Sorry if this is a dupe, but I thought it was interesting.
http://www.outdooramerican.com/news/stories/20061201/features/2351588.htmlTaken with a grain assault
By Doug Grayson
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Mississippi recently revised the primitive weapon regulations for deer hunting, sparking a new interest in a historic rifle caliber called the .45-70 Government.
These rifles have been a hot item in every sporting goods store.
"They have been selling as fast we can get them," said Randy Reeves, owner of Randy's Sporting Goods in Oak Grove. "If you find one, you should buy it!"
Reeves was referring to the New England single shot rifle chambered in .45-70 Government. This rifle qualifies as a primitive weapon in Mississippi. It is one of the few single shot rifles that will meet the new criteria set by the state.
I bet you are wondering where this rifle caliber came from. I am glad you asked.
The word "Government" is the first indication that this is probably a unique caliber. The .45-70 has a rich and colorful past and is one of the oldest calibers in existence today.
First, let me explain the fundamentals of this caliber and the rifles that first utilized it. The cartridge was originally loaded with a 405 grain bullet that was .45 caliber in diameter and was ignited by 70 grains of black powder. The United States government issued the 1873 Springfield trapdoor rifle chambered in the .45-70 to the U.S. Calvary. This rifle was carried in battle during the Spanish-American War.
Unfortunately, the .45-70 was put out of service early in its life. The model 1892 Krag-Jorgensen rifle quickly replaced the trapdoor Springfield. The 30-40 Krag was a bolt-action repeater with an internal magazine. This offered great advantages of the single shot trapdoors and was a favorite among Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders.
Winchester continued to offer its 1886 lever action rifle in .45-70, but discontinued it in 1935. The Winchester rifle was used in the West for buffalo hunting. The large caliber aided in the harvest of hundreds of buffalo in the plains.
After 1935, this grand old caliber was almost lost in history until the 1970s when Marlin offered a model 1895 lever action rifle chambered in this almost forgotten caliber.
A few years ago, Marlin offered a new caliber that was designed to take the place of the .45-70. The 450 Marlin basically is a hot loaded .45-70. All factory ammunition for the .45-70 is loaded light so they will safely shoot in the old trapdoor rifles.
Better velocity can be reached, but it is a liability to the ammunition industry due to the availability of older rifles that are not as strong as modern firearms.
This is where the 450 Marlin came into play. Since it was a new caliber, only modern firearms are chambered for it. To the delight of gun enthusiasts like myself, the New England rifle is not offered in the 450 Marlin caliber.
Also, the New England will withstand the same pressures of the Marlin lever action rifle. This means that the .45-70 is not put out to pasture yet! One can handload ammunition for the .45-70 and gain up to 25 percent greater velocity than you can get from factory ammo utilizing modern smokeless powder. These rifles can fire a 300 gr. hollow point over 2000 feet per second without compromising the integrity of the firearm.
One should always use caution when handloading and use loads listed in a reloading manual.
Some folks have taken the .45-70 to the extreme. A qualified gunsmith can build a rifle using a Siamese Mauser action that is chambered for this caliber and get tremendous results. These Mauser actions can withstand pressures greater than any single shot or lever action rifle made.
I have heard reports of handloading ammunition shot out of one of these rifles hurling a 300 gr. projectile more than 2500 feet per second. This is very close to the velocity of the great 458 Winchester Magnum. This ammunition would demolish a New England or Marlin rifle.
Deer hunting in south Mississippi can be a great challenge at times. The .45-70 is an excellent choice for a brush gun. Even the factory loaded ammunition will do fine when harvesting whitetailed deer.
An experienced hunter can harvest deer up to 150 yards away using this caliber and since the New England qualifies for a primitive weapon, you can get almost an extra month of hunting.
Drive down to your favorite sporting goods store and ask about the .45-70. It might become your favorite hunting rifle.
Doug Grayson is a systems specialist with the Hattiesburg American. He can be reached at dgrayson@hattiesburgamerican.com