Phoenix 45-70

Chambering .45-70 Govt cartridges modified to be rimless so they feed from a standard magazine, Phoenix Weaponry’s 45-70 Auto up-sizes the AR-10. The “Christine” will run you a cool $4,800, but if you’re looking for a semi-auto modern sporting rifle for bison hunting, look no further. Phoenix Weaponry’s press release follows . . .

Our New 45-70 Auto
Phoenix Weaponry of Longmont Colorado is pleased to announce the launch of their .45-70 auto rifle platform. That’s right, .45-70! The classic round born in 1873 through the Springfield Armory and labeled “Government” and designed specifically for the Springfield Model 1893, or “Trapdoor Springfield”. Phoenix Weaponry blown the lid off the marketplace with a unique twist to this classic cartridge as they have rebated the rim so that it can be adapted to a standard .308 bolt head and fired through a high pressure AR platform with shocking, sub MOA results, and a boosted performance curve.

The standard rifle bears a 20” custom profiled Douglas barrel utilizing a 1:14 twist with 8 grooves. Mated with a Phoenix Weaponry billet upper and lower, along with custom trigger and muzzle brake, this piece weighs in at just over 9 lbs. Master gunsmiths have toiled to produce one of the most exciting rifle evolutions seen in the MSR industry since Stoner fielded the SP1, with the added benefit of delivering tremendous down rage punishment to anything that stands in its way.

The beauty in the details is that this case, once rebated, can be reloaded easily using existing load information for the .45-70, based on Ruger No.1 loads, and the reloader can use standard .45-70 die sets with the exception of using a .308 shell holder. Factory brass will be available shortly and available for purchase from Phoenix Weaponry. Each rifle initially will be supplied with 50 pieces of brass to help the new user get started.

Immediate order slots are available now. Rifle base price as advertised is $4,800 with a multitude of custom options that can be added to enhance your enjoyment of this weapon platform. Just call them and make your wish come true.

For more information, contact Phoenix Weaponry at (720) 340-2496, or see this rifle on their website at www.phoenixweaponry.com

About Phoenix Weaponry
Phoenix Weaponry manufacturers and builds Custom Rifles as well as a full line of pistol and rifle suppressors. Whether you’re an experienced connoisseur or a new enthusiast we can build you a dream rifle or a range blaster.

If you know exactly what you want, or need assistance building a rifle, we can help. Reach out to us and let’s have a conversation about what your trying to accomplish, we build weapons to make you better.

Full service Gunsmithing, Cerakote, Duracoat and custom stenciling also available.

-Aaron Cayce, Owner

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54 COMMENTS

    • Yep…. “…. based on Ruger #1 load info” …. sounds like a glorified (expensive & oversized) .458 SOCOM.

      • Ruger #1s can take maxed-out modern 45-70 gov loads that blow 458 SOCOM out of the water. Not that it matters, since this stupid thing isn’t actually chambered in .45-70 gov.

        • True, but it’s also worth pointing out that the Socom can fit in a normal AR-15 receiver without the added heft of its larger cousin, which this is based on.

      • The 45/70 Ruger #1 loads are equal to 458 win mag.

        There is no AR made that will handle 458 mag loading and pressure out there.

        You are looking at loads up to 2700 fps, 60,000 psi and 6000 lbs of muzzle energy!!!!!!!!!!

        This loads can and even blow up a RUGER #1 (if done wrong)

        There very heavy recoil on the gun and shooter.

        There is not any AR made out there that hold that much energy and abuse from the ammo it shoots.

        The recoil the shooters is just as bad from heavy bores

        There is a price to pay every time u shoot a heavy bore rifle, that is recoil on the shooter, takes a toll on the gun and shooter both.

        There many gun and shooter that can not handle the recoil and abuse of many 45/70 factory loads out there.

    • Anyone know the brand for the wood furniture in that picture? I can’t find it online. It looks like the forend is a wood “rail” section that attaches to a metal forend.

    • Yeah no kidding, right? Let’s see… Drop $5000 and change on a complete custom upper that I can’t even get factory ammo for… or drop about $2000 on a SHTF bolt action magazine fed .50 BMG upper.

      Not to unduly rain shait on Phoenix Weaponry here. I do that enough as is… but this is kind of a solution looking for a problem no one had to begin with.

