October 22, 2012, 06:34 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 4, 2011
Location: Tx
Posts: 117
|
270 for elk
Any of you guys out there use 270 Win for elk? I know it is a suitable round but have been trying to talk myself out of using one for a hunt coming up. I have a load with 150 Barnes TSX whipped up for it, should kill them just fine, right? All the guys going with me are using mags, ultras, blah, blah, nothing against them, they are exceptional elk cartridges I just dont have one . Is the main limitation of using my 270 going to be effective range? Im thinking I wont shoot at one past 250?? 300? Who out there has taken elk with 270 and what were the ranges of the shots, the outcome, follow up shots necessary, terminal performance, distance game traveled before expiration, etc...Thanks guys
|
October 22, 2012, 07:36 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 18, 2009
Location: mountains of colorado
Posts: 977
|
I was an elk guide for 9 years and have been in on the taking of @100 elk. I have seen about every caliber used including a 22 lr from a handgun. A 270 is a fine gun to @350 yards from my limited experence. I have killed 3 or 4 with the grand 270 WCF. I have seen about a dozen shot with a 270. I photographed an oldtimer with his old Winchester model 70 in 270 WCF, used to kill over 100 elk. So to put a fine point to it, yes the 270 is quite adequate for elk. I am extremely found of 150 grain
|
October 22, 2012, 09:19 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 14, 2006
Location: Browns Summit NC
Posts: 2,589
|
I have seen a couple klilled with a 270 Win and they both went right down.
|
October 22, 2012, 10:31 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 3, 2012
Location: Union City CA (a.k.a. Poople's Republik of CA)
Posts: 451
|
.270 is decent for for choice for elk, although not my 1st choice.
(I would use a 30-06 but that's just me) IMHO - if you keep your shots round' 300 yards you should be fine. |
October 22, 2012, 11:24 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 25, 2008
Location: In the valley above the plain
Posts: 13,424
|
Use a good bullet, and put it where it counts.
Perfectly decent cartridge for Elk.
__________________
Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe. |
October 23, 2012, 12:34 AM | #6 |
Member
Join Date: November 22, 2007
Location: Montana
Posts: 92
|
I use 30-06. I would have no problem using 270. It will kill them just as well.
__________________
Mosin: Know the safety, Love the safety, Be the safety There are some corners of this country which have bred the most terrible things, things that act against everything we believe in. They must be fought. FBHO- Free Edward Snowden |
October 23, 2012, 01:56 AM | #7 |
Junior member
Join Date: October 4, 2007
Location: All the way to NEBRASKA
Posts: 8,722
|
Grandpa used my .270 WIN for elk ..... when it was his, and Ronald Reagan was President. Worked then, and without the bonded bullets or solid copper/guilding metal bullets we have today..... though I'd use a modern bullet if I went elk hunting.
|
October 23, 2012, 08:55 AM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 11, 2009
Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,766
|
You should be fine using your 270. You have picked a really good bullet and as long as you keep your shots within 300 yards you should not have any problems.
Good luck on you hunt, can't wait to see pictures of your elk! |
October 23, 2012, 01:02 PM | #9 |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Austin, CO
Posts: 19,578
|
__________________
Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley |
October 23, 2012, 01:49 PM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 25, 2010
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 853
|
I believe that's what I'll use this year.
|
October 23, 2012, 02:29 PM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 6, 2011
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 1,350
|
When I was guiding elk hunters near Dubois, Wyoming (along time ago), we guides would fight over the clients who brought a .270. To a man, they could all shoot and weren't afraid of their gun. It ment less work for us.
Those hunters who showed up to camp with the newest an latest cannon were left to the guide who drew the short straw. Nearly all of them couldn't hit what they were shooting at because they were afraid of their gun. And besides, the guys with the really big guns usually had the really big egos.
