Ive shot several deer with mine, really knocks them down, no problems, as for the bigger stuff, keep it inside 150 yards and youll have no problems. There was an article I read where they took one over to africa and shot cape buffalo with them, heck one shot went thru the shoulders of one buff and through the shoulders of another (if I remember correctly).A properly loaded45-70 is more than enough for anything that walks this continent.