My youngest son, just got his first elk this morning with my 35 year old 270 (which I gave him 2 years ago). I booked an inexpensive guided elk cow hunt based on the recommendations of our AR members since I couldn't take him. He shot a 400 plus lb cow at 150 yards and it dropped like a rock. He was shooting 130g Remington CoreLokts because I've been sick and didn't have the energy to load up some 150g Nosler Partitions at 3000 fps (my pet elk load for the rifle). Eric only weighs 140 lbs also, so I knew the 130g bullets would kick less than my handloads.

There may be better elk calibers, but the 270 Win is still a fine one. I've shot elk between 25 yards and 450 yards with my 150g Nosler Partion load and none ever went more than 25 yards after being shot.

Thanks to all the AR members and Saeed for hosting us!

Best Regards,

Chuck

I agree the .270 Win is good elk medicine! It just flat gets the job done. Hope you get to feeling better, and tell your boy "Good Job".

400 lb. cow. That wouldn't be Roosevelt Elk. Roosevelt elk calibers here are min. 30-06 w/ 180 gr. bullets. Most use 45/70 Govt. or 300 Win. Mag.

Chuck: I agree with you, the 270 is a "very fine" elk cartridge, in spite of what you may read here. My 1st bull elk was a 6X6 that was estimated at over 900lbs, and I shot it with a 130 grain Winchester bullet, at about 80yds. Dropped like a rock, and never twitched. My sons have also taken elk with the 270. All one shot kills, and never a need to chase them as the were all DRT.

Jerry

Yup!!!
Tho I've never shot an elk, I wouldn't hesitate to use it on one, or a moose for that matter. It's been my main rifle since I came to Ak. 40+ years ago. A 150 Partition don't get much better than that. Congrats to your son.
Bear in Fairbanks

quote:

Originally posted by chuck375:
...I've been sick and didn't have the energy to load up some 150g Nosler Partitions at 3000 fps (my pet elk load for the rifle).

Whew, that's screaming! What powder, may I ask?

wismon:

With XMR3100 and a 150 grain Nosler Partition, I have been getting 2950-3000 fps out of 2 different 270's.

Jerry

I use H4851 in Remington cases neck sized only, Federal 215 primers (magnum). Work up slowly, my load is 3g over max in the Hodgdon Manual but has never shown any pressure signs (no cratered or loose primers, easy extraction, no marks on the case heads). I typically load cases 10 times then discard. I've used this load for 30 years and have over 1000 rounds with this loading through my Rem M700 BDL. This load could be VERY HOT in your rifle, it's not in mine. It shoots .5" groups or better at 100 yards center to center. Once again, start with the Hodgdon manual, work up slowly and stop and back off at any signs of pressure.

Regards,

Chuck

quote:

Whew, that's screaming! What powder, may I ask?

No disrespect intended, and I hope none is taken, but I'm glad too that you didn't load up some 150 grain Noslers at 3,000fps!

I don't have the courage to load mine to much above 2,700fps to 2,800fps!

every 'elk hunter' that I know uses a big magnum for elk. Then I went to Idaho and all of the locals that I met were using 270's and 06's, go figure.

quote:

Originally posted by enfieldspares:

quote:

Whew, that's screaming! What powder, may I ask?

No disrespect intended, and I hope none is taken, but I'm glad too that you didn't load up some 150 grain Noslers at 3,000fps!

I don't have the courage to load mine to much above 2,700fps to 2,800fps!

The older reloading manuals used to quote 2900 fps with 150g bullets and 3150 fps with 130g bullets, but powder companies got scared in the 80s about litigation and backed off recommended charges. Still it's better to be safe than sorry. Plus I neck size only, which increases the powder capacity of the case by a couple of grains.

Chuck

I love the .270 it's a killer for sure!!!

Chuck and Jerry,

Thanks for the info. I know that AA lists some very high velocities with Magpro and I was able to duplicate them in my rifle. But I wound up not going with that load for in the end. It's all quite interesting to me, though.

3000 fps with 150 Nosler partitions has never been a problem in five different 270s I've loaded for. Depending on the individual rifle (Remington, Browning, Mauser custom and 2 Winchesters) I've used RL-22, Acurate 3100 and IMR-4831. Work up to the correct level and go kill an elk.

And if loading to 3000 bothers you ,load that 150 NP to 2900 and go kill elk-they certainly wont notice the difference.



