Have you tried Winchester failsafe's? Taken 2 elk with them, no problems. Biggest knock is grouping with these bullets, some guns just don't like them.

As far as Hornady goes, I have used different Hornady Ammo and it has always performed well on the game. I prefer Boattails, due to my shoot range and locations. Most guys don't like how they first part of the jacket comes apart with BT, but that is by design...to release more energy on the animal than the standard flat base bullet. If you want a bullet to be all intact don't shoot this style. Will it work, oh yeah and IMO will put the game down quicker. Shoot selection maybe a little more limited with BT, but I think aiming at the shoulder or wheels is just setting yourself up to any bullet failure. If you got the shoulder you got the boiler room, no? If quarter away you have the opposite shoulder as backing and will more than likely take out Lungs and that shoulder. Quartering towards you, you have the rib and out through the yuk (guts), but still take him down. This where accuracy takes over for sub accuracy and retention, JIMHO. I would rather use a bullet that I can put in the zone, then one that if I yank it...well it should be good enough.

I say go with what makes you the most confident in all aspects. If it is 1" groups, then you have your answer. If 2" groups and retention are going to give you the confidence you'll need, shoot Parts. It's all up top!!! 180 Gr bullet is more than enough to take down an elk, my 2 I mentioned were with a 270 140Gr bullet, both wher lung shots...so shot placement is always the key to successfully filling your tag and recovering your game.

(BTW my elk both went farther than I would have liked, 200 and 300 yards...I attributed that to the bullet performing to well. More recently I shot one with a 7 mag 154 GR hornady Interlock BT, he went 75 yards...same shot!!!!)

Good Luck!