[travisg96]

Is a 45/70 or it's cousin a 450 marlin or any of the rounds in this area wildcat or not to big for deer?
Travis

[Archetype_wyo]

Alot of guys here and elsewhere use the .45/70 and the new Lever-Revolution ammo to hunt deer. I haven't shot a .45/70 or the new Lever ammo but hey it's taken Buffalo why not a deer?

[moosemike]

I've taken deer with the 45-70 and my stepson has with the 450 Marlin. No such thing as killing them too dead.

[G. Green]

I have shot two deer, and two elk with the .45/70 LeverEvolution ammo, and after seeing it perform on the two elk I shot and the two elk friends of mine blasted with it my ONLY concern would be that the bullet might not expand at all on a deer. I have yet to see an animal shot with it where a bullet could be recovered. BUT, if you were shooting a .30 cal, or .270 and they expanded to .45 that would be pretty decent performance so i would say do it. I love my little 1886 .45/70 so I will continue to deer hunt wid it.

[nathangdad]

.45-70 has most likely taken many thousands of deer over its lifetime.

The thing about larger diameter, heavier bullets is the velocity factor.
For instance, a .338 Win Mag is often seen as too much for deer due to meat destruction.

So, study the ballistics charts to chart your decision.

[Purdy]

I hunt deer with a 375 H&H or my 450-3 1/4" BPE

[jadek]

Last few deer I got didn't seem to mind my 300 Win mag so 45-70 is to me a good gun for deer or any 4 legged creature in the good old US of A..

[Midas]

It's not any harder on meat than a 30-06 or 7mm Mag.

[serfp]

I have Heard to use headshots with a 45/70

[SwedeSteve]

It's all about the bullet you use, not the caliber !!

[G. Green]

Don't start down that head shot on deer road! Dat's a whole 'nuther thread :-)

[thrillbilly]

I have seen deer killed with a 45/70, the meat loss was relatively low...a .300winmag on the other hand will mess up some meat! A cousin of mine used the .300 for several years, and I have seen the damage firsthand. I would rather use a 45/70 then a smaller caliber "magnum" IMO. A 45/70 does a little less damage then a 12G slug, or maybe about the same.