My feeling is that if you have to use recoil reducing gizmo's on a rifle, your shooting to much cartridge. In every cal from the 6.5's up are really good cup and core bullet's that will do exactly as you need in standard cartridges. My last two elk were killed with my 6.5x06 and 140gr Hornady's and if there's another it will be with my 6.5x55. The secret is in the choice of bullet. If velocity is the Holy Grail to you, I can't help you. Men used to kill elk very dead with round lead balls.