | 1,176 | 1.6 |
| 100 | +6.3" | +6.00 | +1.75 | 1,114 * | 1,116 | 2.7 |
| 125 | +4.1" | +3.12 | +0.91 | 1,087 * | 1,063 | 4.2 |
| 150 | 0.0" | +0.02 | +0.01 | 1,063 * | 1,016 | 5.9 |
| 175 | -5.9" | -3.23 | -0.94 | 1,041 * | 974 | 7.9 |
| 200 | -13.9" | -6.64 | -1.93 | 1,020 * | 937 | 10.1 |
| 225 | -24.0" | -10.17 | -2.96 | 1,002 * | 903 | 12.6 |
| 250 | -36.2" | -13.82 | -4.02 | 984 * | 872 | 15.4 |
| 275 | -50.7" | -17.58 | -5.11 | 968 * | 843 | 18.3 |
| 300 | -67.4" | -21.46 | -6.24 | 953 * | 817 | 21.5 |
| 325 | -86.6" | -25.44 | -7.40 | 939 * | 792 | 24.9 |
| 350 | -108.3" | -29.52 | -8.59 | 925 * | 770 | 28.5 |
| 375 | -132.4" | -33.71 | -9.81 | 912 * | 748 | 32.4 |
| 400 | -159.2" | -38.00 | -11.05 | 899 * | 728 | 36.4 |
405gr G1 .290 at 1,250 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. * Below the speed of sound (1125 fps) from 91 yards; expect groups to open up past the transition. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.45-70 Government 405gr with a 200-yard zero
Zeroed at 200 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load first crosses the line of sight at 6 yards, peaks +13.3" at 106 yards, returns to zero at 200, and is -46.5" at 300 yards. It drops below the speed of sound at 91 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,250 | 1,406 | 0.1 |
| 25 | +4.5" | +17.23 | +5.01 | 1,211 | 1,320 | 0.2 |
| 50 | +9.1" | +17.24 | +5.02 | 1,176 | 1,244 | 0.7 |
| 75 | +12.0" | +15.25 | +4.44 | 1,143 | 1,176 | 1.6 |
| 100 | +13.3" | +12.67 | +3.69 | 1,114 * | 1,116 | 2.7 |
| 125 | +12.8" | +9.78 | +2.85 | 1,087 * | 1,063 | 4.2 |
| 150 | +10.5" | +6.69 | +1.95 | 1,063 * | 1,016 | 5.9 |
| 175 | +6.3" | +3.43 | +1.00 | 1,041 * | 974 | 7.9 |
| 200 | +0.1" | +0.03 | +0.01 | 1,020 * | 936 | 10.1 |
| 225 | -8.3" | -3.50 | -1.02 | 1,002 * | 902 | 12.6 |
| 250 | -18.7" | -7.15 | -2.08 | 984 * | 871 | 15.4 |
| 275 | -31.5" | -10.92 | -3.18 | 968 * | 843 | 18.3 |
| 300 | -46.5" | -14.79 | -4.30 | 953 * | 817 | 21.5 |
| 325 | -63.9" | -18.78 | -5.46 | 939 * | 792 | 24.9 |
| 350 | -83.8" | -22.86 | -6.65 | 925 * | 769 | 28.5 |
| 375 | -106.3" | -27.05 | -7.87 | 912 * | 748 | 32.4 |
| 400 | -131.3" | -31.34 | -9.12 | 899 * | 728 | 36.4 |
405gr G1 .290 at 1,250 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. * Below the speed of sound (1125 fps) from 91 yards; expect groups to open up past the transition. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Black Hills' 405-grain LFP is a cast lead .45-70 load from its Authentic Cowboy Action line. The bullet is a cast lead flat point, unjacketed and with no cavity in the nose. It leaves the muzzle at 1,250 fps with 1,405 ft-lbs.
At 405 grains it is heavier than the jacketed bullets most .45-70 loads use, so even at that modest speed the recoil sits above most of the lighter loads in the caliber. A plain cast flat point makes this a paper-and-steel load.
If you're cross-shopping, HSM's Bear Load 430-grain sits at the other end of the caliber, a gas-checked round nose flat point sold for big game that leaves the muzzle 551 fps faster with 3,098 ft-lbs.
- About 34 percent less recoil in the same rifle than the caliber's 430-grain gas-checked hunting load
- Unjacketed cast lead, the traditional .45-70 bullet for cowboy action shooting
- Still moving at 1,020 fps at 200 yards
- Bare cast lead, so it cannot be used where lead-free ammunition is required
- Nothing in the bullet made to open up, so it is not a hunting load
- The 405-grain bullet keeps the recoil above every 300-grain load in the caliber despite the modest speed
All Black Hills .45-70 Government 405gr LFP Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Gunner | 20 | $50.00 | $18.43 | $68.43 | $3.42 |
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