I have learned that it's the bullet making the bullet hole, and the bullet HOLE is what's doing the killing. Any bullet of any weight that blows up and leaves the largest piece of the bullet at under 80 grains is NOT an elk bullet. I have seen a few "buffalo guns" using target/varmint bullets (even if the label on the box says different) that were not good for elk and I have written about them.
I have also seen many times a little gun (25-06, 257 Roberts, 6.5 Swede and so on) kill elk far better then the 7MM Mags and 300 mags when those magnums were loaded with target/varmint bullets.
The elk doesn't know or care what diameters the bullet started out. The wound that kills the elk is made by only 2 factors.
#1 is penetration.
#2 is cavitation.
I've killed approximately 35 elk with a 270 or 243 now. As I've have said on here often, if I had a choice between one of my 243's with a NPt or a 300 mag with a cup & core bullet I'd have a LOT more confidence carrying the 243.
Big game is not the enemy. They are a blessing given by God to us all, and we ought to have a degree of respect for them as such. Brag to me about how you shot 5 shots on a milk jug at 800 yards and never missed one time. That's impressive. Telling me about your 800 yard kill on game only tells me (And everyone) you are not showing the respect of the game I believe we need to have, and you are only giving leverage to the anti-hunting crown to use against us all.
I've gave up saying that several years ago on the 'fire--critters ain't terrorists and we ain't Marine snipers.............
