Did a search with no results. Headed to Co this fall never been. Going with a guy who has but he likes to shoot Texas Whitetails with a 338. Not my cup of tea so I dont really want his advice. I shoot a 270 here. Is that going to be enough for Elk in CO?? My fear is: last day of the hunt setting 400 yards across a canyon with only a shoulder shot. I have my own opinions so has anybody actually done it.

I've never done it, but here is some food for thought....

Why wouldnt it work? I would say AT LEAST 80% of Elk hunters use the 30-06. The .270 is a 30-06 necked down.....see where i'm going with this?

Choose some good bullets (Barnes TSX) get plenty practice and i'd say you will be fine.

If you are comfortable with your 270, it will be plenty to kill an Elk. Its plenty of gun, there have been a bunch over the years taken with 243 legal or not, and if an arrow can do it most certainly the 270 can,I would suggest staying with 165-180 gr quality bullets that are designed for deaper penetration ( conrolled expansion rounds). You hear guys "take the bigger gun" and I've been hunting with them. Get up there, shoot the guns and the guys flinch, duck, dodge and dive! I'm carrying a 270 mountain rifle that I can carry for days and shoot right or left handed but much more important nock a fly off the hair I'm aiming at! Do a search on the most successful hunters of all time and see what calibers they are using and you may be surprised. Just like the bow be confident in what you carry and know how YOU will respond with it. Many times it ain't the equipment but the hands that carry it.

A 270 will kill an elk without a doubt but there are much better calibers for elk hunting. I've killed many bulls and cows with my 300WM but I also hunt with a buddy who's deadly with his 270WSM. A 30 caliber is what I'm most comfortable shooting but thats just me. What ever you choose just practice and don't try any shot longer than you can ethically make. Lobbing rounds at a bull just to see if you can hit him is a bad practice. Many people will by a magnum round that they can't shoot because they are afraid of the recoil. Find a caliber you can shoot consistantly out to 300yd and go get em. Good Luck with whatever you choose. Later, Baker

I've done it and a 270 is plenty enough. You'll still have a lot of energy at 400 yrds. You want 150 grain or more. At 400 yrds your round will be dropping 20+ inches. I'd be more concerned with my optics at those ranges. It becomes an "all about shot placement" issue. My personal best is 300 yrds. Unless I was thoroughly familiar with the weapon, optics and ammo I would not take the shot.

270 should be fine I like the 30-06 better for that kind of shot,besure you range to bull and know were your going to hit it
btw Good Luck

Go for it! No telling how many Elk have been brought down with a .270 since 1925.

I've done it. 405 yards on my last Elk in NM. He dropped where he stood, but I was using a 300 win mag. 270 will be fine, most important thing is being accurate with it. You have to now where it hits at all ranges and have a dead rest..

Perhaps you've seen this picture? I took that elk with a 270 using a Federal 165gr. Game King bullet.

1) There are reems of info on the internet about how the 270 is more than enough for elk ... even going back to Jack O'Connor. The gents that remember the 60's and 70's should be able to remember when a 270 rifle with a FIXED 4x scope was considered a "western" rifle (mule deer and elk).

2) A very large percentage of elk are taken at ranges under 200 yards.

3) Got any idea how many elk at taken each year with a bow at less than 50 yards? I don't ... but I'm sure its a fair amount.

4) Decent traj table, http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_trajectory_table.htm
- roughly: 2.5 to 3 inches high at 100yds puts you about 3 inches low at 300 yds ... my 2 cents: hunt elk to within 300 yds, cross hairs center of heart/lung area, pull trigger, do goofy dance , and smile for camera.

http://www.rmef.org/Hunting/RifleCart/Rifles/HunterSpeak.htm

or

http://www.rmef.org/Hunting/RifleCart/Rifles/270Winchester.htm

I was wonder how long it would be before someone brought Jack O'Conner into this?

On it's own merits, I wouldn't hesitate to use the 270 for Elk. Use a premium bullet (partition, accubond, scirroco, interbond, etc.) , about 150gr, and don't look back. Shoot it once, and shoot it repeatedly until it hits the ground or gets out of site. The less tracking the easier the recovery will be. I would be leery about going too heavy with the bullet, as the premium bullets might not give the expansion you'd want at longer ranges/lower velocities. Keep the bullet speed in a usable area longer, and let the design do it's job. And take the somewhat flatter trajectory you'll get with it. Of course, lots of variables in this area.