  3. For that much money, they could have used a modified bolt so you do not need special ammo, just a single stack mag -____-

  5. TBH I’d be more excited to see a pic of the cartridge than the gun. The gun its self just looks like an AR-10.

    • Anyone know the brand for the wood furniture in that picture? I can’t find it online. It looks like the forend is a wood “rail” section that attaches to a metal forend.

  8. Not a true 45/70.

    One hell of a waste of time and money to make gun that has no real need or use.

    It need special ammo off the shelf 45/70 ammo wont work damn big problem when u run out in the field.

    You now have a very weakly made club.

    There is very many normal 45/70 guns out there this new gun has no real need.

    The only thing this does is inflate the builders ego.

    • I think you used to be able to get .450 Marlin barrels for AR10s. The .450 Marlin gives you modern .45-70 performance in a standard-sized action, which is much better than long, low-pressure .45-70 loads or super-heavy ones that might blow out anything except a modern 1886, Marlin 1895, or falling-block.

  9. It’ll compete with the 45 Raptor which is a 460 S&W with a rim same as a 308. Will work in a 460 revolver with moon clips. It’s actually surprising no one has done this sooner. These are both more powerful than the cartridges you can squeeze into an AR-15. Big game hunting semi-autos should be fun!

  10. I think I’ll just wait and see if this catches on before investing in one. One proprietary limited-industry-support cartridge in my … arsenal? armory? cache? I forget what the MSM is calling a gun collection these days … is enough for me.

    Then again, I really do enjoy the .22TCM… How different can this be?

  11. One question: Why?

    And with the 0-inch drop on the comb of an AR stock, you’re getting punished far harder by the recoil than a properly designed big game rifle.

  12. For Bigfoot, Bray Road beast, NJ Devil, and CHAMP Hunting….Where Tiny isn’t an option against the unknown !

  15. Well I would certainly like to get my hands on one for testing.
    But I am extremely doubtful that it will handle the max pressure loads for a Ruger No. 1.
    I would also not like to be holding an AR if it fails that load.

  16. I’ve got an Italian-made 1886 carbine repro in .45-70 (which cost me enough as it was), which works fine with ammo up to and including the Hornady LeverRevolution stuff. I think I’ll stick with that rather than dump $5K on the latest sub-nuclear magnum brainstorm, just so I can say that I have one.

  18. Why would you make an AR-pattern rifle in a non-existent .45 caliber wildcat cartridge when you can make an AR pattern rifle chambered in .450 Bushmaster, a standard cartridge that already exists AND WAS DESIGNED FOR AR-PATTERN RIFLES? Note that Ruger’s bolt-action rifle in .450 Bushmaster was/is selling as fast as Ruger can make them — and I imagine that an AR-pattern rifle in .450 Bushmaster would do the same if it was priced reasonably.

    And if you want to allow for more “oomph” than standard pressure .450 Bushmaster, simply strengthen the chamber to allow for +P or +P+ handloads since that .45 caliber wildcat cartridge is only available for handloads anyway.

    Such a rifle would allow you to use factory ammunition with respectable performance (250 grain bullets with muzzle velocities of 2,200 fps) or make your own hot handloads that would launch 300 grain bullets at, what, something like 2,300 fps?

    Finally, if it isn’t possible for the rifle to cycle reliably on both “mild” factory and hot handloads, then include a two-position adjustment at the gas port so that the user can switch between a larger gas port (for factory ammunition) or a smaller gas port (for hot handloads).

      • Some states (or regions within states) only allow big-game hunting with shotguns or rifles in calibers with straight-walled cartridges less than some length. In those situations, .450 Bushmaster is allowable and .458 SOCOM is not.

        Otherwise, it sounds like .458 SOCOM would be a better choice.

    • You need to vote for hillary next time around. She’ll increase your bennies and give you the coke for free.

      Course, she’s gonna want a little something in return.

  23. I’d like to rent one, and load some of the rounds, say 100, with black powder. Then I would go to the local indoor range staffed with pinhead-gun-expert-wannabes, and unload five magazines as fast as I could. Best use for this silly concoction ever!

  24. The round has been done before.
    It can be done on 284 win Brass I posted about it in 2013 on Gunco.
    It’s been done.

    As far as this vs a 458 socom or 450 Bushmaster it’s much much more.
    This is a longer round at much higher pressure on a AR10 type platform.
    It’s like a 450 marlin vs a 458 socom that’s at about half the chamber pressure to be AR15 safe.

    A guy who can make a barrel can build a rifle like this for about $600

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