I know this is not a lever gun question but I think it is the place to go for the answer. I am going to buy a T/C pro hunter Katahdin. The question is 45-70, 460s&w,or 500s&w. Now it is worth mentioning that I live in Pa and hunt the mountains for deer and possible bear, even less likely Pa elk. It is also important to mention I do not reload. I guess I should also state for the record I know I don't need a gun this big, but I want one! I know the 500 is more of a gimick round then anything else. Huge stopping power up close, but not great out far. So I think it is down to 45-70 or 460. I know the 45-70 has been proven as a great round, but the 460 is new and hot. Anyone have experience with the 460 out of a rifle? Help please!!!!!!!!!

I have a 444 marlinXLR whitch is another idea. but of the 3 you listed the 47\70 is the better. rounds are common and factory rounds can be found loaded light for target shoots to near maxed out (for a leaver), to flip that dear in the feld.
wolfpack

If you are not a handloader 45/70 may be the best choice. While the big name ammo companies such as Federal, Winchester, and Remington load to level safe for use in most rifles these loads are more than sufficient for the game you mentioned. Also heavier hunting rounds from custom and semi-custom ammo manufacturers are readily available. The 45/70 can be found in just about any place that sells ammo, this can be a problem with the other two rounds you mentioned. The 460 and 500 both have limited numbers of loads available and can be hard to find.Of course if you do go with the 460 S&W you can shoot the 45 Colt and 454 Casull out of it as well.

that is an interesting one. i've been hankering for a 45/70 bbl. for my encore, but also noticed the 460 and am intrigued by it too. what is your typical shot range where you hunt? i deer hunted most of my life in s.e. iowa and 100 yards was a long shot. when they started to let us use handguns i put my slug gun away and never looked back. my favorite .44 load was a 240 gr nosler jhp at about 1250 ish. held together great even on shots measured in feet rather than yards and gave good (often complete) penetration. my .45 colt load used a 265 gr cast bullet at barely over 1,00 fps and it hit like a hammer and was like shooting practice loads. those heavy slow loads hit hard. brings to mind a few weeks back i was watching a hunting show and larry weishuhn was hunting along the milk river in montana. he was using an encore in 405 win. i have never seem such an impressive bodily reaction to a shot. no it wasn't a drop at the shot, the best way i can think to describe it is that i have never seen such a large spurt of blood come out of an entrance hole, and have never seem a ribcage distort so much! if i remember right the deer staggered 2 or 3 steps and flopped. i can't help but think that had that been an elk in the crosshairs the kill would have been just as dramatic and quick.
that being said i'd have to endorse the 45/70 also. or a 405. i have a 405 in a usrac '95 and really like it. have't had it long and have yet to kill with it but it'll happen sooner than later. as the other guys stated, ammo will be much easier to come by and there are all levels of performance available. someday the 460 may become widespread enough that ammo distibution/availability won't be an issue but to me at this point in time it's still too new.

Looking at ballistics data, the .460 and .45-70 seem to be pretty close when comparing standard factory .45-70 loads (something like 300 gr. hollowpoint around 1800 fps or 400 gr. at 1400 fps). There are hotter loads from some smaller ammunition companies that put the .45-70 in a whole 'nother class. If I remember right, the .460 was designed with a new bullet that was supposed to have a great ballistic coefficent and flies very flat, but I don't know how that compares to the .45-70 in real world practice.

The .500 shoots bigger slugs at pretty impressive velocities. It might have a slightly worse trajectory, but I'd guess it's not too far off the others. Personally, I'd like to get a single shot rifle in this caliber just for fun!

Overall, I'd say no deer, black bear, or even elk is going to notice much of a difference between the three (if the proper bullet is used, of course). I'd also vote for the .45-70 just because it's more practicle like the others have said.

When handloaded the .45-70 will trounce the .460. It will come up to the ballistics of the .500,IMO, with the proper bullets/loads and bbl lengths.

I too would love to have a T/C chambered in the .500S&W caliber. It would be a fun gun. Especially with the bigger bullets. A Ruger #1 would be even "funner". Especially loaded as to flatten primers.

I have a buddy that has a Ruger #3 chambered in .45-70. He has gotten some pretty impressive ballistics using that super strong action. -----pruhdlr