RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

I would absolutely NO problems shooting a .270 elk hunting

In fact, I'd shoot - and kill - every elk i wanted to with a .243 if I chose to go that route. Punching a 100 grain bullet through the lungs of an elk will kill it everytime.

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

This Is a quote from the elk gods sent to you from ELKampMaster!!!!!!!!! PLZ read and take to hart.

One has to understand that a lot of what is at play is emotion. A lot of these folks don’t have a wide cross section of rifles both larger and smaller and the ole 270 (the big stick in the closet) has killed every deer they have come across in the local patch so anyone inferring in the slightest that it might not work as well on game 2 or 3 times larger kinda strikes at the ole manhood and dashes some dreams so they gotta attack. Just gotta.

A tool used earlier to dissect things a bit and make a little more sense of things and was virtually uncontested by everyone here at the time used categories to break down the cartridge list into meaningful groups [of course the problem (not much) is that folks always want to “sneak” their cartridge up a group]

*** Varmit Rifles .17’s to 220 Swift
*** Deer Rifles 243’s to 260’s
*** Cross Over Rifles 264WinMag, 7RemMag, 280, 308, 30-06
*** Elk Rifles 300WinMag, 300 Weatherby, 300RUM, 8mmRemMag, 338WinMag
*** Elk Hammers 340Weatherby, 338RUM, 338 Lapua, 338-378, 375H&H, 378 Weatherby, 416’s and up

Cross over rifles, most the controversy lies with the cross-over rifles. They are strong for deer. They can handle an elk (especially in experienced hands and on cows and rags) as long as the “checklist of if’s, buts, don’ts, and if only’s” are paid close attention to. But things tend to get uglier quicker rather than slower if things go even a little bit awry when compared to the “elk rifles”, hence the need to walk away from many situations. [Something which everyone says they do while here on the internet, probably not such good percentages when a newbie pulls down on his first elk, or the “really big bull” steps into sight with his bones in the way.

Elk Rifles tend to be overkill for deer (though a lot of fun to some folks) and have proven themselves in their ability to “get to the boiler room” even on large bull elk without having to do the “Texas Whitetail 2 Step, Stop, Now Pose” maneuver to avoid bone structures. Lot of energy and wide frontal areas make these rifles a force to be dealt with.

Elk Hammers do everything Elk Rifles do and in spades: overwhelming energy, velocity, trajectory, comparatively heavy bullets, high Taylor Knock Out scores. These rifles do to elk just what their name implies.
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Generally, elk rifles and elk hammers involve recoil that don’t have to be a big deal but is often made a big deal. Their additional recoil requires the development of some simple techniques which are readily learnable, but curiously seldom taught to the bulk of the shooting public. This tends to result in the creation of “once burned, twice shy, don’t need to do that again” fashionably recoil sensitive Americans. (The African PH’s think Americans are an odd sort of lot on this count) Hence there is a small portion of folks out there that will remain forever cross-over shooters. The balance can rather easily move up to elk rifles and beyond. (Indeed, there is a pretty fair list of women who have done so.)

Mike, remember this one for when the next "270 for elk" thread comes up!

_____________________________

Never Go Undergunned, Always Check The Sight In, Perform At Showtime!

Good judgment comes from bad experience! Learn from the mistakes of others; you' ll never live long enough to make them all yourself!


I can look at elk out my back door every day of the year.[with the spooting scope] I just love to see all thouse 270 hunters run up the hill opening day.I love it even more when they come down the hill and say [That should have been my elk I hit it right in the sholder,I can beleave it ran all the way to that dang outher guyso he could kill it with his cannon]. Ever year I hear this and do you think he learns by it NOPE AND MY DAD WILL NEVER CHANGE. He dose kill an elk every year he draws a tag. But 3 out of the 5 years someone else takes his elk home :}

Here in montana whom ever dose the killing shot get the elk.The 1st shot dose not count

I use a 300 weatherby,wife uses a 300 win. We have not hade any one tag and drag our elk yet

USE A 100 gr bulet for elk this way Maby you can SLOW that big boy down for me :D

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

Do all of those poor 270 hunters have a big sign on their back that says I am a 270 Hunter? Or have you learned to recognize the 270 through your spotting scope? If this it true then you have the most pathetic bunch of hunters in these United States. This is one of the funniest things I have ever read. This post has now lost all reason. For those about to PUKE get some Pepto and get over it. GEEEEZZZZEEE.

Maybe you fellows need to petition your game anf fish department and get the 270 outlawed because it lacks the Energy to kill elk in your area.That would be the way to go about. Until then give those hunters a break and stop watching them with your super scope. I would hate to have some body watching me while I am out hunting legally and minding my own business.[:@]

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

ELKINMTCWB,

I'm thinking you may have been a bit too enthusiastic in your last post. ;)
Like I was saying, it is an emotional subject.[:o]

James,

I wish I had those kind of optics, but haven't got around to the Swavarski's (sp) yet. The 270 hunters that I have identified while hunting were "identified" just shortly after I had heard "lines" like this one, "he/she.... just took off, I'm sure it was a good hit, will you help me track him?"

