I take the simple approach. My hunting rifles are either a Sharps 45-70, or a Marlin 1895 Cowboy in the same caliber, and I shoot the same load in both rifles.
The load is a cast 480 grain flatnosed bullet out of a Lyman 457121 mold and 66 grains of 3f black powder drives it at 1242 fps. 36 grains of IMR 3031 gives 1325 fps with the same bullet. I have used both loads in both North America and South Africa and have taken deer, hogs, elk, and four bison in North America. I have taken several kudu, two zebra, black and blue wildebeast as well as blesbok, springbuck, and impala in South Africa, and the ONLY bullet I have recovered was from a zebra that was a one shot DRT. Everything else is a complete pass through.
To me it is a magic combination, as ladder sights on either rifle enable you to reach WAY out there if needed, and it gives bone crushing power close in on things that would eat you. Accuracy, light recoil, and power AND PENETRATION in one bullet and load for anything, anywhere. It doesn't get any better than that for me.
