When I was guiding elk hunters I always insisted on, heavy for caliber, premium bullets like Nosler partition or Swift A-frames. Having shot 37 elk myself and having seen nearly 100 shot. I gutted and skinned most of that 100 so I have experience with bullet holes in elk. Now that I have age to go with experience I am not sure those heavy premium bullets were necessary for most elk shot these days. Of the last 11 elk I have shot and at least 3/4's of the elk I guided were all shot with the elk standing broadside through the lungs. About any bullets of any weight will put an elk down with a broadside lung shot. Where the lightweight cup and core bullets come up lacking is when that elk is angling away, running straight away, or quartering towards you. Of the 37 elk I shot, 31 was with Nosler Partitions. I am now not too afraid to shoot a lighter bullet of less than premium construction. I once guided a client on a bison shoot. He shot a large bison with a 300 Win Mag using 180 grain Winchester PowerPoints. The shot was through the lungs and into the off shoulder. The range was 50 yards so impact was violent yet the bullet came out picture perfect and could have been in an advertisement. I was impressed with what I had shunned for decades.
