DATING back to 1873, and initially loaded with black powder, the .45-70 was a US military service cartridge till 1892. Then and later it was a popular sporting round, widely used as a buffalo cartridge in the old West. It was considered obsolete after 1930 and relegated to the scrap heap. Then, almost 100 years after its initial release, it staged a sudden and miraculous comeback.
First it was chambered in the Ruger No 1 and No 3 single-shots, followed by the Marlin 1895; Navy Arms brought out a Martini and a Model 1885 Hi-Wall, a Remington rolling block and Sharps, and also rebarrelled ex-military Siamese Mausers for it. Harrington & Richardson chambered a break-action single-shot and Browning made a modern version of the Winchester Hi-Wall for it. Italian companies like Uberti produced replica lever-actions including the Sharps Borchardt. Winchester brought out a new Model 1886 for it.
By 1998, Gun Digest listed over two dozen single-shots for the .45-70, but the rifle that drew the most attention was Marlin’s Model 1895 lever-action.
The development of strong modern rifles boosted the image of the .45-70 to the skies. Gun makers got to work and turned it into a born-again powerhouse. Now the .45-70 has become a modern woods hunting cartridge — for handloaders.
