Only loads which produced nominal four inch or smaller five shot groups at 100 yards are tabulated. The bullet lubricant was commercially available and applied when the bullets were sized. 2 alloy made up from pure lead, 50:50 solder and stereotype. All grooved bullets were cast from a Lyman No. This included the long throat designed to accept paper patch bullets, accounting for cartridge lengths often in excess of recommended maximum from other sources.Īll testing was done using CCI-200 primers, GOEX black powder and Winchester cases. Velocity data was obtained using new Sharps rifles with Sharps chamber dimensions.

It therefore seems fitting that data using black powder be made available. But, first and foremost, the Sharps is a black powder cartridge rifle. Smokeless powder has its place and can be used quite successfully to load ammunition for the Model 1874 Sharps. Also, the vast majoring of the available loading data is for smokeless powder. But, almost without exception, this information has been developed in rifles of modern design and manufacture, sporting barrels seldom exceeding 24 inches. Much has been written about loading for the 45-70 government. This popularity continues today in the New Model Sharps rifles. By the time manufacture of the Sharps Rifles ceased, more cartridge rifles had been sold in 45-70 than any other caliber. A large amount of ammunition was loaded for the 45-70-400 grooved bullets also.Īfter the addition of this chambering to the Sharps Rifle line, it gained rapid popularity on the frontier, owing in part to the ready availability of military ammunition. In fact, there were at least three different designs of 550 grain bullet available. Sources indicate the Sharps Rifle Company offered a variety of bullets in this caliber, including a 293 grain express, a 400 grain grooved bullet and paper patched bullets in 400, 420, 500 and 550 grains. It was also known as the 45-70 Sharps, but it was dimensionally identical to the military round. They christened their 'new' round the 45-70 Sharps. As they did with all the other calibers they offered, they began offering ammunition in this case length for their rifles. began chambering their Model 1874 rifles for this round shortly after its introduction. This second loading contained 55 grains of black powder and a 405 grain bullet. The reason for this second loading was that the issue rifle round recoiled heavily in the light cavalry carbines.

Shortly after this round was accepted by the Army, a second service load was introduced for the carbine. The standard service load for the infantry rifle was 70 grains of black powder and a 500 grain bullet.

The 45-70 Government cartridge was adopted by the United State Military in 1873.

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