IMO - - - > The 45-70's bullet needs to be put square on the shoulder. The best bullet (quickest,surest killer)that I ever loaded was the 405gr WFNGC (hardcast). This design at this speed was lethal.
I have owned quite a few 45-70's in the past but my gun that was always with me while guiding in Maine was an older Marlin 1895. It had the straight stock,no safety,and I had the bbl chopped to 16.5".
I used this gun and bullet combo to kill quite a few moose,bear,and some deer that were close to 300lbs on the hoof. The "secret" to making the 45-70 super effective is to put its bullets on bone going in. This starts the effects of hydrostatic shock and initiates the launch of secondary missiles. Bigger pieces of heavy bone that travels thru the animal and does almost as much damage as the bullet itself.
I only had the chance to kill two hogs with that gun. One was a great gnarly bore that had just come out of a backwater Juniper swamp. At 40yds I put that 405gr square on his shoulder that was covered with pine tar and gray clay. He dropped immediately. The bullet broke (shattered) the near side shoulder and exited thu the far side shoulder taking a piece of about 2X3" bone with it. He weighed real close to 300lbs.
NOW . . . do you need a max loaded 45-70 to kill hogs ?? Nope. But to carry one and shoot one sure is fun. --- pruhdlr
