OK, so if it's that much less powerful than the .44 mag, yet it was once the most common round used in lever guns and has taken countless deer, I'm thinking economically and practically that a .44 magnum lever gun should suite my needs perfectly. I live in Florida, I mostly just shoot at the range, but when I do hunt, I don't take long shots, ever. Really, I just never have. Is thick and brushy where I hunt, and we mostly see hogs and small deer.
So, .45-70 ammo off the shelf (and you can't find that one at Walmart, where I buy most of my ammo) is about $30 for 20 rounds. .44-40 is probably about the same, I'm guessing, whereas .44 magnum is around $33 for 50.
Big, big difference there.