I, too, own a wide variety of rifles. Having taken elk with everything from a 6MM to a .458, I find the .270 to be about a good balance ofsporting, but not reckless. The 6MM requires surgical precision in terms of bullet placement, and even then is often a "wait a bit" until they realize they are dead. The longest shot I have ever made on an elk was with this caliber, however; and it was a humane one-shotkill.

The .300 and .338 Magnums give you a bigger margin for error in terms of shot placement - granted - but the .270 with good bullets and good shot placement is a very reliable elk killer - even at at400 yards. OK - I admit it -I read a lot of Jack O'Conners stuff when I was a kid. . . And my .270 is an Ackley Improved with a 26" Shilen barrel.