bad bullet placement on any sized game is still bad.
Not always, but most the time. My dad shot a blacktail while on a beer hunt with his .338. He was using nosler partitions, safari grade, the nickel plated ones. Shot the deer running at 100yards, and saw it tuble just as it went over a hill. The deer was dead by the time he got to it, and he had hit it thru the rear hip. The bullet literelly made hamburger out of the entire hip. Bullet didn't even enter the body cavity, the deer died of shock/trauma/loss of blood.
I also can vouch for the awesome foot/pounds sent by the .338. I shot a coyote in the spring that nearly turned inside out, and the force sent him about 4 feet up the hill he was standing on. I have a .375 now, and it sends 300gr bullets at about the same ballistics as the .338 sends 250grainers. I can't wait to shoot something live with it. Plan on doing a walk-in black bear hunt with it this spring.
You also mentioned "for anyone who can stand the weight." My .375 is a remington 700 with synthetic stock, and stainless barrel, and it weighs less than my dads .338 (winchester 77) and my brothers .338 (ruger 70.) They both have walnut stocks, and my gun is quite a bit lighter. I pay for it in kick though
