I may have the opportunity to go Elk hunting next season. I shoot a 270win and am looking at the 140gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw High Energy load from Federal. It starts this 140gr bullet around 3100fps. What do you feel the effective range of this cartridge/bullet combo would be on a Bull? Any other load suggestions?
P.S. I practice and am comfortable shooting out to 300 yards with this rifle.

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Thanks, Mark G

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

Mark,
While I love the 270 and have killed elk with it, it is not a 300yd elk gun, IMO. You have a good load there and I wouldn't be afraid of shooting an elk in the shoulder at 200yds or maybe a bit further but 300yds is stretching it a bit.

Mark, where will you be hunting? I will agree with John though, The 270 is an excellnt round, but on a mature bull, I don't think I would push it much past 200yds ither. Is the 270 your only choice? Ed

Mark,

At 300 yards your load will still be moving around 2400 fps and delivering 1795 ft lbs of energy with an excellent bullet. That is plenty of killing power.

The important thing is your ability to place the bullet. Wait for the broadside presentation. your load can easily punch both lungs with a behind-the-shoulder placement.

Your load only loses 220 fps velocity from 200 to 300 yards. That will result in a little less bullet expansion and deeper penetration. On a broadside shot, complete penetration is likely. Your load will penetrate deeper at 300 yards than it will at under 100 yards for this same reason.

MM

You andswer your own question 300 yds is what you are comfortable with. The 270 well have no trouble killing elk at 300 with good shot placement.

Mark, you've gotten some good advice. If your comfortable at 300 then thats your limit.
I personally like more gun for Elk. My best friend has used a .270 Win. exclusivly since he was 14 and taken enough Elk to prove it works. HOWEVER, not one has been a single shot kill and I have had to help track. He has tried from 130's to 150's and the 150gr Nosler Partition worked the best so far. I also agree that shot placement is most important and don't recommend shooting the shoulder. A good poke through both lungs and you'll be eating him!
I've personally seen healed over wounds on the entrails of these animals and have gained a lot of respect for them. I usually hunt public land and oppritunities are rare some years. For these reasons I whent to a .338 Win Mag. It anchors them and there's no disputing who shot it. It's sad to track blood spots to a gut pile.

The 270 is fine at 300 yards on BROADSIDE shots if you can place the bullet...Its not but about 12"'s through a elk and his bones are not massive but they are substantial so I would use a Nosler 160 gr.

I don't like the odds of the broadside shot, I have not had a broadside shot in years so I use a 338, 210 or 250 Noslers and a 300 gr. Woodleigh in the dark stuff...and I take them as they come, I cannot afford to do otherwise where I hunt because you don't see a lot of elk and when you do you want to get him....Just my approach to elk hunting.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I have access to a 30-06. Useing Federal 180gr Nosler Partition High Energy Loads. Would anything 300 or less, be pressing the issue? I think that bullet starts a 2880 fps.
The .270 has been my deer rifle, kinda the goto gun, but I am comfortable with either.

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Thanks, Mark G

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3

I can tell you that I have killed elk with a 270 using a 150 and 160 Nosler bullets. These were on broadside shots, I had to move to get the broadside shot on the second elk.
I also lost an elk that was hit, going away from me with a 150 Nosler bullet. The guide thought I only got one lung. I was told the 150 & 160 weight bullets are no different in smacking power. Next time out I will have a new rifle with more putdown behind it......looking at a 300 Ultra mag right now.

Mark-
I'd take that 30/06 hands down over the 270. I moved up the caliber ladder many years ago for my elk hunting, the small bores just leave no margin for error when ranges get long.
Today's elk hunting is a far cry from what it was many years ago, and it's always a lot different for us out of state hunters who have limited opportunities! I kinda follow along with what Ray said and take 'em as I get 'em, because I don't see enough elk on any one trip to get picky about getting the "perfect" broadside shot. I generally pass on straight away shots, but if he turns just a little bit so I can poke one through just ahead of his rear leg.... I use nothing smaller than a 300Wby with 200gr Noslers. That works for me, but whatever you carry you have to be able to shoot it!

Mark,

I hunt elk as a non-res. & like Ray, I don't want to have to pass on a bull because I can't get a broadside shot. I would use the 150gr NP loads from Federal & be patient or step up to the 06 w/ the 180gr HE loadings. There are those that say there is no difference in the (2), On deer this may be true, but the more elk & take & see taken the more I like the bigger bullet. My choice is a .30-06 & up. A 7mag w/ good 160gr bullets isn't shy either. Good hunting!

A lot of good advise there.
If it where me and I only had a choice between the 270 & 30-06. The 06 would be going hunting. I can't agree more with the coment that the 270 is a fine deer gun and OK elk gun. I would use it for elk, but only if I had no better choice.
JMHO X-Ring

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Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition!

If your living like there is no HELL, you better be right!

[This message has been edited by X-Ring (edited 02-25-2002).]

When I started hunting elk, most hunters were in Germany fighting a war, then Japan, then Korea...Lots of elk and no hunting pressure. Great for this kid with his 25-35 Win and a good mule..I killed my first 3 o4 elk with that little gun and a few more with a 250 Savage, all one shot kills, all broadside looking at me at under a 100 yards.

That was then, this is now, when the first shot of season sounds all the good bulls head for the deep dark timber in the most inacessable nasty hole in Idaho. This is 375, 338, 9.3x62 country with big heavy slow moving bullets and going away shots.

Or you can hunt the sagebrush and shoot a spike or cow with a 270...Thats kinda the way I see it..I figure I have about two more years of hunting my timber then I will be driving the roads with my 300 like the rest of the old cowboys around here, maybe I'll start next year, who knows..I tried it and I like that P.U.s heater, donuts and hot coffee. This road hunting is looking better all the time, I made my bones, so there!

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I would choose the 3006 over the 270, but I like bigger stuff for evrything. I hunt elk with the 375 and don't feel over gunned. I would however, take both rifles along in case you need a back up. I always bring along a 300 or 7 mag just in case I fumble the 375. Hasn't happend yet, but better safe than sorry. Also if you take both, you can choose which ever one suits you at the moment. If you're back packing, just leave it in the truck, and lock it up good. Good huntin'