What firearms can I safely shoot your 45-70 Bear Load from?

Question

Travis Campbell · Accepted Answer

As with the 45 Colt, the 45-70 cartridge goes back a long way. There are still many vintage and of course replica firearms available in this chambering.

It also is officially a low pressure round and only select firearms are capable of handling the pressures of modern +P ammunition including our Bear Load.

Firearms capable of shooting our 45-70 +P ammunition:

Marlin 1895
Ruger #1
Browning 1885 High Wall

Keep in mind that some lever action firearms may have problems with loading and/or feeding cartridges using the longer heavier bullets in the more powerful ammunition.

We get a lot of inquiries about firearms not listed. Unfortunately, we do not have any information about the suitability and safety of using +P ammunition in any other firearms. That is a determination that only the firearm manufacturer can make. If a firearm manufacturer goes on record stating their firearm can safely use +P ammunition we will add that model to our list.

One of the manufacturer’s responses we have seen (and received ourselves) is that +P is safe as long as it is within SAAMI pressure specs. This is a CYA response as +P (plus pressure) would by definition exceed SAAMI MAXIMUM average pressure of 28,000 CUP.

Because there are modern firearms that can safely shoot more powerful ammunition than the SAAMI limits, the firearm/ammunition industry has recognized three levels of ammunition for the 45-70. (Refer to Hodgdon’s load data.)

The first level is up to the actual SAAMI limit of 28,000 CUP. This is safe for vintage trapdoor and replica firearms when no other information is available.

The second level can reach up to 40,000 CUP which far exceeds the SAAMI limit. This can only be used in the above listed firearms. This is the level of our +P ammunition.

The third level pushes the pressures up to 50,000 CUP. We do not manufacture this level of ammunition at this time.

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