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You might inform him that Kilimanjaro Bell (aka, W. D. M. Bell) killed over 800 elephants with Mauser 7x57mm (aka, 275 Rigby) rifle and military sold, round nose 173 grain ammo. Not bad for an inadequate round.
I believe you're referring to "Karamojo" Bell, not "Kilimanjaro" Bell. There are a couple of other factoids to consider.
1. Bell was an exceptional rifle shot from the offhand position. He even dry fired continually on the way to the game.
2. Bell spent a lot of time studying elephant skulls to make good brain shots.
3. Bell was interested in making a large bag. He only shot the brain (or at least tried) because a brain-shot elephant just drops. The other elephants, in his day, would just stand around. A chest shot elephant makes a helluva racket and runs. This scares the others.
4. The brain shot is harder than a chest shot. This means there is a premium on accuracy. It is easier to shoot a low-recoiling rifle accurately.
5. Bell was the first man to bring a modern rifle into the areas he hunted. The elephants were not as wary as now.
6. You don't kill elephants by "hydrostatic shock" or tissue damage in the brain. You kill them by penetration. The sectional density of a 7mm 173 grain bullet is about the same as a .458 500 grain bullet. A solid bullet tends to hold together.
7. You don't have to make a blood trail (as in the bigger bullet or exit hole the better) with elephants.
Under today's conditions, where you might get one shot at one elephant in a week of tracking, you will probably take a chest shot. If the elephant escapes wounded, you will have to pay a $10,000 trophy fee. Under today's conditions, a 7mm would be a terrible choice. Nevertheless, I have seen PHs miss entire elephants at least three times with "elephant rifles."
