Have a friend here in Montana who used a .470 Nitro-Express on several elk--until as he aged a little (he's maybe 3 years older than I am) got tired of packing it's weight around in the mountains. He then sold it and bought another really nice double in .333 Jeffery, which weighed a LOT less, and used that for a few years.
I have a 9.3x74R Thieme-Schlegelmilch double .(T-S was a top German firm that went under during WWII.) It weighs 8 pounds and have packed it around during both spring bear seasons here in Montana, and in fall. So far it has only taken a mule deer doe--which worked out great because a 286-grain Nosler Partition at 2400 fps ruins almost zero meat. And I know from considerable experience with other 9.3 rounds that bullet will penetrate more than enough on any angling-away timber elk. Might just take it for timber hunting this fall....
