Given the broken wrists, 15 year old, etc. information, I think a remington model 7 in 308 or 7-08 is in order. I would hate to shoot an elk with an 800-900 fps bullet. 45 acp velocities and even soft easily expanding bullets more than likely would not perform well. Unless the elk is being shot from a tree stand at 10-20 yards or is tied up to a game pen fence, there would be a great chance to wound it and have to track it for miles. My thoughts.