I've read all the books that Karamojo Bell wrote, and we all have heard the story about all the elephants he killed with the 7X57, and how "magical" it seemed to be. However, Bell also killed a slew of elephants with other cartridges also, and often commented as to how it was the reliability of the excellent German made ammunition that led him to use the 7X57 so much.
7x57 was not Bells most reliable killer
M98 was not his most reliable rifle, nor
was his M98 7mm his personal favorite.
Bell put his success with small bores
down to understanding anatomy and
proper shot placement, yet writers since
have spun up and perpetuated the 'magic'.
The often mentioned 'punching above weight'
is hype, for on the pragmatic real world level
Bell simply found through experience that
.256 bore, .275 bore, .303 Cal, killed just as
effectively with correct shot placement... (ie;)
In scientific empirical evidence terms,. Smaller
bores to the brain/heart was proven suffiicient
despite all the marketing hype from companies
trying to push their proprietary large bores.
Those who get sold on gun Co. hype about large
bores and muzzle energies, might then imagine
smaller bores having some magical mysterious
punch above their weight ability.
Sober rational minds would say they
just plain work when applied correctly.
