Yeah, they use them mainly for crowd control, to silently eliminate the leaders of the riots with head shots or to push the crowds back with non-lethal shots to the legs or extremities. Which often prove to be quite lethal afterwards, lol, even with the 22.
If you hit the femoral or armpit artery it doesn't matter if you are shooting a 7.62 or a .22, you're gonna bleed out. 

I plan on purchasing a Model 1873 Springfield. It is cheap, old enough to be labeled an antique, and I can actually purchase ammo for it at a relatively cheap price.

Thats a really good fun gun, just be aware of the fact that due its construction it cannot withstand heavy 45-70 loads, I'd not recommend shooting commercial ammo through it.

It was designed for shooting low pressure black powder cartridges, even modern replicas can't handle the pressures created by modern nitro powder.
Best ask the gun shop about it. 

Its all smokeless powder with way more pressure than black powder, I'd advice against shooting any hot modern rounds through the 1873. It might damage your gun or even worse, you. As a hand loader you can keep the pressure low with certain powders and bullet types, or even better, black powder and lead bullets. I have loaded the 45-70 to original specs and black powder is so much more fun. It just feels right in such gun.- 

If I were you I'd invest in a good hand loading press and tools, making your own ammo is just as much fun as shooting a gun.

Or you could get an H&R 1871 buffalo rifle. They're pretty cheap and can withstand the hottest commercial loads. www.hr1871.com/firearms/rifles/buffalo.asp 

Shooting .45-70 makes my dick hard.

My dad's got a MArlin Guide Gun in .45-70.


He bought it years ago for hog, but hasn't shot it for a long time.  The ammo isn't cheap, and he doesn't get out enough any more to get into reloading.  I've got 20 shells sitting around, so maybe I'll take it out sometime soon.