I've had 44 mag and owned various 45-70's from the 1970's until about 10-12 years ago when I sold the last one. Never had a 444 but it is just a faster 44 mag which will mean more useful range. The 45-70 is over rated. Until you get into the nuclear loads that exceed 375 recoil it won't do anything a 44 mag won't do. And if I'm dealing with that much recoil I'll take a 375 every time. There is nothing I'd hunt with a 45-70, with any load, that I wouldn't feel better with a 30-06 in my hands with heavy for caliber bullets.
Also, the 45/70 has the nostalgic history aura.🙂
And what history would that be.
It was introduced in 1873 as a military cartridge designed for killing indians. Traditional loads are about equal to 45 caliber muzzle loader rifles. Which aren't legal in most places for game bigger than deer. It was never widely used as a buffalo rifle. Mostly because most of the buffalo were dead before it was invented and 1870's loads were not up to taking game that size. Laws banning buffalo hunting were introduced 1 year after the 45-70 was introduced to protect the handful left.
The cartridge was all but dead within 20 years and lay dormant and rarely used for almost 100 years until Marlin brought it back to life in the 1970's. With colorful advertising hinting of a great history. I'd bet money the 45-70 has taken more game in the 21st century than it did in the 19th and 20th centuries combined.
The milder traditional loads are fun to shoot, but don't offer any advantage over 44 mag. Modern loads take the 45-70 to another level compared to 1870's loads, but at the expense of recoil that is out of proportion to the performance.
