Well, I can speak really only of what I have used. In that department, that means the 45-70 and the 416 Rem Mag. I owned the 416 Rem Mag for several years and shot it a fair amount. I bought it for a Grizzly hunt but ended up useing the 45-70 instead. The 45-70/450 Marlin may not often be thought of for this application but never the less, can handle all the worlds game anywhere that they are legal to use. This duty requires hand loading for the 45-70 as factory loads are kept down to protect the 120 year old guns still floating around. You may have read where Brayn Pierce went to Africa with the Marlin 45-70 and killed two Cape buffalo with one shot. It completely penetrated both animals. How one could ask for more penetration is beyond me.

When I got the 416 Rem Mag, It was pretty popular and factory ammo and rifles were very reasonable. I don't know what the status of it is now days but when you mention big thumper, this one comes instantly to mind. About all I can say about its performance is that it has awsome power that shakes you clear down to your tenny runners. One shot with it and you realize how little recoil the rest of your guns have. The listed recoil is 53 lbs compared to 33 lbs for the 338 Win Mag. This means you are gonna know it when you pull the trigger. THe HOT 45-70 loads (450-535) Grain bullets will push 40 lbs of recoil as does the 450 Marlin. For all around use, don't overlook the 375 H&H. However Its not legal in some countries that require a forty Caliber Minimum.

In my now older age, I can see that if you don't need that kind of power, its probably best not to use it any more than needed. This because although most won't agree, over the years your shoulders and neck will start paying a price for the abuse. If you do a lot of shooting with thes guns including the real hot 45-70's, protect yourself from the recoil. You may not feel it now but wait another 20 years.