It's not the caliber, it's the bullet

by Pat Cassidy
(Pilot Rock, Oregon)

Regardless of caliber (7mm and up) used for elk, always choose a bullet that will not mushroom too much and will penetrate well.
As stated, elk are made of large bones, heavy muscle mass and a large will to live. The bullet must completely penetrate the body from any practical angle to ensure a clean kill.
A fun test of elk-effective bullets is as follows: take two 5 gallon plastic buckets full of water and place them end-to-end with some wood behind them at 100 yard range. Shoot your favorite elk bullet into them. If the bullet does not penetrate both buckets and go into the wood, use them on squirrels!
I have tested many so-called "elk bullets" and had them fail this simple test. The poor ones are usually in pieces in the second bucket. The good ones retain over 80% of their original weight. Use them!
I have only recovered two bullets from elk that passed this test and both hit multiple bones.
To back up my advise, I have killed many elk and seen many killed. I keep autopsy records of bullet performance and have reached these conclusions. Use of a tough, slow expanding bullet has always resulted in quicker kills and less meat damage.
I am not going to name brands or types as that would deprive you of the fun of doing more shooting!
Have a good time out there.