What 30 cal for Elk?

I wouldn't worry about what the guide's recommendation, because it is just that. Go by what the hunting regulations in NM say you can use, that is all you need to really worry about. I used the 150 grain Nosler Partition to kill all my elk in my .270, however I wouldn't be afraid with any 130-140 grain Partition, TSX, GMX, E-Tip, or bonded core bullet.


If the guide is doing his job properly he is going to take you out shooting before you even go hunting. He'll make sure that your rifle is zeroed and he'll get a feel for what kind of shot you're going to be able to make. As long as you show up and your rifle and you are shooting well, that will make the guides job easier.

You have some time to get things in order, just spend your money on practice rather than a new rifle. I'll bet you'll be eating elk steaks back home if you take the .270. Just don't sweat the small stuff, work on accurate shooting from field positions and getting in really good shape since it looks like you are close to sea level and altitude is no joke.
 
If you're shooting factory, .270. If you reload, a 180gr Partition at 2800 (22" barrel) in the '06 has more momentum than a 150gr 270. It will also shoot through, leaving a good blood trail, on chest shots.
 
Thanks guys. Regarding my shooting ability.

I'm new to hunting and high power rifles. I've only been on 3 deer hunts.

I don't have the opportunity to shoot long distances. So, with paper punching I'm only going out to 100 yards. I would not want to take a shot that took very much correction.

Under controlled situations like at the range, where I can take my time, I'm a better than average shot. I started shooting small bore rifle silhouette last year to improve my rifle skills for hunting. Through daily practice I have won most of the local matches over the last 6 months. I'm kind of losing interest in that since I've reached my goal of improving my offhand skills. And, I have not found that skill to transfer over to hunting.

The type of hunting we have done lately is quite rushed. There is little time to get set up with a rest / tripod....and unfortunately I've had a couple of bad shots that I'm still bummed about. The little buck in the photo was shot about 180 yards out. My partner had shot and I was down the hill. The deer were coming my way and that one slowed down long enough for me to get a shot. I did not have time to set up a tripod. I sat on a rock and balanced my elbows on my knees... Fortunately it was a good shot...but it also could have been bad.

Long answer... if I have time to set up then I would be very confident in my ability. If the shot is rushed, and I'm in a funky position then my success drops.

Take care,
Dave
 
Big Dave,

Then definitely get some 150gr premium loads for your 270 and zero that load 2.5 inches high at 100. The boilermaker on an elk is about a 14" circle.

Winchester lists three commercial loads suitable for Elk, two of them are 150gr loads. Federal Premium has a 150gr Partition option.

With these loads, zero'd 2.5 inches high at 100, you can ignore drop out to about 300 yards (would need your exact load data to calculate precisely).

Don't rush your shots, hunting is supposed to be enjoyable, so enjoy it. If you let a few bad shots pass, so what? You'll have the time of your life no matter what.

Jimro
 
I won't argue about 30 cal. You already made up your mind. IMHO, 300 win mag, 30 06, & 308 in no particular order, depends on how you hunt and as always shot placement.
 
Recommend you mskip down to the...

Hunt forum and search there for elk hunting.

A Colorado DNR(?) person posted a FINE article about deer rifles for elk hunting and what had to be done to get good results.

Since you have the action of a rifle that uses the 30-06 case (except necked down) get a 30-06 (or .35 Whelan) barrel form manufacturer and us it? You are familiar with the rifle just upping it abilities

Late Jack O'COnnor regularly used a .2170 for elk.

Good Luck and post the results of the hunt!
 
I think you might be talking about this guy?

http://montanaelkhunting.blogspot.com

Don't rush your shots, hunting is supposed to be enjoyable, so enjoy it. If you let a few bad shots pass, so what? You'll have the time of your life no matter what.
Click to expand...

That my philosophy too - and that's why my hunting buddies call me "One Shot Johnny". I like that nickname!
 
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A friend's Dad told me back in the 1950's that bullets from .30-30 WCF was plenty. As was bullets from .30-.40 Krag. He'd taken twenty some odd elk with them and felt any faster and/or heavier bullets that 170-grain .30-30 one was an ego trip; for the hunter, not the animal.

He made a point that cartridges do not kill game; bullets do. But a 5-pound 40mm Bofors heavy machine gun cartridge (near 20" long, near 3" diameter case head) could probably be swung like a baseball bat smackin' an elk up side its head and that cartridge would probably kill an elk a lot better than a dinky little .30-30 WCF cartridge. I laughed when he said it would be a good test of wilderness survival if one could catch a deer than stab it to death with a 50 caliber BMG cartridge.
 
I think I know why the guide is recommending .30 cal and higher. He's probably had a number of customers bring .223 or .243 or the like rifles to the party and had some unfavorable results. So, rather than dealing with the confusion that the plethora of sub-.30 cal chamberings (some of which are suitable for elk but many of which are not) brings, it's probably much simpler for him just to say .30 cal & up. Of course, that doesn't exclude the 7.62x39mm from the list, which I would argue is inadequate for elk, but then again there probably aren't all that many bolt rifles in that chambering to worry about.
 
