338Shooter,
Nice response and kind of you to venture into the "grey zone" and address some of the "what ifs" and "just buts" that the "pro 270" folks usually leave out. This horse has been beat a dozen times over and it seems the thread starters never search the old theads but just hang it out there to be answered again and again. Meanwhile lots of us get a little tired of writing an encyclopedia each time to fully address it -- you did a nice job.
In this internet forum environment compared to an "around the campfire" setting where eye contact can be made, tone measured, and the BS meter is right there for everyone to see.... it seems like there are some standard "talking point" default assumptions used by the sub-30 folks that just keep coming up again and again and no matter how many times you address/explain/weigh them, they are like a bad penny, they just keep turning up, so don't be suprised:
1. On the internet EVERYONE shoots 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards offhand and NEVER fail to put the bullet where it belongs when taking game,
2. No one has EVER wounded an animal or had one get away (that they'll admit to).
3. ALL hunters that use "standard cartridges" (whether the author or not) are crack shots and ALWAYS put their shots right thru the heart and lungs; whereas all hunters that use "magnum cartridges" are ALL afraid and inept with their rifles and ALWAYS hit their animals in the guts.
4. All hunter that use "magnum cartridges" couldn't shoot "standard cartridges" well so they decided to remedy the problem by shooting magnums.
5. Elk are merely large deer. Since all elk patiently pose broadside to the hunter, any taking of quartering, head on, or straight away, or raking shots is a sure sign of an unskilled or unethical hunter and the idea of using a larger rifle to be able to accommodate such shots successfully is sacriledge.
6. 50% of those who will comment on a rifles or hunting for elk thread have NEVER set foot in elk country with a loaded rifle in their hands.
Again, nice post,
BTW what is your opinion of 270 for elk?
You'll only have to wait a few weeks, then we get to do it all again!
Good Luck and Good Hunting,
EKM