Yes, an elephant has been killed with a 45/70, probably more than one. Several have been killed with 22lr. Neither is an elephant round. Likewise neither is a buffalo round.

Bullets launched from cartidges faster than the 45/70 have been shown to rip a large plug of newsprint and push it in front of them, effectively increasing their diameter and at the same time lowering their effective sectional density. The 45/70 doesn't have the umph to tear the plug in the first place. As I said in an earlier post, Garret picked newsprint for a reason.

Flat point solid bullets seem to penetrate in flesh and maybe newsprint better than round nose solids, but this advantage apparently disapears in an elephant skull. If you search in this forum you find tests to support this. There is no magic in Garrett's bullets.

Most importantly use common sense. A solid bullet of any given wieght and shape launches from a 45/70 at x velocity. A 458wm, but could be a Lott or a 450NE or whatever, launches the same bullet at 45/70 velocity of x plus the speed difference y. The 45/70 bullet has enough momentum or energy to cause that solid .458" bullet of any given shape and weight to penetrate some distance in an elephants skull or body or a buffalo. This distance is dx. The 458wm bullet has greater velocity which equals x+y so it has the momentum or energy to drive the bullet first the distance the bullet travels until it slows down to 45/70 velocity. This distance is dy. Once it has slowed down to 45/70 velocity it then still has the mometum or energy the 45/70 bullet did when it struck the animal so it will travel all of that distance as well, which is again dx. Total penetration for the 458wm is dy+dx. Total penetration for the 45/70 remains dx.

The early loads for the 458wm were far in excess of any velocity that a 45/70 can generate with any bullet of suitable weight for calibre, thus sectional density, for use on DG. The 458wm was a marginal round with reported failures, especially on frontal brain shots until more modern powders allowed it to be loaded an additional 300fps or so faster.

The current 458wm factory loadings run between 500 and 600 fps or so faster than a 45/70 with a bullet of sufficient weight for calibre for use on DG. The lower end 458wm loadings are still not favored for use against elephants.

JPK