K hornet, the 45-70 Gov is a fine old cartridge for the purpose for which it was designed. It was designed for shooting Indians by the cavelry out west, in the late 1800s. As it turned out like all millitary rounds, it was used for hunting of game by the vets after they got out of the army. It is a very good close range round for all North American game. However, all the talk in the world, will not make it into an African BIG GAME cartridge. It simply is not suited to the hunting of things like Cape Buffalo, regardless of what rifle it is chambered in. This is not to say it will not KILL a Cape Buffalo, because it deffinetly will, it just will not do it properly, and reliably enough to be considered a Cape Buffalo cartridge!

The fact that it isn't British, has nothing to do with it! I have several double rifles that are British, and are chambered for british rounds like the 500/450#1 Express that are not considered to be African big game rounds either. Eventhough, this cartridge is chambered in a very fine S/S Westley Richards double rifle, with a lot of engraveing, and the cartridge LOOKS like a fine cartridge for Buffalo hunting, however, it was designed for deer hunting in England, not buffalo in Africa. The 500/450#1 Express is the balistic twin to the 45-70!

I own a few 45-70 rifles, and have owned a lot more, and they are fun to use and hunt with, as long as you use them for what they are best at, you will have a lot of fun shooting, and hunting with them. Wishfull thinking, however, will not make the 45-70 something it isn't, or was ever intended to be!