.270 for Elk
11-09-2013, 10:06 PM
#31
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 91
I shot a spike bull this season. I was shooting a 300 wsm with full house reloaded 150 gr, accubonds. I got rushed this year and did not not have time to sight in another load. Besides this particular load had done so well on a nice 4 pt. buck and a Bighorn sheep earlier.
I had a spike only tag (Thought.. Just a Big deer) and the first shot was quartering towards me (I was fully engrossed in a 5 x6 branch bull that I could not shoot I may have rushed the shot but it was fatal) I shot him directly behind the front shoulder and much to my surprise he did not go down. He staggered a few steps and I hit him broadside with a proper 2nd shot behind the shoulder. He still did not go down. I recovered him less than a hundred yards later and while skinning I recovered one of the bullets. It mushroomed perfectly but has lost 33% of its weight. the bullet weighed 100.6 grs.
I prefer two holes as well. sectional density on this bullet is not that high. I feel I learned that lesson... again
I have for a long time shot a .340 weatherby and did not have time to shoot it this year. I remember thinking "The .300 will work fine" and it did. But I will using the 340 or maybe the new 35 whelen project I am working on for Elk in the future especially if bigger bulls are allowed.
I like bigger bullets in Bigger animals. I do not think I will using a .270 or a light bullet loaded 300 for elk again.
Not when I have a couple of Medium Bore rifles in the safe.
My point is I think there are better choices for hunting Elk than a .270 But I also think they will put meat in the freezer.
I own a .270 weatherby and it is a fine deer& Antelope rifle
By the way We loaded him Whole on the 4 wheeler after winching him up the hill where it got too steep to take the quad. It was nice to pull one out whole for a change.
I had a spike only tag (Thought.. Just a Big deer) and the first shot was quartering towards me (I was fully engrossed in a 5 x6 branch bull that I could not shoot I may have rushed the shot but it was fatal) I shot him directly behind the front shoulder and much to my surprise he did not go down. He staggered a few steps and I hit him broadside with a proper 2nd shot behind the shoulder. He still did not go down. I recovered him less than a hundred yards later and while skinning I recovered one of the bullets. It mushroomed perfectly but has lost 33% of its weight. the bullet weighed 100.6 grs.
I prefer two holes as well. sectional density on this bullet is not that high. I feel I learned that lesson... again
I have for a long time shot a .340 weatherby and did not have time to shoot it this year. I remember thinking "The .300 will work fine" and it did. But I will using the 340 or maybe the new 35 whelen project I am working on for Elk in the future especially if bigger bulls are allowed.
I like bigger bullets in Bigger animals. I do not think I will using a .270 or a light bullet loaded 300 for elk again.
Not when I have a couple of Medium Bore rifles in the safe.
My point is I think there are better choices for hunting Elk than a .270 But I also think they will put meat in the freezer.
I own a .270 weatherby and it is a fine deer& Antelope rifle
By the way We loaded him Whole on the 4 wheeler after winching him up the hill where it got too steep to take the quad. It was nice to pull one out whole for a change.
11-10-2013, 09:11 AM
#32
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kittitas, Wa.
Posts: 462
I rest my case ...prime example of a poorly placed shots performance blamed on the bullet...face it dude ya gut shot it!!! the .340 would not have fared any better with such a poor shot choice!! Shooting an animal angling towards you behind the shoulder is not going to hit the heart and at best only one lung!
This thread should be in the comics section, there is nothing wrong with a .270 for elk! it is not to small it is NOT marginal... you boys here have been sold a bill of goods by all the professional hunters out there it aint funny!!!! I bet most of them hunted for years with a 06 or .270 before the gun manufacturers gave them a big magnum bangnum and said here have this and tell everyone to use it so we can sell some more guns!!!! I would not for a minute hesitate to use a .270 Weatherby or for that matter a.257 Weatherby on a elk
This thread should be in the comics section, there is nothing wrong with a .270 for elk! it is not to small it is NOT marginal... you boys here have been sold a bill of goods by all the professional hunters out there it aint funny!!!! I bet most of them hunted for years with a 06 or .270 before the gun manufacturers gave them a big magnum bangnum and said here have this and tell everyone to use it so we can sell some more guns!!!! I would not for a minute hesitate to use a .270 Weatherby or for that matter a.257 Weatherby on a elk
11-10-2013, 09:59 AM
#33
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 360
150gr for elk with a 300 mag of any kind is a recipe for problems. Too light a bullet for the cartridge and the animal IMO. Poor shot placement only makes a bad situation worse. 270 has the power to kill elk with the right bullets, but it's not my favorite caliber though. I just happen to be able to shoot larger calibers accurately, so that's where I tend to migrate to. If I want a high velocity, meat damaging load like what the 270 fits into, I'll use a 7mm mag or a 300 mag in a heavy bullet. If I want to do less meat damage and still insure a kill, 375H&H all the way. Remember, velocity is what destroys the meat, its not always bullet diameter. Either way, shot placement is king and trumps all else. If you can't shoot it accurately, improve your shooting, or figure out what is wrong with the tasco scope that sits on your rifle =D
11-10-2013, 10:03 AM
#34
Typical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Buffalo, WY
Posts: 992
I don't know about that FinnBear.
If you consult the Periodic Table Of Suitable Elk Cartridges as published in Banging And Booming magazine you will see that in order to kill an elk you must use a bullet of at least .30 caliber, weight at least 180 grains, and velocity at least 3000 fps.
