Anybody who thinks the little cartridges create as big a wound, break heavy bone as well, and overall inflict as much trauma as a 300 Weatherby, needs to kill more elk with both. I do not think it's true.And that has not been my observation especially as distances stretch out.
IME there is a lot more visual effect on those bigger animals (bulls, not little cows and calfs) from the 30 caliber magnums than the smaller cartridges in many instances I have seen.
This lethal equivalency among rifle cartridges ( the 243 is the same as 6.5x55 is the same as a 7x57, is the same as the 30/06, is the same as the 300 Weatherby,etc etc is as nonsensical with regard to rifle cartridges as it is with people, or anything else. It isn't true.
If it were there would be no advantage to using a 458 Lott on Cape Buffalo instead of a 243 and we all know that's not true.
Got a pal and hunting companion who lives in Wyoming. His lifetime tally on elk (mostly bulls) is likely around 60 animals,the majority killed with a 270. He says the 270 kills them but the 300 magnums flat out crush them. The 270 and similar cartridges are adequate elk cartridges but not in the category with the 300 magnums.
