ELK GUN 270 ?

[ILL hunter]

I WILL BE HUNTING FOR ELK IN CO. THIS OCT { MY FIRST ELK HUNT } MY DEER RIFLE IS A
270 WITH FEDERAL PREMIUM 130 GRAIN NOSLER BALLISTIC TIPS IT IS VERY EFFECTIVE FOR DEER I WANT TO BE SURE THIS SET UP WOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR ELK I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT SHOT PLACEMENT IS CRITICAL { WITH ANY ANIMAL } BUT IF I NEED TO GO WITH A DIFFERENT CARTRIDGE NOW IS THE TIME FOR EXPERIMENTING A CLEAN HARVEST IS IMPORTANT TO ME!!! A 7 MM MIGHT BE BETTER BUT I THINK A 27 WITH THE PROPER LOAD SHOULD BE FINE ANY THOUGHTS SUGGESTION APPRETIATED !!!!!!!!!!

ALSO I WILL BE NEAR CRAIG IS THE HUNTING AS GOOD AS I HOPE

[NwOutdoorShop]

I took my first elk when i was 13 with a 270 with 150gr

one shot through both lungs around 150 yrds so. I think a 270 is big enough just think you need a hevier gr bullet.

I archery hunt in unit 21 out of Rangely Co. that is west of Craig the elk hunting there is good!!!
Going on a guided hunt ?

[bob d]

130 is a little light but can be effective with proper shot placement

[ILL hunter]

IM GOING THRU AN OUTFITTER UNGUIDED BASICALY A TRESSPASS FEE WITH A BASE CAMP WITH 5 OTHER GUYS WHO HAVE HUNTED THIS AREA B- FORE THEY GO EVERY OTHER YEAR
IM THE NEW GUY SO IM SURE OPENING DAY I WONT BE IN THE BEST SPOT SO I WANT TO BE SURE I AT LEAST HAVE MY RIFLE AT MAX CAPACITY

I MAINLY BOW HUNT YOUR LUCKY TO LIVE IN AN AREA TO BOW HUNT ELK ON A DAILY

[brother hal]

I am sure lots of elk are killed every year with a 270. However, I suggest a quality 150gr premium bullet if you must use the 270. I rifle hunt (guided) in NM every year and the outfitter won't let his hunters use anything smaller than a 7mag. Said he got tired of chasing wounded animals all over the mountains or losing them. As with any hunting, it's the shot placement and bullet construction that bring home the bacon. For me, I use a 300 WSM with 180gr Nosler Partitions, but if you feel confident you can place a good 150 gr bullet in the vitals, go for it.
Good Hunting,
Hal

[bigbulls]

the outfitter won't let his hunters use anything smaller than a 7mag. Said he got tired of chasing wounded animals all over the mountains or losing them.

That's just an ignorant outfitter. If the bullet don't go where is't suppose to go then a 416 Rigby ain't gonna help. The .270 is perfectly capeable of taking any elk that walks this earth. I have been using one for a while now and not once have I needed a follow up shot. Out to about 300 yards or so it will kill elk all day long.

Great loads for elk are........ Federal Premium 140 grain TBBC in regular or high energy or Federals 150 grain Nosler partition.........Winchester 140 grain failsafe and the 150 grain partition gold..........PMC's 150 grain Barnes XLCBT

[ELKampMaster]

IL Hunter,

....MY DEER RIFLE IS A 270...

I think you pretty much made an accurate observation and pretty much answered your own question in the first line; however.....

Sure go ahead and use it, 1000s of people do every year.

Good luck and stay away from those ignorant elk outfitters that have decided to turn away from "money in the bank" because of the general results they have seen from 270s versus other cartridges they endorse.

EKM

[noway]

Use the heaviest Barnes X bullet you can get.
If you reload try the Barnes 140gr triple shock. People have been getting excellent accuracy with the triple shocks.

The Barnes should give you all the penetration you need. I wouldn't stretch that caliber out to much past 300 yards on elk.

The Barnes starts penetration at 140grains and loses little weight.
The 150 Partition starts penetration at 150 and the front third quickly expands or wipes off entirely leaving you 100 grains to continue penetration.
In .270 caliber with elk, penetration is everything and my advice would be to maximize it with the X bullet.

[jaybird2]

Some consider the 270 to light for elk,but people have taken elk with 243s.Its like u said its allabout shot placement with any caliber.

[338shooter]

That's just an ignorant outfitter. If the bullet don't go where is't suppose to go then a 416 Rigby ain't gonna help.

I agree but disagree here. It is true that a bad shot isn't going to kill an elk no matter what, but there are a couple of differences. The first is bad shots happen. Particularly with someone on there first elk hunt, but everyone makes bad shots from time to time. A big caliber will be a little more forgiving than a small one. I have seen an elk shot with a 338 RUM, the first shot was bad, pretty far back, but the energy was enough to knock the elk down for a quick follow up for the kill. If that elk was shot with a .25-06 it would have been gone.

The other is that people often times aren't as selective with there shots as they should be. That is another area where a larger caliber will be a little more forgiving. For example, you haven't seen a bull in your five days of hunting, then all of a sudden there is a good bull quartering toward you at 300 yards at dusk. It is your last day of hunting, but with a 270 I don't think you should be taking that shot.

I'm not saying that a 270 can't get the job done, because it can (You do need to change your bullet if you decide to use it though, go heavier and a more solid construction than the ballistic tip). All I'm saying it is about the minimum for someone on there first elk hunt, that only has a limited time to hunt. My opinion would be to go a little bigger if you can afford it. If not go with the 270, and be selective with your shots.

Just my two cents, but sometimes someone has to play devil's advocate