Best .45-70 Government Ammo

The .45-70 Government dates to 1873, originally designed for the Springfield "Trapdoor" single-shot rifle. The cartridge survived the transition from black powder to smokeless and remains popular today in lever-action rifles from Marlin, Henry, and Winchester. Standard loads push a 300 to 405-grain bullet between 1,300 and 2,100 fps depending on the rifle's strength rating.

Modern ammunition comes in three pressure levels: light loads safe for antique trapdoor rifles, standard loads for lever actions like the Marlin 1895, and hot loads rated only for modern single-shots and bolt actions like the Ruger No. 1. The big, slow bullets hit hard at woods distances and create large wound channels on game. Hunters use the .45-70 on everything from black bear to bison, though the rainbow trajectory limits practical range to about 200 yards for most shooters.