__________________
Go Pokes! Go Rams! |
October 23, 2012, 04:54 PM | #12 |
Member in memoriam
Join Date: April 9, 2009
Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in
Posts: 3,144
|
My Uncle used a 270 and 130 grain bullets for moose because he didn't know it wasn't supposed to be enough gun. The moose didn't know any better either. I suspect Elk will be just as dumb.
__________________
Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. --Daniel Webster-- |
October 24, 2012, 02:27 AM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 9, 2009
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 8,300
|
choice
I ever get the chnce, I will take my .270 and some sort of premo bullet, I have some 140 gr Failsafes put up for the off chance.
|
October 24, 2012, 06:28 AM | #14 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 12, 2006
Location: NKY
Posts: 12,463
|
Quote:
__________________
"He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson |
|
October 24, 2012, 07:54 AM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 18, 2010
Location: Independence Missouri
Posts: 4,585
|
There are a plethera of outstanding bullets for the .270 win that are designed for bigger than deer game such as elk,,, Good Bullet+ Good Shooting= elk
__________________
Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry. |
October 24, 2012, 09:55 AM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 11, 2007
Posts: 2,155
|
I read one of DeerSlayer86 earlier post and I'm surprised that he asking about the 270 here his post
DeerSlayer86 Member Join Date: October 4, 2011 Location: Tx Posts: 89 Don't over do it Unless you just really want a 300, I wouldn't get one. It's a good caliber but you just don't need that much gun. A 270 is a sufficient elk caliber. 308 is a good choice as well. But if you reall really want a mag, check out 7mm mag. But you really don't need anything bigger than that. But if you want a 300, get a 300. I kind of figured he already hunted elk with a 270
__________________
Semper Fi Vietnam 1965 VFW Life member NRA Life Member |
October 24, 2012, 11:40 AM | #17 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 2, 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,876
|
Quote:
Last edited by Sure Shot Mc Gee; October 24, 2012 at 04:42 PM. Reason: Add: caliber/subject |
|
October 24, 2012, 05:33 PM | #18 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 14, 2006
Location: Browns Summit NC
Posts: 2,589
|
Quote:
|
|
October 24, 2012, 06:48 PM | #19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 2, 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,876
|
Like I said its personal choice. When it comes to caliber use.
Last edited by Sure Shot Mc Gee; October 24, 2012 at 07:02 PM. |
October 27, 2012, 12:18 AM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 6, 2008
Posts: 1,777
|
When you hunt Elk somewhere, such as the Yellowstone park border in Wyoming, where an elk going a few feet past where you want can mean a lost animal, I'll take a Magnum... I like the 7mm Rem Mag, .300 & .338 Win Mag, and do truly favor the .300 and .340 Weatherby Mag rounds for this purpose... Any similar rounds also work well... There are some situations when power is warranted.. The problem with this power is that there are some who can't harness it and place their shots well...
Last edited by .300 Weatherby Mag; October 27, 2012 at 12:26 AM. |
October 27, 2012, 06:45 AM | #21 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 20, 2007
Posts: 2,448
|
Reading the OP, I'm thinking he is looking for an excuse to get a new rifle. OK, here's a case of .270 failure. Guy in our group shot a young bull through the lungs at <100 yd, and nearly lost it. "Nearly" because for some reason it turned around and came past him again. Yes, the first shot was a good one. Trouble with this is, there are anecdotes like this for every caliber. Saw a guy complaining on another forum that his .338 just made an elk mad enough to charge him. Especially with modern bullets, that .270 is fine. If a new rifle is the goal, I can always find a good reason I gotta have it, but I'd say try out your friends' knockemdeads first. I talked myself into a .338 Win Mag a couple years ago. I like it. My excuse? Gonna hunt Alaska, of course!
|
October 31, 2012, 09:52 AM | #22 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 13, 2009
Location: northern CA
Posts: 674
|
My exe's dad has taken a couple dozen elk in 30 years with a 25-06. Wouldn't be my first choice but it works fine for him, so I'd say you're good to go with a 270.
|
|
|