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You can talk about paper ballistics if you want, but 270's have ethically been taking elk at 400-500 yards for near 90 years now. It is one of the most proven combos out there and modern bullets and loads have only made it better. I'd say it has cleanly taken more elk, moose, and African plains game than all of the 33's and 35's combined by a factor of several hundred to 1. The 270 and 30-06 didn't become the standard by which all others are judged because they didn't work. I'll throw the 7X57 in as well, it has traditionally been a favorite in Africa. Americans aren't the only hunters who hunt there.
If you insist on going larger the 375 is the next logical step up. Anything in between is a marginal improvement at best. It is bigger than needed for anything you plan on hunting, but is the next step up that would be an improvement if you became the hunted instead of the hunter in Africa.
Just a few more thoughts. Elk are hunted in some pretty rugged country, in thin air and often in bad weather. I wouldn't be lugging around a heavy, complicated autoloader in elk county. And I wouldn't be shooting a heavy recoiling caliber from a light rifle. Stick with a bolt rifle for the simplicity and reliability. Depending on the caliber you do decide on it can be kept lighter, or heavier depending on what you want or need.
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