We didn't come up with our elk camp rule of "30-06 or better" just for fun, rather it was instituted for us to try to avoid pain (the pain of a wild goose chase when one could be hunting --- and it has worked). Now I get to spend more of my time hunting MY elk and packing our elk out via horseback (which is almost better than shooting them IMHO) instead of tracking someone else's elk since it seems they always head straight to the thickest, meanest cover they can find.

Obviously that hasn't been your experience; however, after having had fairly large camps of diverse hunters year after year after year it has been our experience. I'm betting most the folks asking these "first time out for elk, 270 okay for elk?" questions more closely resemble some of the 270 shooters we have had in camp in past years (who go out and hunt on their own), than what they resemble you or clients "under your control" --- they are probably NOT as fluent with their rifles as you nor as experienced a hunter as you.

Hence my position on the matter.

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

Well you are at least partly correct IMO. I have hunted long enough to be able to pass on shots that I don't like. I no longer ever see a shot that I think I have to take. My main disagreement comes from seeing the effect of the 270 on big game including butchering animals shot with the 270. I have seen it break massive bones and create wound channel that are impressive. The 270 has good velocity and high sectional density bullets and from what I have seen the performance on game with the 270 pretty much mirrors the performance of the 280, 30-06 and the 7MM's.

If asked by a beginner about what rifle to by to hunt Elk I would not probably recommend that they go buy a 270. However the 280 I could get behind. I would tell a man who already had a 270 that It will do a good job on Elk with the right bullets and taking good shots. I would recommend that regardless of the caliber. I also have to add that those who have not used the 270 with good bullets really doesn't know the whole score either. The 270 is a powerful rifle and has EARNED a good reputation. Thats why telling a guy who knows the 270 well that it won't do the job, is like talking to a brick wall.:D If you know what I mean;)

While once a die hard supporter of the 270 and reader of Jack O'connors books and such, I have sort of switched my preference in lighter rifles to the 280. It recoil is acceptable and the additional weight of the 175 grain bullets gives it the edge over the 270. I have been a long time fan of the 7x57 Mauser as well for the same reason.

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

It is bad of me to put such a post up

It just bugs the crap out of me very time one of my friends OR DAD shoots a bull we have to track. Cow hunting they never have a problem.This only comes up if they shoot a big bull. Every hunter in the woods will kill and tag there wonded bull,but they will let the cow walk right by.

A lot of people here in MT are just out for a kill not the hunt. I my self have finnished off 3 elk and I have not taken 1 of them home.Allthough one of them was a 360 bull! I think if you shoot a good shot the bull gose on to some one else wondded it shuld be your bull if it was a good shoot. Now that I live in Mt I do not let the elk go lay down and die It dropes or I keep shooting.

My dad lost a 320 bull, the shot was perfict is just did not kill the bull. The bull went about 1000 yards than some one else shot it 3 times withan 30-06. Gess who taged it,NOT my dad.

I push for a bigger bulet so the elk stays where it is at. I even have loaned my gun to people on the moutain so they droped the elk and he did not get away.I would do this agin any time.

I beleave the 340 to be one of the best elk guns going.I sure hope I can find one on sale some day.

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

I don't know what to say. I have seen BIG Bull Elk go down like a sack of locks with the 270 and 280. Never saw a good hit fail to do so. I have not hunted anywhere where someone else would steal your game. As a rule where I hunt the other guys will do about anything to help another hunter out. Even if we finish an anikal off, if we can find the other hunter, its his animal if he hit it first. Glad I don't hunt there. Good luck. If I run into a deal on a 340 I will let you know.

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

James,

Do you do all your elk hunting on public ground?

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

All hunting except deer hunting is done on Public land. I have hunted in SD, ND, Sask. Manitoba, and Wyoming for Elk. Most mule deer hunting has been on my own land in SD and neighboring ranches. I have done some elk hunting on ranches which border Forest service land. I usually hunt with family and friends with which I have hunted since childhood although we get fewer every passing year. I have relatives across Canada and Alaska. Never hunted elk in Alsaka though. Several years ago I hunted for a few years with a cousin in Idaho. I have a couple uncles and a brother inlaw in Wyoming. I come from a long line of very serious hunters. Maybe I have been lucky but I have seen a lot of respect from other hunters and always give the same.

RE: 270’s, 270’s, 270’s…. I Think I’m Gonna Puke!
 

Sometimes the weapon that can ensure the quickest, most humane kill is that weapon which the hunter is most comfortable and therefore capable with. Not the one that kicks the most or that the hunter needs to make up for a lack somewhere else. With the proper shot selection and placement even a .270 isn't too small but that is as low as I would reccomend.