It is not adequate for frontal shots on elephants. It doesn't push a suitable bullet at moderate velocities but slow velocities.

The older 458wm factory loads, and some new ones too, barely get to moderate velocity with an adequate bullet. But the 458wm can be loaded to suitable velocity while the 45/70 cannot.

2000fps with a steel jacketed 500 grain solid seems to be the consensus of minimum velocity for consistent, adequate penetration for elephant body or frontal brain shots.

A rifle and cartridge combination is only adequate if it is suitable for stopping a charge from an elephant or buff, at least in my veiw. The 45/70 doesn't make that ctiterium for elephant, at least, and is therefore not even marginal.

There are so many more suitable cartridges, including the 375H&H - renoun for its penetration with solids and legal too, and they are all more versatile. Beating the dead horse again doesn't make the 45/70 a DG cartridge. In fact, all of the hot (over?)loads only get the 45/70 to the ballistics of the Brit 450BPE's. Even a hundred and ten or twenty years ago they weren't considered DG cartridges, though they saw occasional DG use. Nothing has changed in this regard.

JPK