I've been using 425 grain hollow point/hollow base lead bullets for years in my Thompson Hawkins over 120 grains of 2FFg. The only concern that I have I can't find them any longer and I only have about 20 left. I have never had an elk more than 15 yards all but one have been a threw and threw and down. The one that did not exit was standing with his back to me on a little hill hit between the shoulder blades half stayed in the spine the other half went down the left front quarter and lodged in the elbow and down where he stood. Way over kill for deer though, got a blacktail buck aimed for the white shot on the chest and made him a new pooper a threw and threw from front to back (messy).