its less about the caliber than bullet construction and velocity.

at middle distances, and with something akin to a 375 300gr A-Frame, small game will just have a hole in it. with a 30-378 165gr soft-point or Ballistic Tip, HUGE mess, MASSIVE expansion and bullet fracture.

woodleigh softs would be a bad bullet to try this with, especially the old-style sub-2000fps impact velocity versions.

basically it boils to this... if the bullet is going below its design velocity range (relative to the animals structure), it will not expand and just pass through. if it is too soft or too fast (some may say this is less an issue) it will create a gaping hole. I shot a small buck at 35 FEET, with a 117gr BoatTail Soft in a 25-06 loaded to 2990, that should give me an impact velocity VERY near 2900fps.

bullet just passed through the heart and lungs (no bone structure) and the exit wound did not indicate significant expansion/fracture... it appeared as if the exit would was between some .35 and .50" vs. the entry wound an even quarter.

make of it what you will... I suspect the real arguement is that Ballistic Tips damage a ton of meat and real "hunting bullets" (i.e. Partition or better) don't.