When it comes to heavy-hitting firearms, the 45-70 Government and the 500 S&W Magnum are two popular choices among hunters and shooters. Both cartridges are known for their impressive stopping power, but they have distinct differences that make them suitable for different types of applications. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the 45-70 Government and the 500 S&W Magnum, compare their ballistics, and help you decide which one might be best for you.
Here is the short answer:
The 45-70 has more energy, better ballistics, and is more versatile than the 500 S&W. However, the 500 S&W has less recoil in a rifle than the 45-70 and costs less per round to shoot.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look closer at each cartridge, its best uses, and see how they compare in-depth.
An in-depth look at the 45-70 Government
The 45-70 Government was developed in 1873 and was originally used in the Springfield Model 1873 Trapdoor rifle. Today, it is a popular cartridge for hunting and shooting, particularly among black powder enthusiasts who like to use older-style rifles.
The 45-70 is a popular round for hunting game at close range. This is because the 45-70 has great energy at close range but struggles to keep its energy at long range. At close range, this round can be used to hunt animals like deer and elk but has been used o hunt bears, moose, and even dangerous game in Africa.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 45-70 with a 300-grain jacketed soft point:
| Range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 1850 | 2280 |
| 50 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1728 | 1988 |
| 100 | 0 | 2.3 | 1612 | 1730 |
| 150 | -4 | 4.8 | 1501 | 1500 |
| 200 | -11.9 | 8.8 | 1400 | 1305 |
| 250 | -24.3 | 14.1 | 1308 | 1140 |
| 300 | -41.7 | 20.7 | 1226 | 1001 |
| 350 | -65 | 28.6 | 1156 | 890 |
| 400 | -94.8 | 37.8 | 1097 | 802 |
| 450 | -131.7 | 48.1 | 1050 | 734 |
| 500 | -176.5 | 59.5 | 1010 | 679 |
An in-depth look at the 500 S&W Magnum
With a muzzle velocity of approximately 1,900 feet per second for stock loads, the 500 S&W is one of the swiftest handguns currently available on the market. Regarding recoil management, this handgun is considered to be the heavier recoiling handgun rounds out there. In rifles, this round is very manageable and can be used easier by most shooters.
When it comes to hunting with this cartridge, it can be used to hunt a wide variety of game from deer and elk and can be used for bear defense altho it is regarded as being too heavy of a recoiling round to be used accurately when shooting high-stress situations.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 500 S&W with a 325-grain soft point bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -0.9 | 0 | 1450 | 1517 |
| 25 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1357 | 1329 |
| 50 | 0 | 1.3 | 1272 | 1168 |
| 75 | -1.5 | 2.9 | 1198 | 1035 |
| 100 | -4.5 | 5.1 | 1134 | 929 |
| 125 | -9.2 | 7.9 | 1082 | 844 |
| 150 | -15.7 | 11.3 | 1038 | 778 |
| 175 | -24.2 | 15.1 | 1001 | 723 |
| 200 | -34.8 | 19.4 | 969 | 678 |
Comparison
When comparing the 45-70 and the 500 S&W Magnum, it is clear that both cartridges are designed for heavy-duty use. However, there are some significant differences between them that should be taken into consideration.
The 45-70 has more energy than the 500 S&W, which means it’s going to be better for big game hunting. However, for hunting deer at ranges within 100 yards, both these rounds will suffice.
When it comes to recoil, the 45-70 has significantly more recoil than the 500 S&W. So for shooters who are more sensitive to recoil or those who are shooting for a long duration of time. the 500 S&W is better.
As far as cost and availability go, the 45-70 is more common and is easier to find, however, the 500 S&W costs 80 cents less per round to shoot.
Versatility-wise, the 45-70 beats the 500 S&W because it is available in a wider array of bullet weights. This means you have a wider array of ballistics you can get from one cartridge, therefore making it more versatile.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 45-70 and the 500 S&W Magnum are both powerful cartridges that are suitable for heavy-duty use but they are heavy hitting in their own respective classes. The 500 S&W is a very heavy-hitting pistol cartridge while the 45-70 is a heavy-hitting rifle cartridge.