RE: Elk round?
If leaving human frailties out of the equation and going for the " best round for elk" , then on balance I' d vote for the 338WinMag with bullets of Partition quality or better (Swifts, Barnes, FailSafes). Easy recoiling, fast, flat, and has a heavy (and wide) bullet with the ability to break both shoulders on an elk without shying away from the job. Ammo is readily available and and it is time proven --- a " no excuses" cartridge for " bigger than deer" sized game.
Never Go Undergunned,
EKM