The King of the Big Game Cartridges It packs more than a little wallop, but when the critter is on the really large size, the .577 3-inch Nitro Express is your friend. The .577 3-inch Nitro Express is one of three cartridges that I have never been able to find an instance where a properly placed bullet failed to stop any charging animal with one shot. The other two are the 8-gauge and the 4-gauge rifles of the Victorian hunters. These last two weigh considerably more than a .577, and the 8-gauge has twice the recoil of a .577, while...