Quote:

---

One hunt elephants with cartridges caliber 458 and above, and then one can do without unnecessary animal cruelty like shooting in the legs and so on.

---

Yes and No. Miss a vital with any calibre and the animal is still moving. Now when we are talking Stopping Cartridges we are talking about stopping the animal in a charge generally after the first shot has not done its job. So breaking and Elephants leg in these situations is a very wise move. It stops it and a finishing shot can be delivered. Don't break the leg, a very good target and miss the brain, you end up dead. From what I have read some of the so called stopping cartridges do not stop the Ele with a near miss of the brain, a leg bone shot does.

If the Elephant has been wounded and is moving away then a spine, hip or leg shot is recommended to stop it.

Hunting Elephant with a 458 is shown to be no more effective than with a 416 or 404. If you can't handle a 458 but can a 375, the 375 is the better cartridge for you.

Now if the Elephant is charging you and is not wounded I would be going for a brain or spine shot.

Remembering most other animals cans till move on 3 legs and more susceptible to a near miss of the brain from a large calibre. Least ways that is what I have been told and witnessed with domestic cattle.

Post Extras