I don't know about all this, but I do know I have killed elk with one shot, bang/flop with a Marlin 94, 44 mag carbine using 240n grain Speer Semi jacketed flat points going about the same velocity of 1800 fps and nothing was lacking. I think some guys get so tied yup in this minutia that they think the elk now days have kevlar hides.
Anything in the 300gr bullet weight realm with a suitable powder charge out of a muzzle loader is going to kill an elk if placed right.
