Compare / .40-65 Winchester vs .45-70 Government

Cartridge comparison

.40-65 Winchester vs .45-70 Government

.45-70 Government is faster (2,100 vs 1,500 fps); .45-70 Government carries more energy (3,000 vs 1,299 ft·lb); .40-65 Winchester recoils less.

.40-65 Winchester →
Representative trajectory · 100 yd zero0–500 yd
100 yd · zero0″−154″154″ drop @ 500 yd0250500Open in Ballistic Compare ↗
.45-70 Government →
Representative trajectory · 100 yd zero0–500 yd
100 yd · zero0″−79″79″ drop @ 500 yd0250500Open in Ballistic Compare ↗
.40-65 Winchester.45-70 Government
TypeRifleRifle
Introduced18871873
Bullet ⌀0.403″0.458″
Case length2.1″2.105″
Velocity1,380–1,500 fps1,330–2,100 fps
Energy1,100–1,299 ft·lb1,600–3,000 ft·lb
Max pressure24,000 psi28,000 psi
Recoil12–18 ft·lb25–70 ft·lb
Eff. range200 yd300 yd

FAQs

Is .40-65 Winchester faster than .45-70 Government?
.45-70 Government is faster — up to 2,100 fps versus 1,500 fps.
Does .40-65 Winchester hit harder than .45-70 Government?
.45-70 Government carries more muzzle energy (3,000 vs 1,299 ft·lb).