I went with the 300 gr.SST last year because Hornady recommended them for elk and moose. I got pretty good penetration on an 800 lb. bull elk. Bullet entered the middle of the chest on the right side and angled into the shoulder on the left side without exiting.

The thing to remember about big bore bullets is that the sectional density of a short fat bullet is not that great. Nor the ballistic coefficient. Although sheer weight has its own merits - like in the case of the .62 caliber round ball.

My plan this year is to try the 250 gr.Shockwave later on in New Mexico's elk season. I'm betting it will work fine on a broadside rib shot. I even wonder about the 200 grain Shockwave. It is a .40 caliber bullet, and probably has a sectional density comparable to the .451 250 grain Shockwave.