I started out my hunting career over 45 years ago, my first rifle was a 3006, followed by a 7 mag in 1980. Back then I pushed a 160 grain partition at 3100 and it killed well, well sort of. The first animal I lost was a really big black bear that I shot at around 600 yards, good shoulder hit, watched the bear roll for 200 yards, never found blood or the bear. After another big bear that I managed to kill after several shots, I decided I wanted more gun. I moved up to a 338 win mag. I never had an issue with the 338 except for a big muley that I shot when I first moved to Wyoming. 500 yard shot with a 225 gr Barnes X hit through the lungs and I followed the deer for over a mile. Finally found him the next day, bullet never expanded and penciled through both lungs.
Then I caught the ultra mag craze and bought a 338 RUM. IT FLAT KILLS EVERYTHING IT HITS! I started shooting 210 grain Barnes XLC at 3400 fps and made some outstanding kills. Then I switched to 225 gr Accubonds at 3300 and made some more outstanding kills. I tried some 250 gr partitions and made a 570 yard kill on a big 6 point bull, through the shoulder. The shoulder was shattered, but the hole into the chest cavity was only caliber size. The partition lost it's front while breaking the shoulder and the shank was all that kept going. Now I shoot 300 gr Bergers and 300 gr Accubonds. I haven't made a kill with the accubond yet, but the Bergers produce DRT 95% on elk and 100% on big muley's to date. I have recovered all but 3 of my bergers used on deer and elk. One elk was hit in the neck and the bullet wasn't recovered. Another cow elk was hit behind the shoulder and exited the neck, DRT at 550 yards. I have recovered 3 of the 300 grain Berger OTM's from big 300 lb mule deer, all on the off side under the hide, all DRT. My 300 RUM has similar results, but my 338 RUM is my go to gun. Some people can't handle the recoil, but when you want to compare terminal ballistics, 2500 ft pounds at 1000 yards can't be ignored, because it is a fight stopper. I hunt a lot in grizzly country and that is the primary role of the 300 gr accubond, as a fight stopper. If you insist on carrying a 6.5 in grizz country, I suggest having a friend with you carrying a BIG gun to save your butt if needed.
As much as we would like to say we never make bad hits on animals, it does happen and usually when the wind is blowing, the big bullets have put down elk for me when a smaller bullet wouldn't have, all because of a bad wind call. Use whatever caliber you want to hunt with, but limit your shots to good effective killing ranges with smaller bullets and calibers. Last year while cow elk hunting, a buddy killed a calf elk at around 600 yards with his 338 edge shooting 250 gr bergers. When the elk was being skinned, a 30 cal bullet from another friends 308 winchester was recovered from a front shoulder, it barely penetrated the hide and stopped, just sayin...................
