I have killed elk personally with 270 Winchester, 270 Short Mag. 7X57, 7MM Rem Mag, 300 Savage 308 Winchester, 30-06 300 H&H 300 Win mag, 308 Norma Mag, 30-387 Weatherby, 8X57, 338-06, 338 Win Mag, 9.3X74R, 375H&H , 416 Taylor, 44 Mag hand guns, 454 Casull handgun, 62 Cal Flintlock, a wood arrow from a long bow .... and I probably missed 1 or 2 from this list. I have killed them for over 1/2 a century in 6 different states.
In addition to the ones listed above I have seen them killed with the following when hunting with friends, and in guiding elk hunters.
243, 257 Roberts, 25-06, 6.5X55 , 260 Remington, 6.5 CM, 270 Weatherby Mag, 7-08, 280, 7MM Weatherby Mag, 30-30, 30-40 Krag, 300 Ultra Mag, 325 Short Mag, 8MM Rem Mag, 338 Federal, 340 Weatherby, 338 Lapua 358 Win, 9.3X62, 9.3X57, 416 Remington, 416 Rigby, 458 Winchester, 50-90 Sharps, 577 Enfield 50 cal muzzleloaders, 53 cal muzzleloaders 58 cal muzzleloaders, 8 bore muzzleloader, about 35 killed with compound bows and modern arrows, and again I am sure I am missing a few here too.
What's the near perfect caliber?
What ever the near perfect hunter is using.
It's not about the shell or caliber.
The one factor that is the most important in the area of hardware is the bullet, ( the best ones expand well and go clear through and exit in a relatively straight line 100% of the time) but the #1 MOST IMPORTANT factor ABOVE ALL ELSE is the hunter and his skills. Hardware is a small percentage of the equation and the hunter is the big percentage of that same equation.
Skill in hunting and shooting trumps hardware every time.
