[Cincinnatus.45-70]

I’ve been hunting with a Marlin 1895 in .45-70 for a bit over twenty years. It’s a fine deer and hog gun. I don’t find the recoil noticeable when the shots are fired while hunting. Deinitely, it’s punishing to shoot off the bench while sighting in.

As to reloading, for a number of years, I used a Lee Loader and could make up a deer season’s worth of cartridges for virtually pennies in few minutes. You need pound of powder (4198, for example), bullets and primers. Everything else you need is in the kit. Even at today’s prices, you can reload with a Lee Loader far more cheaply than you can buy ammo in the store.

My Marlin would cut a 3-shot clover leaf, with the first three shots touching or nearly touching at 100 yards with factory open sights. It might still do it, but my eyes are not up to it, so I added a scope. Don’t know anything about the new ones now being made by Remington.

[Tainan]

There's your endorsement right there.

I've shot the 45-70 & the .444 in the woods. Both are great and both have their applications.
For moose, elk and big mean critters that might, and sometimes do, take personal offense to you being in their woods, I'd go with the .444.
For just about anything under those and under 100yards, the 45-70 would be my choice for a field rifle.
Its been working for over 100 years.