ORIGINAL: haugenna
I agree with old elk, there are better calibers. My friends, close friends, have lost game to the 270. The bullets were in the pump house. This happened twice to two different friends. Unfortunately there are some cowboys in the woods. My buddy shot at this elk with his 270, hit him in the vitals, not a heart shot, lung shot. The elk ran 100-150 yards all the while getting made into swiss cheese by some long range lobbers. He, buddy, had a difficult walk to the elk and when he got there the dipsticks already had a tag on it. Why bother with two idiots with guns in the middle of nowhere. The shot was 250-300 yards. A bigger caliber he might of had the velocity and power to take the elk out right there.
And I am sure that no one has ever had the same thing happen with a .300 Win Mag, a .338 Win Mag or a .375 H&H. Since there were "two idiots" already there with guns in the middle of nowhere that had also shot the animal, who's to say who put the round into the vitals that put the elk down? Maybe your buddy's shot wasn't where he thought it was. I believe the .270 Winchester Short Magnum, with appropriate loads, is entirely adequate for non dangerous North American game. I am talking about good bullets of at least 140 grains at velocities over 3000 fps. It shoots flat and hits hard to take game out to 300 yards which is certainly as far as most hunters should be attempting to humanely take an animal. My Model 70 Super Shadow shoots the 140 gr Nosler Accubond at a little over 3100 fps with 65.0 gr of Vihtavuori N-165 and a Federal 210 primer, and groups under an inch at 100 yards off a benchrest, (frequently well under an inch for 3 shots). While it does kick a little harder than a standard .270 Win, it feels like less than my old 30-06 lightweight carbine with 180 gr bullets. And I believe most elk guides would much rather see a client with a well worn .270 or 30-06 that they can shoot, than a brand new "Mega Magnum" that he has only sighted in because it is so punishing to shoot.
I haven't had the opportunity to take game yet with my .270WSM, but when I do I will let you know how it worked. Others who have used the .270WSM on elk have only reported very positive results, provided properly constructed bullets were used.