RE: .270 on Elk, No Way! There I said it!
 

So the guys asking "is my 270 good for elk?" are now going to be handloading 150 grain Barnes XLCs?

It is so much easier, one the shooter themselves and the guy doing the recommending, to just say...

use a 30-06 w/ a 180 grain premium bullet...

or...

use a 300 w/ a 180 grain premium bullet...

or...

use a 338 w/ a 225 or 250 grain premium bullet.

These are all easily found...

Tell a guy... use a 270 w/ a 150 grain premium bullet and he'll think you are sending him on a wild goose chase after the 3rd gun shop telling him that they don't have it.

RE: .270 on Elk, No Way! There I said it!
 

There are not many serious hunters who do not handload. Also Federal and others load premium bullets for the 270. If you can score a permit then scoring good ammo for your rifle is pretty simple. I would never let the fact that joes gun shop does not stock a certain brand of ammo or style of bullet deter my choice of firearms. A little common sense goes a long ways.

RE: .270 on Elk, No Way! There I said it!
 

Yeah why not? Most of the guys I know take there hunting very seriously, and half of them reload. Why should they have to go out and by a bigger gun if they have a .270?

I know the 2 gun shops I frequent here in PA both have .270 in grand slam or barnes 150s, and if they dont they will within 2 weeks.

RE: .270 on Elk, No Way! There I said it!
 

I couldnt agree more, the 270 is a questionable elk caliber.

RE: .270 on Elk, No Way! There I said it!
 

Here is a list of premium factory loads for a 270:
Federal Premium:
150 Gr Nosler Partition
140 Gr TBBC
130 GR Barnes TSX
Remington - 140 Gr A - frame
Winchester - 140 Gr Failsafe
PMC - 130gr and 150 gr Barnes XLC

I personally would steer somebody to the 2 bullets I have used in .277 flavour for elk/moose - 150 NP and 140 Failsafe and I can buy all but the 130 PMC XLC here in the boonie's! I find it hard to believe the NP's or Failsafes aren't available almost everywhere as they are not new and pretty popular.

This in no way makes the .270 win the best choice but just their is some choice even for those who don't roll their own. If they do then they can add to this list further, same can be really said for almost every other cartridge - reloaders have more choices plain and simple.