[X-FID]

Very accurate shooting at those distances using .45-70s and 50-80s and some other rounds.

I shoot 45-70, I have used Hornady red tipped cartridges, they increase the fps, by about 250fps, according to the manufacturer, most rounds for lever action are flatnose, still 1300fps but no way accurate. I have a lever action Marlin and there is no way in hell that 45-70 is a long range cartridge.

[wrench]

45-70 not a long range cartridge? How about 3,200 yds with enough retained velocity to still be lethal.

The US Army found this during The Sandy Hook Tests of 1879.

Large slugs (500 gr in this case) retain velocity quite well once below sonic speed.

These tests were with black powder and lead slugs. The 45-70 of that time was nothing more than a converted muzzle loader, either type firearm with the same load would have similar performance.

link to test info: http://www.researchpress.co.uk/longrange/sandyhook.htm

[buffaloguy]

.45-70 is long range. The army started to issue the Springfield trapdoor with 1500 yard sites in 1879 more for area affect than point shooting, but the round was and is quite capable.

.45-70 is commonly used with black powder at 1,000 yards and it does just fine. You do want to have adjustable sights that are rather tall. My adjustable sights are always being moved for windage and distance.

Berdan’s snipers during the Civil War started their work at 800 yards and went out to 1500 yards or so.

[buffaloguy]

Most rounds that you buy are flatnose to accomodate lever actions because the recoil is so high that a pointy nosed bullet will fire the primer of the round in front of it in the tube magazine. Which would be less than optimal.

There are many, many round and sharp nosed bullets available if you cast your own. Neihandtools.com has a good selection of molds and most mold makers make them. Lyman has some great molds for long distance as well silhouette shooting.

[buffaloguy]

There is an 1800 yard range near Hotchkiss, Co. which is a favorite of long distance shooters. From their site:

“Friends of Billy Dixon Ultra Long Range Shooting Facility (FoBDSF, or simply, “the range”), located at the Stengel Gun Shop. This facility is situated five miles west of Hotchkiss, Colorado, adjacent to State Highway 92 (on the north side). This range offers targets and shooting positions for shots to 1800 yards — by any sporting-arms definition, 40 yards beyond one mile is long range.

In long distance shooting, mass of the bullet is everything. 500 grains is minumum and you can go up to 575 if you wish. Most of the BP long distance shooting is subsonic. Maybe 950 feet per second according to a friend of mine who does it frequently with a Sharps.