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I have a Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70.
With hot loads (commercially available), it will reliably kill anything that walks the earth, if the shooter does his part.
The historically correct counterpart would be the Marlin 1895. If you are relying on iron sights to hit an elk at 200 yards, the longer sight radius of the rifle over the carbine would be a plus.
Using actual black powder and buying loads/loading for a Trapdoor or the like will drop the power to about half. The Sharps should be good to go with the warmer loads.
The trajectory of a .45-70 reminds me of a 40mm grenade or a .45 ACP, especially in the super light Trapdoor loads, but it is accurate and the trick can be done if the shooter is able, the ranging/holdover is correct, and the conditions are right.
I do not like the idea of wounding animals and losing them, so unless he can reliably hit a paper plate at whatever range he intends to shoot at, he would be better off going to a modern weapon, stalking closer, or adding optics till he can.
Best of luck.
TR
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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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