RE: Elk Gun For Wy. High Country
Given a known "tack driver" versus an otherwise unknown magnum, your .270 would be hard for me to leave behind.
I've hunted elk with everything from a .243 up to a .375 H&H. There's no guarantee a bigger caliber or cartridge will do the work any more quickly than will a smaller one, provided I do my part and put the bullet where it needs to go. The rage today seems to be that you need a big magnum to "reach out" to those long-way-off elk. In practice, I've always found too many trees in the way to see all that far in the first place. Occasionally, I'll find a meadow or canyon where I can see 300 yards or so, but that's about it.
Personally, I'd stick with the known quantity in your .270. Myuncle usedhis for years on elk, and I don't recall a case where it failed him.
Of course, if you're burning to buy something bigger, I'd opt for something in a different class than your .270 - likely the .338.