270 wsm for elk

[rtb5390]

I live in kentucky and use a .270 wsm for deer, and i have wanted to go ot west for elk. I am wondering if the 270 wsm is big enough.

[game4lunch]

You may want to search the "Big Game Hunting" posts for all the responses you can stand.

This subject, "is this gun good enough for elk", has been covered . . . and then some.

Let me give you a highlight version of what you will find;

Yes, it will kill elk. It has great ballistics for long range shooting (flat).
But keep this rule of thumb in mind, I'll swear (from personal experience), that the bigger the gun, the less you've got to chase it. I'll never forget the first year I went elk hunting and used the .270 (not the magnim) and never did find the elk. Found blood, tracks, went back the next day with a dog, still haven't found that elk.
The .300 Win Mag I shoot now, will drop him/her where they stand!
Another rule of thumb . . . the smaller the caliber, the closer you need to be to your target. It's just unconciebable that guys will spend the large amounts of money to come out here with pea shooters and go home frustrated because they didn't recover their animal. Why take the risk. Get a bigger gun.

[Colorado Luckydog]

ORIGINAL: game4lunch

You may want to search the "Big Game Hunting" posts for all the responses you can stand.

This subject, "is this gun good enough for elk", has been covered . . . and then some.

Let me give you a highlight version of what you will find;

Yes, it will kill elk. It has great ballistics for long range shooting (flat).
But keep this rule of thumb in mind, I'll swear (from personal experience), that the bigger the gun, the less you've got to chase it. I'll never forget the first year I went elk hunting and used the .270 (not the magnim) and never did find the elk. Found blood, tracks, went back the next day with a dog, still haven't found that elk.
The .300 Win Mag I shoot now, will drop him/her where they stand!
Another rule of thumb . . . the smaller the caliber, the closer you need to be to your target. It's just unconciebable that guys will spend the large amounts of money to come out here with pea shooters and go home frustrated because they didn't recover their animal. Why take the risk. Get a bigger gun.

Very well said!

[700xcr]

Use a 140gr. or 150gr. bullet and put it in the boiler room of an elk. I will be using my Remington 700xcr in 270wsm this year for deer and elk. I know of a retired Game Warden that uses a 6.5 Remington Mag. when he is in open terrain in Eastern,Or. His hunting partner that owns the ground he hunts on uses a 270wsm.Heused it to talk elk at 300yds.Shot Placement is the key along with bullet contruction.

[James B]

Since about a jillion elk have been take with the 270 Winchester, the 270 WSM should also work very well. I believe in recent polls on this site that the 270 finished very high in the preferred calibers.

[stubblejumper]

Of course it will kill elk.I have seen several elk killed with the 25-06 and even the 243win,but I prefer at least a 7mm magnum myself.

[SCWoodsWizard]

270 wsm just about is a 7 mag isn't it? Looks the same on a ballistics chart.

[stubblejumper]

270 wsm just about is a 7 mag isn't it? Looks the same on a ballistics chart.

And a 264 win mag is just about a 270wsm.
And a 257wby is just about a 264win mag.
And a 6mm-284 is just about a 257wby mag.

At some point you have to set a limit.I choose to set mine at the 7mm remmag.

[billybob1234]

RTB,

if your a good shot you can kill elk all day long a 270 wsm i believe ithas a little more horsepower than the 270 rem. my buddy uses a 270 rem with 130 grn bullets and tags out every year. just make sure you use a bonded bullet.

[StillHunter90]

The 270 wsm flys faster and hits harder then a standard 270 so you should definately be ok if you listen to the recommendations on here about bullet construction and shot placement.