Lending my good bird hunting buddy a rifle for an elk hunt. He's not a center fire guy. Will a 270WSM fill the bill? Got one that shoots 150 gr Scirocco really well. Was thinking of zeroing at 300 yds...which means a 4.5" rise mid flight...so just a hold on to 300....9" drop at 400. Appreciate comments. I'v shot red deer in Europe but elk are a couple of classes bigger.

Yeah...there will be some range time involved.

quote:

Originally posted by JonP:
Lending my good bird hunting buddy a rifle for an elk hunt. He's not a center fire guy. Will a 270WSM fill the bill? Got one that shoots 150 gr Scirocco really well. Was thinking of zeroing at 300 yds...which means a 4.5" rise mid flight...so just a hold on to 300....9" drop at 400. Appreciate comments. I'v shot red deer in Europe but elk are a couple of classes bigger.

Yeah...there will be some range time involved.

That rifle will work just fine. Elk are not hard to kill if you can shoot straight!

IT's a minimum caliber for elk.
Make sure it's a heavier wt top
quality bullet and the guy can
shoot well, knows where to hit 'em.

We were always told: nothing less than
'06 with 180's. That was in the '60's
with bullets that were not near as good
as these days. We had quite a few pass thru's
and splashes then. Rare today, but, can
still happen. Esp with C/L's!

Can't beat double lung shots, that
always kills 'em. Forget any other shot
and you'll get your game.

George

Seems like 400 yds are a bit more long distance than a person should consider shooting if they do not even own a center fire rifle.
Steady rest, good shot angle dead still animal and winds will make it possible.

May he be thanking for you the use of the rifle and send you some backstrap as a reward.

.270_is plenty good elk medicine. Just hit them in the right spot and they die easy.

it'll be fine.
3"s high at 100 will be good enough.

I'd zero at 200 which will put you about 6" low at 300 which provides less deviance from 0-250 yards. If it's further then 250 most people will unconsciously hold over anyway, most of the time too much.

Good advice given. I zero my rifle 1.5 to 2" high at 100yds. You pretty much can hold same out to 300 yds. If this fellow is inexperienced he needs to practice not just one or two rounds and call it good especially if a shot would be out there. I have to drive 80 miles to shoot out to 450 but I do it every year 2-3 times before I head west. I would also add that a good bullet will not make up for a poorly placed shot and if it is still standing keep shooting! I also think for your kindness of loaning, it should be worth a backstrap butterflyed and processed t least. Ha!

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
Seems like 400 yds are a bit more long distance than a person should consider shooting if they do not even own a center fire rifle.
Steady rest, good shot angle dead still animal and winds will make it possible.

May he be thanking for the use of the rifle and send you some backstrap as a reward.

Exactly what I was thinking. 400 yards is still a long shot, despite all the talk of long range hunting. For someone not familiar with the rifle, I’d say 300 yards is a fair poke. Better that he stalk closer and get a shot inside 200 yards. I’d zero the scope for 200 and encourage him to get a close enough shot to be certain, not hope, he can make a killing shot

Caliber and bullet are fine. A 4.5" midrange rise might cause a bullet to fly over the elk's back -- or just nip the flesh above the spine -- either of which would be bad. I'd zero for 250 yards, then he's good to a bit over 300 yards with a dead-on hold which is plenty far for a shotgunner to be shooting a rifle.

It'll work. I killed my first bull in Colorado eons ago with a 270 Winchester.

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
Seems like 400 yds are a bit more long distance than a person should consider shooting if they do not even own a center fire rifle.
Steady rest, good shot angle dead still animal and winds will make it possible.

May he be thanking for the use of the rifle and send you some backstrap as a reward.

Exactly what I was thinking. 400 yards is still a long shot, despite all the talk of long range hunting. For someone not familiar with the rifle, I’d say 300 yards is a fair poke. Better that he stalk closer and get a shot inside 200 yards. I’d zero the scope for 200 and encourage him to get a close enough shot to be certain, not hope, he can make a killing shot

Exactly my point

I forgot to mention what I was referencing was a 270 Win for a 200 yd zero and I also hunt with a 300WM which is set up the same. I subscribe to the hunting part as opposed to shooting meaning getting as close as possible. I do practice at long range in case I have to shoot but my goal is to get close. As it turns out the last three years My bulls have been within bow range. The longer range practice is a just in case part not my strategy. Guy I met this past weekend was telling me about drawing a very hard to get Arizona Elk tag and the guy(s) he hunted with had the "long range" rifle he shot at 700yds plus at a monster bull knocked it down and another bull came back and bumped him he got up and stood and they wouldn't shoot because they thought they had it and a large part ego. They started going to it when they got close he took off and looked for two days and never found. Q: How often do you think that happens and you don't hear about? To me, there is a lot more to hunting than getting on one ridge and shooting across to the other.

quote:

To me, there is a lot more to hunting than getting on one ridge and shooting across to the other.

Yep.

It’s how far and how good he can shoot the rifle 270 is great at 200 on the biggest bulls if the guy can shoot it. Of course, I’m sure a 22 magnum is great if you can walk up to him. Truly though, I’ve got a client who’s wife kills an elk whenever it suits her in their ranch in Montana with a 257 Weatherby. I also watched a guy who I know can shoot mess up and gut shoot a bull with his 338 at about 300 and it was a wreck.