All the kills I have made that fell at the shot were hits with spine shots, neck shots and a handful I killed with raking shots from a 375H&H with 300 grain bullets.
With most shots however you will see elk stagger or run a short distance. If the bullet holds together and you hit them forward of the diaphragm it's not likely for elk to go more then about 30 yards.
All the long runs I have seen in my 42 years of hunting and guiding hunts for them were from clients who hit them in the wrong place, or hit them with a bullet that broke up and didn't penetrate well, or both.
I my experience, you are better off with a 257 Roberts with a partition or Barnes X bullet then you are with a 3oo Weatherby shooting a Burger or Sierra.
A poor bullet in the right place is still better then a good bullet in the wrong place though.