"Best of the West" will tell you that you need a 300-338 superdupermegamagnum to kill one at 700+ yards. Simply not true for the vast majority of the hunters out there. Most shots will not be over 200yds unless you look for it, or are confident enough in your abilities that you don't want to try to get closer. And keep in mind, the kill zone on an Elk is MUCH larger than you are used to having on a whitetail or even a big pig. The kill zone on the neck of an Elk is about the same size as the kill zone on the body of a whitetail, just to put thing into perspective.

Instead of getting with a rifle that is unfamiliar, use what you already like, and get even more familiar with it. It'll pay off not only on the Elk hunt, but on later hunts back close to home as well.

I will second the recommendation of quality optics. No room for error here. both in glasses and scopes, and spotting scopes. Your eyes will thank you every evening after you get back to camp.

Take your 270 and don't second guess yourself

Gunwerks and best of the west push the 7mm due to its extremly high vld BC for long range....

As far as bullets what ever premium 130gr shoots best in your 270 is what I would use.

This is one of the very few actually sensible threads I have ever seen here on this particular subject. Hats off to all ya'll.

I agree with the shot placement!! I would have zero issues using a 270, just know it and your limitations with it as already mentioned. I have taken allot of Co. mulies with a 270 and 130gr Silvertips, but not an Elk, I use my 7mm or 300WSM. I also agree about the optics and a good range finder.

I have seen Bulls shot with 338 and larger cannons that are still probably running, You have to hit the engine block, or it really doesn't matter. A Bull missing a leg will still leave you in the dust and that doesn't even take in the "ethics" issue for me. If your confident in the shot, considering elevation,wind, even temps and any personal limitations, you'll be fine.

Good luck and have FUN.

do they even make a 165 or 180 grain bullet for a .270?

i've always thought they topped out at 150 grains.

i know for a fact that you are limted to 150 grains in a factory load

They do but it's hard to find. You would have to handload.

Could you confirm you load, please. I don't believe Sierra makes a 165gr .277 cal. GameKing bullet, and I don't believe that Federal sells such ammo. thank you.

I put in for the Oklahoma elk hunt draw each year and if I get drawn im taking my .270win

I have done extensive testing of factory ammo and hand loads over the years and heres what I have found.

The 140gr Nosler Accubond loaded to max velocity is the ideal all around .270win round; in my opinion it has all the good trates I want and none of the faults from others I have used.

Use this comparison chart from Federal and compare the 140gr Accubond load to all others...
http://www.federalpremium.com/products/compare/rifle_compare.aspx

The 140gr. Accubond

1. Carries the most energy at long range
2. Has the lowest wind drift
3. Splits the difference on bullet drop
4. It WILL hold together at ultra close range
5. It WILL expand at long distances

The 140gr Accubond is loaded by both Federal and Winchester

http://www.federalpremium.com/products/details/rifle.aspx?id=233
http://www.winchester.com/Products/rifle-ammunition/supreme/accubond-ct/Pages/S270CT.aspx

If your loading it then try 140gr Accubond with reloader22 and winchester primers.

X2 I would like to hear more about that Federal 165gr Gameking load for a 270!

The 270 with a well constructed bullet will do just fine for elk at reasonable ranges.

x2 on what's been said already, my good friends dad has always hunted elk in northern NM with his 270 and has never had an issue that I know of. But.........this sounds like a good reason to get another rifle!

Is the 270 big enough for elk, sure it is with the proper shot, but elk and the high country is where the belted mag's really show their stuff. 30 cal's in the 150 to 165 range would be my bullet of choice and any 30 cal with a velocity of 3300 fps minimum would be my weapon of choice. I'll leave anything less back at the house!

We're talking animal's that weigh anywhere from 3 to 4 time's as much as a TX whitetail and can take allot of punishment. Plus wounded elk can travel along way's even mile's. Hit them fast and hit them hard!

It's slow!

lmao.

it would't be my choice, even if they made it, which i doubt.

I would't be nervous shooting an elk with my .270 using 140 grian fail safes. i keep half a box in case i ever get the opportunity