motovet144

You hit right on the head colorado luckydog the rifle is 90% of the time more capable then the shooter!

HatchieLuvr

Pick your poison, PLENTY of elk are killed each year with both the 270 and the 308. Quality 150s in the 270, and 180s in the 308 and if you get the shot you are ready for it.

With 180s the terminal performance of the same 180 in either the 30/06 or the 308 is identical. NO ONE would question the 06s capability, it's killed more elk than anyother caliber. (I'd stick with the Barnes X but any quality, heavy penetrating bullet is a good start for a ol screamer!)

Good luck,
HL

Sheridan

In case you didn't look at the link.

"In the .308 Winchester, a 180-grain bullet will retain over 1,200 ft/lbs of energy at 400 yards but will have dropped some 52 inches."

Colorado Luckydog

I didn't look at the link, but if the bullet has dropped 52 inches at 400 yards with a 200 yard zero, you have made a bad bullet choice. There are 180 grains out there that won't drop that much at 500 yards. I don't shoot a 308 and have not checked out all of the availble factory rounds but there has to be one better than the one you are referring to.

One way or the other, the round is capaple if the shooter knows what the round will do.

Alsatian

Use the .308 with 180 grain bullets. That will be fine if you confine your shots to 250 yards or less. Speaking for myself, I ought to confine my shots to 250 yards or less for no other reason than that is a relatively long shot and it becomes a challenge at longer range to land your shots on target. I know there are other expert shooters on this board who feel confident shooting further . . . but a man's got to know his limits, as Clint Eastwood would say.

Colorado Luckydog

Knowing your limitations is a very good thing. Being limited to 250 yards elk hunting is a bad thing.

I carried a 300 RUM for years. I killed a bunch of elk with it. All at very close ranges. Thinking that I really didn't need all of the power I was carrying, I went out last year with a short barrel 30.06 that I had only shot out to 200 yards. Wouldn't you know it, I had the bull of my dreams at 385 yards. He just stood there and fed. I had all day to take a shot. If I had my 300 RUM, he would be on my wall right now but I had to let him walk without firing a round. That was my only oppurtunity at a big bull last year.

It's better to be prepared and not need it, than to need it and not be prepared. Trust me I know.

Wheatley

I use the 270 all the time mostly with 150gr. I have even used 130 gr and the elk fall over just as dead. Either will work. I have also shot them over 300 yards and they still die. It's amazing!

NMHUNTER88

+1 wheatly I too use the 270 and 130 grain barnes triple shocks are devastating on elk. we killed a 5x5 and a 6x5 couple years ago both with one well placed shot. they both dropped in their tracks, those barnes are some awesome bullets.hell My little bro killed his first bull ( a small 3x3) with one shot from a 243, the bull did go about 100 yards before dying tho.

justhuntitall

I have seen this thread started many times here "Is a 270 big enough". And one man hit it on the head years ago here is his words.


by RedRiver:
IMHO....I would recommend a sharp stick! Here is my logic.....
More game has been killed with it than any other.
It doesn't weigh very much.
It is readily available.
Very little recoil. (Provided you throw it. If you stab him with it you could get a little reverb)
As long as you limit yourself to the range you are comfortable with(i.e. don't try to stab him from a range longer than your stick)and use proper point placement, you will be satisfied with the results!!!
Just remember to get comfortable with your stick and practice sufficiently to acquire the proper confidence.

As an added bonus, when you realize that you have spent all this money, time and effort on what could have been an outstanding hunt, perhaps even the hunt of a lifetime, but yet had to pass up your shot due to the fact that you un-necessarily handicapped yourself by trying to use the least amount of force possible............
you can use your stick to actually do a field study as to whether that realization at that particular point in time is any more painful than a sharp stick in the eye!!!

skeeter 7MM

Boils down to bullet construction, shot placement and know your limitations. The last being the toughest to adhere too. I could have shot a good bull with my bow last weekend however when it comes to hunting I will not take 60yard shots, on target I shoot much farther and accurately. Too much can go wrong in the field. The last thing I want to do is mame or lose an animal because I let my limitations get clouded by jealousy. Good luck