.270 for Elk?

Wasatch · Oct 23, 2008

I have a cow elk hunt coming up, and only have a .270 that I have shot for years, am very comfortable with and can shoot good groups with also. I was just wondering though if a .270 is a good caliber rifle to use for such a hunt? I realize that bigger caliber rifles, 30-06, 7mm and 300's are all bigger and better but my .270 is all I have.

What do you guys think? Is a .270 good enough for elk?

completesportsman · Oct 23, 2008

Heck yeah

brymoore · Oct 23, 2008

My wife blasted a big cow at 300 yds on Tuesday night with a 270. We found it about 10 yards for where she shot it.

peakfreak · Oct 23, 2008

All day. I have shot two rag horns in Co. Both under 150 yds. and both one shot kills. Bigger is better ,but put a bullet in the boiler and dead is dead.

BigWooley · Oct 23, 2008

Personally i would be takin my 270 on my bull hunt if the terrain wasnt as nasty as it is and give possibility of shots further than ok with the 270. Its perfect for a cow hunt as long as you put it in the right place and dont push the limits of the round.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." -- Abraham Lincoln

fuzzyvelvet · Oct 23, 2008

I can't tell you the number of cow elk I have shot with a 270; hit them good and they will die...no problem

Ticks N Tines · Oct 23, 2008

Killed this one a few weeks ago with my .270 @ 200 yards.
Killed one in '05 on Deseret with my .270 @ 250 yards.

If you ask me, .270 is the best all around caliber in the world.

woodruffhunter · Oct 23, 2008

It will do fine. If that is what you have, use it. My son will be using his 270 on a cow hunt (he is 12).

Having said this, I would never ever trade my 300 for a 270. I would rather have a little more 'bang'.

MuleyCrazed · Oct 23, 2008

A .270 is the only gun I will ever use! I have shot two cows and one big bull with mine and would not go with any other gun. They are straight shooting and have plenty of power behind them. I've also seen plenty of elk killed with a 30-30, so it really all comes down to how much effort you want to put in to get close to them. You'll be good with a .270 for your cow hunt. Good luck!!

MuleyCrazed
Idaho

Bazy · Oct 23, 2008

I've shot elk(bulls and cows) from 10 ft to 250yds with my .270
I love the rifle with 150 grain nosler partitions for elk. It whacks'em and stacks'em.

Kentuck · Oct 23, 2008

I'm taking my .270 on my elk hunt in Idaho next week. Picked up a box of XP3's. Will give a go anyway.

dutch · Oct 23, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Oct-23-08 AT 04:15PM (MST)[p]I've shot one bull at 150 yards running and one cow at about 130 yards standing, both dropped like rocks with my .270 (150 grain nosler partitions).

I've also heard a .270 and a 30-06 are pretty close as far as speed and knockdown go. I'm not sure I'd try anything over 300 yards though if I had the chance, though I still believe you'd be ok.

270 Winchester History and General Information.
The 270 Winchester is based on the more popular 30/06 cartridge case necked down to .277 caliber. Winchester began producing the .270 in 1923. Although the 270 winchester was in production in 1923 it was not officially announced until the introduction of their model 54 rifle chambered in their 270 cartridge in 1925.
The 270 winchester is a great dual purpose cartridge it can be used for varmints sending a 100 gr. bullet out the muzzle at a sizzling 3,500 fps. or it can be used as a big game cartridge sending 130 grain bullets out the muzzle at speeds of 3,100 fps. with sufficient power out to the 400 yard mark for deer sized game plus using 150 grain bullets at 2900 fps. it will flatten an elk out to about 250 yards.

The 270 winchester with the power it offers down range will recoil somewhat to the shooters shoulder with heavier bullets in the 150 grain range but is still quite tolerable to shoot.

cmiddleton · Oct 23, 2008

my dads been killin elk for over 50 years with one.

stinkystomper · Oct 23, 2008

I guarantee you can kill an elk with every gun bigger than a pellet rifle. Just need a little shot placement

When I die I'm leaving this world the same way I came in.......Accidentally!

apollosmith · Oct 23, 2008

I decided to purchase a new rifle when I drew my LE elk tag this year. I debated going big, but ended up going with a .270 for a few reasons:

- I've shot one my entire life. I know the ballistics and how it shoots like I know the back of my hand.
- I'll probably shoot several deer (I hope) before I have another chance at elk.
- It's plenty of caliber for elk. And shooting the .270 would keep my shot choice honest and ethical (no 600 yard shots for me).
- None of the other elk I've shot have ever lived long enough to complain about being shot by a .270.

Blackknight · Oct 23, 2008

Just got back from an elk hunt myself. I used a 7mm08. Did fantastic at 220yrds using reloads (Accubond bullets). One shot! I know a 270 will work just fine!!! Make sure you use premium bullets. Good luck!!!!

PAblackbear · Oct 23, 2008

Load up some triple shocks and call it good.

Roy · Oct 24, 2008

>I guarantee you can kill an
>elk with every gun bigger
>than a pellet rifle. Just
>need a little shot placement
>
>

That's good news stinkystomper because I have been sweating a pot shot I took at a calf elk at about 12 yards with my Daisy about 25 years ago!!

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

Wasatch · Oct 24, 2008

Thanks everyone for all of your replies! They sure help me feel much more comfortable about hunting elk with my .270.

BUL_KRZY · Oct 24, 2008

+ a bunch!

All I hunt with is a .270 for the most part! Deer and Elk! I've killed 5 bulls from 30 yds to 300 yds, all were 1 shot kills! Now I may be more lucky than good at times, but I will take a .270 anyday for flat shooting ballistics!

Lookup Jack O'Connor and read some of those old articles! The only gun you need is .270 in his mind! Elephant, cape buffalo, you name it... he killed it with a .270.

greenhornhunter · Oct 24, 2008

i killed a large bull at 400 plus yards with my 270 he only went 10 yards and fell dead. that right there made me a believer and that was with wal mart bullets

slamdunk · Oct 24, 2008

I think if you shoot your rifle well, have confidence in it, keep your shots "within reason" and don't ask your rifle to do something it shouldn't or can't.....then i say "go for it".

hossblur · Oct 29, 2008

Dad shot the .303 British most of his younger hunting days, killed huge deer and lots of them. Won a M77(the best out of the box gun, and I own a browning not a ruger) .270 and he never liked it, it was way faster than his .303, but not near the "whap" of the 30 cal. So he bought us boys a-bolts in the 06' because the speed was close but it also brought the lumber more that the .270. Personally, I own both, but use the 06 for elk, but not for any other reason than he bought me the 06 so its sentimental, the .270 is great. Do a poll and I would bet that the western big game hunters would say .270, 06', 7mm, 300win are the 4 most common and most used for elk.

Bates7 · Oct 30, 2008

I shot my first bull with a .270 in 1987. It was a 4x5 non-typical here in AZ in unit 6A. He was about 50 yards away standing broad side. I placed a bullet behind the left shoulder just below the spine. When it connected he rolled like a beer keg. That's my preferred caliber and I have three different makes, my favorite is my old J.C. Higgins (Sears & Roebuck) .270 from my Great Grand Father. I also shoot a 7mm Mag, but it usually just comes along for the ride as a back up. My 7mm is so dang heavy that I only use it in big open country mainly for the long range shots.