Elk stories

Two quick notes/stories about cartridges and elk hunting....neither story is about the .270 or the .30-06 but both illustrate the effectiveness of non-typical cartridges.
For decades, the #1 elk as recorded by the Boone and Crockett people was a buck that had been taken with the 30/40 Krag.
Next....some years ago, in an article for "The Double Gun and Single Shot Journal" the writer/hunter/guide Ross Seyfried detailed a hunt during which he successfully stalked and shot and killed an elk with a little single shot falling block rifle chambered for....the .455 Webley.
So....the .270 and the .30-06.....plenty of gun.
 
If this girl with a 243 can do this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0w1c-gf18

I think your 270 will be just fine. Dr. Atwood, who shot an elk every year on the Oregon coast, used a 270.

When he was in his 90's and I was a teenager he gave me a Model 70.

His advice on running elk was to shoot for the nose, and you'll hit them in the neck.
 
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Whatever you shoot, if/when shooting either uphill or downhill a @ game @ a longer range, hold lower than you normally would, to hit where you want.

The reason is that, if the distance were actually level, the target would be closer - and that's how the rifle/ammo acts.

You can practice before your trip by shooting off a raised area toward a target in a low area (or vice-versa).





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I'll start by saying I'm not a 270 guy. I use either a 30-06 with a 150gn or my 7mm mag with a 139 gn bullet, but the 270 is a very capable cartridge. With the right bullet and a skilled marksman behind it the 270 could probably kill anything that currently walks the earth.

The guide is probably tired of weekend warriors wounding animals with bad shot placement or poor bullet choice. Maybe he thinks a larger caliber will help make up for this.


If I were you I'd buy a 30-06 just because I think everyone should have one or two :D

Boomer
 
I've taken nearly a dozen Elk with the .30-06 so I am a little partial to it. Just about any premium 180 gr. bullet (Barnes TTSX being the best I've seen so far) should do the job if you do yours.

Good luck. :)
 
the guide recommends those because he is used to dealing with city slickers that have never hunted before and don't know the limitations of their cartridge. a 270 is more than capable of taking an elk. if you are looking for an excuse to just get a new gun any of the full length 30 cals will do. 30-06, 300 win mag, or 300 weatherby mag will all do the trick. I own a weatherby mag that just about blows elk in half... also blows my shoulder in half too so I load down to 300 win mag velocities.

if you reload a 30-06 loaded with 180gr speer deep curls will definitely do the trick, you can get quite a bit of velocity out of those so you could just about graze the lower end of the magnum spectrum without having to tote the extra weight of a magnum rifle.
 
If you tend to get Buck Fever, the common remedy is more power (bigger cartridge). But... that isn't the real answer to the problem.

If you're proficient with the .270, stick with it. It's a good cartridge, and appropriate ammunition is available for use on Elk (I'm a fan of 140 gr Partitions).

Stepping up to .30 caliber really isn't necessary, especially with very little time to practice with the new rifle. You're better off taking what you've got, and putting in some time with the ammo you intend to use on the hunt (even if it's just a box, or so).


Buck Fever (if applicable) is a separate issue to deal with.
In all honesty... I get it on every hunt (even for doe and cow tags). The first animal of the hunt always gets my adrenaline pumping, and gets me shaking a bit. I can almost never relax enough to be confident in the shot, so I leave the safety on and squeeze the trigger. At some point, I audibly call out, "Bang!" It lets me run through the whole firing drill, without actually screwing up the shot.
After that, I'm good to go for the rest of the hunt (be it one tag to fill, or more).
 
My .270 works great on Elk, my buddy took one at 525 yards with a 25 06,DRT! Maybe I'll see you I live 40 miles south of Raton.
 
You are listening to the opinion of one elk guide.There are many other elk guides who will have a different opinion.

There are many elk guides who would prefer that you show up with your 270 .You have experience and confidence with it.

Some here have mentioned shooting at moving animals and extreme ranges.

I strongly suggest you not shoot at moving animals.

Have a knowledge of the internal anatomy of the elk,see the vital organs within the elk,and use your 270 to perform surgery.

Do you have a duplex reticle in your scope?Find out how many moa the reticle features are and apply the mil-dot principle to estimate range.Particularly know how to use it to determine ;Inside 300 yds.over 300 yds,or so.

You only have a 100 yd range?OK.Based on a 10 or 12 in vital zone and a 300 yd shot,check yourself on 3 or 4 inch bullseyes in vatrious positions,over your rucksack,etc.Know when you are steady enough to shoot with confidence.

Use a proper bullet and place it well and your .270 will do the job.

A property of the .270 is it helps the shooter place the shot via mild recoil and good trajectory.
 
Hi guys,

I've wanted a 30-06 for some time so I purchased a Sako for the hunt. I'm thinking of putting a Leupold VX-6 2-12 on it...but have not decided.

The guide would have let me use the .270 but I wanted a new gun.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Dave
 
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