I've played on both sides of this argument. Last year I hunted elk with the smallest diameter bullet I've ever hunted with for them (.264), but my intent was to have my .358 Norma done before elk season. Since my .264 Win Mag did the job quite well, and so have my .280 and .270 WSM, why would I need/want to step up something as large as a .358 Norma hocking 250 gr loogies at 2840 fps? Because I want to. But how do I "justify" it my own mind? I guess it's because I've had enough elk, pigs, deer and other things down to like what I see when I hit them with something powerful. So, while I've killed hogs and coyotes with a .22 mag, and deer with .22 centerfires, I knew it was only barely adequate (they're dead ain't they?), I like the comfort of using enough gun. I insist on exit wounds and like short blood trails. The game may not be "deader", but they might be "deader sooner". Meat damage never bothered me, and I like to take shoulder shots. A big fast bullet, in my mind, makes em deader sooner. Elk bones are pretty stout and while they can go a long ways on three legs, I feel they aren't going far on just two.
However, my .264 Win Mag blew through the shoulders on the bull I shot with her last year. So why do I need more? Because I want more. Why do I want more? To make em deader sooner I guess.
