Well, I can say that there are better choices, but if you are going to hunt mostly smaller animals and just the occasional elk, or if you already own a 270 and this will probably be a one and only hunt for elk then I would say go for it. I remember reading an article a while back that said that Eskimos were using .22LR to kill Caribou, and being quite successful at it. I wouldn't try it, but I do think that a 270 will kill an elk.