Is there a place for soft nose bullets with big bores?

Absolutely!!

Intuition suggests that a quality soft hitting an unadrenalized buff may give signifigant "shock" effect and allow a finishing shot.
If a rib were hit the rib fragments would secondarily lacerate lung/heart, causing massive hemmorhage. But if the shoulder is hit instead-not so good.If the buff is po'd and moving fast there is no "shock value" obtained and the value of the soft nose hit is dramatically lessened.A human brain can function with no circulation for 15 seconds,and minimal perfusion for 4 minutes.A PCP addict can be without vital signs and inflict mortal injuries on others. I assume a buff can be dead on his feet and still kill you dead as dirt.

Theoretically "Soft" skinned animals and light boned animals need softnoses to dump the energy in the animal and not the hillside behind him.I don't know how lion skulls hold up to softs but I suspect softs are ok.

Enough of armchair theory and extension of human forensic experience-what results have members of this forum seen in the field?

500 Nitro-soft noses for first shots on buff? The buff jaw experience you relate is unnerving.