The 45-70 also causes less damage to the meat due to the lower velocity and muzzle energy. In my opinion the 45-70 would make a fine big game gun for close range hunting. It's suitable for any North Americam game at close ranges.

I think a lot of the 45-70's recoil reputation is driven by a lot of guys that have never even shot one.

Thanks for the comments! One thing I like to mention when shooters ask about a 45-70 and something else is this; put a brand X cartridge in your hand, then add a 45-70 cartridge to that same hand. Compare them; and now decide!! 

As one that has a single shot in 45/70 and 300 win mag ,I can assure you the 45/70 can be loaded to the point it is truly unplesant to shoot.I've played around with a lot of loads and just had to push a few up near the upper limits. 405 gr at 2000 fps.Not my idea of fun.

And a soft bullet pushed along at 13-1400 fps will do an unbelievable amount of damage.On the other hand a 300 gr hard cast at 11-1200fps will kill a moose and damage little meat.

The 30-06 is a great cal. and will kill everything in North America, but we as hunters /shooters can't be happy with just one.My choice for open country most of the time is a 260 Rem.

The factory 45-70 rounds are pretty tame because of safety factored in to the loading of these rounds.  Because it is originally a BP cartridge, it had to be down loaded when using smokeless in the original old rifles.  Grab a new rifle barrel and action and hand load this cartridge to its potential and you will have a whole new animal and recoil will be unpleasant.

The problem with recoil is that some can handle it and some can't.  I've seen 250 lb men that don't like shooting a 44magnum because of the recoil, but I had a 110 lb girlfriend years ago that could shoot one better than I could and the recoil didn't bother her at all.  The same goes with rifle rounds.  Some want to be able to keep the scope on the animal or target through the whole firring process and then there are those of us that don't mind getting pushed around some when they pull the trigger. 

I just deal with it depending on what I am shooting and what I am shooting at.  Now if I expect that hot loaded .45-70 to recoil like a .223 and pull the trigger well, then I am in for a surprise and not a very pleasant one at that. 

I have a friend that own's a 45/70.  I personally enjoy the heck out of it.  It's a Ruger #1, shoots very smooth and like all have said, very little recoil.  One of the things he did with his is create 2 loads.  One using pistol powder (I think) and the other load for hunting.  The reduced pistol powder load was like shooting a .22, no recoil at all.  And, at 100 yds, the load was great for target practice or when you just want to shoot a bunch.  The hunting load was, in my opinion, easier on my shoulder than my then .30-06.  Point being this, I was intimidated by the round prior to shooting it.  I'm sure that when I pulled the trigger the first time I closed my eyes.  But, once I fired it, I was absolutely shocked at how gentle the giant round was.  He even put up his chrono to show me the velocity comparisons.  Obviously, the reduced round was going turtle speed.  But what suprised me was that his hunting round was a respectifull velocity for any N Am game.  Like you all said, those that have never shot the rifle give it the fearfull reputation. 

The 45/70 is the barrel I wont to ad to my Encore because when I go after a buffalo that is what i will shoot it with. My son-in-law has a 300 WSM that I will never shoot agan because of the way it smacks you, but my sons 300 wetherby mag isnt much more than my feater weight 30-06.

The way I look at it is I can get another gun at half the cost so that is a good thing and the wife dosnt mind so much.