I'm well acquainted with the love/hate attitudes toward the 45-70. I'm planning a rifle though and while the more historic and or "correct" chamberings are all inviting my take is this.

I'm never going to shoot an elephant save the unlikely chance of winning the lotto, in which case I will be able to buy a "proper" double. Fact is this rifle will be more a fun gun than anything and most likely any hunting will be game far below even the 45-70 potential for killing. Open sights and me don't get along beyond fifty to seventy-five yards anyway so range isn't an issue. I've looked at the ballistics of the classic double rifle chamberings as well as the longer "American" 45's and I just don't feel the justification for my purposes is worth the considerable extra expense in components. 45-70 brass, dies, etc. are quite available and inexpensive compared to the more traditional dbl. rifle calibers. Am I missing something? Aside from nostalgia that is.

All comments pro and con are encouraged. I'm not particularly enthralled about the caliber but it does seem prudent to me.