Yuk Yuk Yuk
If you consult the Periodic Table Of Suitable Elk Cartridges as published in Banging And Booming magazine you will see that in order to kill an elk you must use a bullet of at least .30 caliber, weight at least 180 grains, and velocity at least 3000 fps.
Yuk Yuk Yuk
11-10-2013, 03:40 PM
#35
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 91
I agree my shot placement was not ideal my point was it seldom is a perfect world and I took the shot I had. I did have the sense to miss the shoulder and meat damage was minimal. I am not blaming the bullet I am saying their are better choices than a light caliber or worse yet light for caliber bullet.
The animal is in my freezer! I Know the 340 or a 338 would have fully penetrated in the same circumstances, I Believe the Sectional density is not something dreamed up by gun writers. And my point is again there are better choices than a .270 for Elk but if that is what you want, use a heavier bullet with proper sectional density.
The animal is in my freezer! I Know the 340 or a 338 would have fully penetrated in the same circumstances, I Believe the Sectional density is not something dreamed up by gun writers. And my point is again there are better choices than a .270 for Elk but if that is what you want, use a heavier bullet with proper sectional density.
11-10-2013, 07:26 PM
#37
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 360
Agreed there. It's on the heavy end for that caliber too. 180gr Partition in a 30 caliber magnum or a 30'06 at closer ranges than the magnums will get the same results. I load a 160gr partition in my 7mm mag, and 200gr partition in the 30 cal mags. 375H&H gets the 260gr Partition. That bullet, in those calibers all but insures penetration.
11-11-2013, 04:52 AM
#38
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Colorado
Posts: 797
After 25 years of guiding elk hunters I can say one thing that matters over all. "You can't shoot around the edges". Shot placement is everything and all the rest is ballistics. My favorite two personal elk cartridges are 270 win and the 300 win mag. Those are my personal choices. And just this year we had two bull elk go down with 270 win's go down within 20 yards of being hit one shot in each bull. I've seen a ton of elk shot with almost every caliber out there. I'm not going to praise one caliber over the other, nor am I going to say this caliber is too light or that caliber too heavy.
Here's where things get serious. The man that can make a shot in almost any circumstance is going to be a successful elk hunter. The man that shoots a lot of ammo each year is probably going to be the man that makes those types of shots. You need to be able to shoot the vitals in most circumstances, whether using rests, prone, sitting or standing then that is your comfortable range and shooting situation. You should practice in all positions and not just off a bench. Not many benches out in the field. Everyone will wound an animal in a lifetime of hunting it happens. But it happens more with guys that buy a "elk rifle" and only shoot it enough to sight it in and bring it elk hunting. Know your rifle and your gear. I've shot elk with lots of calibers even a 41 mag at about 100 yards and it only has about 550 ft lbs at that range. "Shoot around the edges and you'll wound more animals than you'll kill".
Not trying to bust on anyone's idea of an elk cartridge it's just more important to be efficient with what ever you use while hunting. It's important to become a good shot first and foremost.
Here's where things get serious. The man that can make a shot in almost any circumstance is going to be a successful elk hunter. The man that shoots a lot of ammo each year is probably going to be the man that makes those types of shots. You need to be able to shoot the vitals in most circumstances, whether using rests, prone, sitting or standing then that is your comfortable range and shooting situation. You should practice in all positions and not just off a bench. Not many benches out in the field. Everyone will wound an animal in a lifetime of hunting it happens. But it happens more with guys that buy a "elk rifle" and only shoot it enough to sight it in and bring it elk hunting. Know your rifle and your gear. I've shot elk with lots of calibers even a 41 mag at about 100 yards and it only has about 550 ft lbs at that range. "Shoot around the edges and you'll wound more animals than you'll kill".
Not trying to bust on anyone's idea of an elk cartridge it's just more important to be efficient with what ever you use while hunting. It's important to become a good shot first and foremost.
11-11-2013, 04:08 PM
#39
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kittitas, Wa.
Posts: 462
God I love it!!! LOL!!!!!! the .270 and the 06 have been killing elk for years with those crappy old pointed soft points, silver tips, bronze tips and any other of the many bullets of old before anyone ever hear about a partitioned bullet or what ever premium type bullet you want to spout off about...how many elk and larger animals have succumbed to just a plain old lead ball???
I thank you all for the words of wisdom....but I will continue to use a old time real Winchester silver tip in 150grn being pushed out the muzzle of my .300 H&H for anything on the North American continent......bunch of you boys needed to talk to Roy Weatherby...he could tell you bunches about small calibers and lite bullets....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.257_Weatherby just sayin, and yeah he wanted to sell guns!!
I hunt deer and elk every year for meat, not once in a lifetime of every few years, every year...... I have a .338 but I don't use it, way to loud and much cheaper to shoot but it has not killed near the number of animals the .300 has
I thank you all for the words of wisdom....but I will continue to use a old time real Winchester silver tip in 150grn being pushed out the muzzle of my .300 H&H for anything on the North American continent......bunch of you boys needed to talk to Roy Weatherby...he could tell you bunches about small calibers and lite bullets....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.257_Weatherby just sayin, and yeah he wanted to sell guns!!
I hunt deer and elk every year for meat, not once in a lifetime of every few years, every year...... I have a .338 but I don't use it, way to loud and much cheaper to shoot but it has not killed near the number of animals the .300 has
