45/70 revolver... Why?

[samf]

So I understand that this revolver...

45-70 Revolver

45-70-revolver.jpg (58.87 KiB) Viewed 9003 times

...is chambered in 45-70. A classic rifle cartridge.

Question is, WTF?

Did people ever shoot these things regularly or is this just over-the-top yanks getting crazy with their pistols?

I can only imagine it's murder on the recoil.

[samf]

Er, the top revolver too obviously. Not the bottom one

[feedr]

From the days when men where tough!

[Deco]

If I remember right it was so cowboys (proper ones) didn't have to carry two lots of ammo.

Got your rifle, got your pistol, and don't have to load yourself up with stuff that's half useless.

[Humir]

I was the standard Texas Ranger loadout or something way back when wasn't it.

1 rifle, 1 pistol, both chambered in 45-70. Like Deco said, both in 45-70 so you weren't carrying round heaps of ammo you weren't likely to use.

Weights probably more important when you're riding a horse, not a Land Cruiser

[yoshie]

Why not

[Warrigul]

I was the standard Texas Ranger loadout or something way back when wasn't it.

1 rifle, 1 pistol, both chambered in 45-70. Like Deco said, both in 45-70 so you weren't carrying round heaps of ammo you weren't likely to use.

Weights probably more important when you're riding a horse, not a Land Cruiser

You might be thinking of .44/40

I would be happy to be corrected if neccesary though.

[Humir]

You could be right, or maybe it was both.

Principle is the same anyway though... carrying an pistol chambered for a rifle cartridge so you don't have to carry 2 lots of ammo.

Guys probably used either depending on their preferred cartridge too I guess.

[1886]

Warrigul is correct.

Its the 44/40 that was for both Cowboy revolvers and rifles.

The 45/70 revolvers etc are only recent developments and there are many larger rifle calibres now being made in revolvers right up to the 900 Nitro Express !!!!!

The 45/70 and the Smith & Wesson 460 Weatherby magnum revolvers are popular in Australia for metallic silouette. I have shot both and whilst they do have a good kick its not as bad as you might think as most also come with muzzle brakes.

[Seconds]

there are many larger rifle calibres now being made in revolvers right up to the 900 Nitro Express!

s**t really?

I bet a lot of people only fire one of those once...

[Seconds]

One for fun... I *think* this is a Remington Model 1859...

Remington Model 1859

remington-model-1859.jpg (29.28 KiB) Viewed 8891 times

Recoil much?

[1290]

When it comes to firearms, never ask why.....

Ask why NOT!!!

More Bang. More noise, more smoke, more force and more fun.

running some numbers the free recoil for an ADI pistol loadings; 45/70 300gr 101J, 485gr 71.8J comparing a 500S&W 500gr loading at 96J assuming a 3.5lb revolver....

this compares to 21J for a 44RemMag 240gr loading
& 64J for a 338LapMag 250gr loading from a 10lb rifle....

yiiiiiiihaaaa

[1290]

thats not an Remington model 1859; the Rem 185x/186x were blackpowder in such hi-po chamberings as 44 Rimfire, maybe 36cal etc, the one in to pic is a modern scaled up version of something firing a 600 or thereabouts....

[SendIt]

I have shot both and whilst they do have a good kick its not as bad as you might think as most also come with muzzle brakes.

Different for a pistol too IMO.

Rifle recoil all goes directly into your shoulder, pistol you've got a foot of air swing to wash away some of it.

[Seconds]

thats not an Remington model 1859; the Rem 185x/186x were blackpowder in such hi-po chamberings as 44 Rimfire, maybe 36cal etc, the one in to pic is a modern scaled up version of something firing a 600 or thereabouts....

Ah my bad. That was just the file name when I saved it.

Too much pistol for me in any case

[1886]

No idea whether this one is legit but if so, it has to be the grand daddy of them all.

50BMG revolver ???? You would need some serious gonads to fire this

[bawoog]

I'd be firing it with a piece of string tied to the trigger from 10 metres away

[FourFingersof Death]

The 454Casull is a slightly stretched 45Colt with a much tougher constructed case and it is a kick ass calibre.

BFR turned out the 45/70 as it performs better than the Casull at a third to a half of the pressure.

The 454 runs 66,000psi, more that most bolt guns.

The Texas Rangers probably used the 45/70 as well, but their main carbine was the Sharps in 50/90. That would have been an absolute bear of a rifle, but would have killed horses emphatically, which was what their aim was, once afoot, bandidos were easily beat.

The 45/70 Government was developed for the military and used in the Trapdoor Springfield rifles, which were converted from muzzle loaders. Similar to the way we converted rifles into the 577Snider.

[Bark]

I'm a bit sus on that 50 cal pistol.

Looks a bit funny around the pistol and her hands? Photoshopped?