southtexas, as mentioned 165 gr. Sierra HPBT will kill an elk and very dead.. I've shot probably at least a dozen with that bullet out of my .300's.. BUT I would opt for a better bullet.. I seldom use them for that purpose these days... My first choice is the Nosler Part. Again, I would go with 165's or 180's.. I never had much use for the 180 wt. in .30 cal.. But it is a good one.. A second choice would be the 165 grain Accubond.. I have shot maybe 5 elk with this bullet in my .340 and 300's.. It has never come apart or lost it's core.. It does loose wt. more than the part. but it shoots well and carries up well.. I would trade a bit of accuracy for a better bullet.. You may not need it, but if you get one shot and it is not perfect, you will be happy to have a bullet that can do the job from a less than perfect angle.. You might get one shot just at dusk, and a better bullet will mean a better chance of success..