SSR

Thanks, gents. I've been working with IMR 4831 a lot lately; maybe I'll see what's required to get to 2,900...

quote:

Originally posted by Wismon:
Thanks, gents. I've been working with IMR 4831 a lot lately; maybe I'll see what's required to get to 2,900...

Wisman:
I've been getting 2930 with 57.0 gr. of Rldr-22 and a 150 Partition. It's 1 gr. below max. in the books. I know I'd feel pretty uncomfortable loading a 150 gr. bullet in a .270 to 3000 but to each their own.
Bear in Fairbanks

quote:

270 for elk

This discussion comes up every couple months or so.....and it's not a matter so much of caliber.....as it is of range.

IMO the minimum energy requirement is a traditional 1500 FT-LB.....and the .270 still delivers this all the way to 400 yards...

The .280 Remington however will make the grade to 500 yards.....as will the .30-06 and a lot of larger calibers based on the .30-06 case and larger.

Dos this make the .270 inadequate.....not in my eyes.....it's simply a matter of range.

Good point vapodog, my 150g Nosler Partition loads are a bit hotter than factory (3000 fps) but they still don't quite hit that 1500 ft/lb mark at 500 yards. If shots were that long I move up to a 300 Weatherby, to me the the 270 and 30-06 are pretty much equivilant unless you move up to 200g or 220g bullets.

Chuck

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
Dos this make the .270 inadequate.....not in my eyes.....it's simply a matter of range.

Same thing goes for the .223 Remington?

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
...IMO the minimum energy requirement is a traditional 1500 FT-LB.....and the .270 still delivers this all the way to 400 yards...

The .280 Remington however will make the grade to 500 yards.....

For example, firing a 140 grain TSX out of both a 270 Win and a 280 Rem, the 270 has a slightly higher BC and higher muzzle velocity. So I'm wondering how the 270 fails to retain sufficient energy past 400 yards while the 280 manages to do so out to 500 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

270 for elk

This discussion comes up every couple months or so.....and it's not a matter so much of caliber.....as it is of range. ...

I'd modify that to - It's not a matter so much of caliber.....as it is the "size" of the Game.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

270 for elk

This discussion comes up every couple months or so.....and it's not a matter so much of caliber.....as it is of range. ...

I'd modify that to - It's not a matter so much of caliber.....as it is the "size" of the Game.

I had some friends in southern Minnesota that hunted elk annually. It was their thing to do" every year and every one of them used a .270 as the folks in southern Minnesota used the .270 for deer a lot and they used what they had.

They hunted for several years and all of a sudden every one of them bought .338 magnums for their annual elk hunt.

Apparantly something about it just told them that not only did they want more of something..... they wanted a lot more! These were clearly very experienced elk hunters!

Last fall I was one of eight e;lk hunters in camp and three of the eight were using thge .270......and all were using less than 150 grain loads.....two was using 130s as that's what they had. All were experienced elk hunters and gave no inclination they were about to change for larger calibers.

One cannot deny that there's an entire army of elk hunters using the .270 every year nor can one deny that another army of .270 elk hunters have upgraded their calibers to .30 and larger.

For myself, I don't own a 150 grain bullet or larger for my .270 as I have no interest in the .270 for anything larger than deer or possibly another caribou hunt. I'm a fortunate guy to own several .30 cal and larger guns for this task. I personally consider, for my hunting, the .280 Remington a minimum and the old .30-06 the standard bearer of the sport. Five of the eight last fall used .30 cals and greater. I used the largest caliber at .35 Whelen!

We can say anything we like about the .270.....it certainly don't keep the old girl from the dance every year.....and by experienced hunters!

I guess old Jack may have been right. He loved the 270 as Elk Medicine and often mentioned the 130 grain bullets to be quicker killers than the larger ones.

You know, I believe there is a lot of BS surrounding the elk hunting issue. Big or Bigger cartridges are required. You can't take a shot unless it is at 700 yds, By God!

The more I listen and read this stuff, the more I am convinced most of it is fictional fantasy.

Here's how I see it. The longest shot I have witnessed on elk, was 225 yds. The cal, 35 Whelen DRT. The next longest 200 yds 30-06, DRT. The rest have been 100 yds or less. Except for my 30 yd muzzell loader cow this year, that ran 200yds wearing a barnes 285 grain whiz bang sabot bullet. All the rest have been close and dead at the shot. The 270 Winchester, has distinguished itself on game, including elk.

I guess I am spoiled!! But I'm the responsible one! I don't understand, "long range", and I guess the elk here in Arizona, although the largest in the country, must take the least amount of killing, cause the 270 Winchester works very well here.

Jerry