I have not recovered a TTSX. partitions very few, ALL from hogs here in the south. Shoulder shots and like you alluded to, the front breaks off and the rear penetrates. The only reason I went to the TTSX it is, without question (in my experience anyway) the most consistently accurate bullet I've ever used and I'll even include my 450NE double, where the North Forks are equally accurate. While I don't have anywhere NEAR the experience you have (BTW, what IS your total elk count, must be dozens!), my experience, and those of my friends' (in this case John55 and Allen Day since they are both "here"),show the TTSX to be a great bullet. As for really big game, I've shot just TWO buffalo, one with a 375 and the other with a 416 Rigby, both bullets were 300 and 400 grain soft nose respectively, and they worked great. The 375 is also responsible for eland, kudu, zebra, woldebeest Tsessebee and all I can tell you was weight retention was in the high 90%. I've killed Impala, warthogs, bushbuck, kudu, and bushpig with the partition. In addition of course to a few deer and lots of hogs here. The main issue I've had with NPs and not just in Weatherbys is one of accuracy. Like John says, if I were to use bonded bullets, I like the A-Frame and in slower calibers, I've really gotten good performance out of Woodleighs.
One more data point, my 7mm Weatherby really likes 160gr Partitions and if I do decide to take that rifle for the elk hunt or even back to Africa, the Partition will be my bullet of choice. I use what works for me and yes I do use and like the 300 Weatherby (if I could have just ONE rifle, a MKV 300 Weatherby Deluxe would be IT), but I've used rifles ranging from Lee 303s to 375s, 35 Wheelen (in a Ruger for my best black bear), and they all work. The ONLY absolute I have is you will never see me hunting serious game with a Remington 700..
I would not knock the ol 700. My father's two most used DG rifles were a 458 and a 375 model 700's. He also hunted extensively in Africa in a manner that's no longer available now or prohibitively expensive. I currently have in my posession the 375.
