Is a 270 WSM an adequate elk round?

GSP814 said:
I was going to build a lightweight elk rifle in 7 SAUM. I have a NIB Christensen Arms Summit Ti Thumbhole in 270 WSM and was wondering if the WSM is a 500 yard elk rifle?

According to the test target, the CA shoots 1/2" with 130 grain Nosler Accubonds. I would rather use the rifle I have instead of building a new rifle. Thanks in advance!
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This is strictly my opinion and it's completely based on my experiences. Also I am not a great elk hunter. I've taken some but I'm not one of those guys that takes one or more every year.
My uncle and grandfather are the types that have taken one each every year for 30-ish years.
I have helped my grandfather clean and butcher 3 elk with 270 bullets in them. 2 had completely healed over and one looked several days old. I'm not a fan of 270 for elk. I have also taken elk with a 6.5 SAUM. It got the job done, but the one time was enough to show to me that the 6.5 SAUM (or 6.5 PRC) just doesn't have enough mass or expansion to make up for any slight error. Sure, a million elk have been killed with 6.5 CM, but I suspect there's a lot of elk running around with 6.5mm pieces of lead in them too. Even this last week at the local range i was talking to a guy that swears he had a perfect 500 yard shot with his 6.5 PRC on an elk but missed. He didn't see where he missed. When I said "maybe you hit it and just didn't put it down". He was 100%convinced it should fall in it's tracks. I've seen a perfect lung shot elk (6.5mm) travel a mile before falling down. I've put down some elk with the 30-06. I would take a 30-06 or anything more powerful in .308" or bigger for elk. I've never had an elk go more than 10 yards with a .308" bullet and a lung shot.
 
My son has one in a model 7. 24". Sweet little rig. The mag box is short but the 130 AB works fine at saami length. Everything he's shot with it including a 300# mulie was Drt.
 
dhbikerczar said:
This is strictly my opinion and it's completely based on my experiences. Also I am not a great elk hunter. I've taken some but I'm not one of those guys that takes one or more every year.
My uncle and grandfather are the types that have taken one each every year for 30-ish years.
I have helped my grandfather clean and butcher 3 elk with 270 bullets in them. 2 had completely healed over and one looked several days old. I'm not a fan of 270 for elk. I have also taken elk with a 6.5 SAUM. It got the job done, but the one time was enough to show to me that the 6.5 SAUM (or 6.5 PRC) just doesn't have enough mass or expansion to make up for any slight error. Sure, a million elk have been killed with 6.5 CM, but I suspect there's a lot of elk running around with 6.5mm pieces of lead in them too. Even this last week at the local range i was talking to a guy that swears he had a perfect 500 yard shot with his 6.5 PRC on an elk but missed. He didn't see where he missed. When I said "maybe you hit it and just didn't put it down". He was 100%convinced it should fall in it's tracks. I've seen a perfect lung shot elk (6.5mm) travel a mile before falling down. I've put down some elk with the 30-06. I would take a 30-06 or anything more powerful in .308" or bigger for elk. I've never had an elk go more than 10 yards with a .308" bullet and a lung shot.
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My personal experience exactly with the 270 and 6.5SAUM. Never hunted elk again with the 270 and rebarreled the 6.5 SAUM to 300 WSM.
 
Rick Richard said:
My personal experience exactly with the 270 and 6.5SAUM. Never hunted elk again with the 270 and rebarreled the 6.5 SAUM to 300 WSM.
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My 6.5 SAUM is 100% my favorite deer and antelope rifle ever. It's a Lane Precision that he built for me about 10 years ago. I'll never give it up, I'll just keep putting barrels on it. I'm lucky that I also have .308", 30 cal options for elk, so I can just use the right tool for the job. I understand not everyone has this options though. My main hunting buddy only has a 30-06 and it's totally viable for everything in the west.
 
When I think about a few of my higher powered...high $$ Elk guns, I remember the last ranch I visited in WY. The guide was an old rodeo cowboy and he'd been working ranches his entire life. His Elk gun, was an old wood stocked, rusty, .243 Remington, with a 3x9 tasco scope. He took Elk every year with it. He'd just be patient, and work his way till he was about 100 yards or less. Meat on the table every time. When I showed up with my high tech carbon space rifle, he had a funny grin for sure.
 
Absolutely! Within practical range limitations and using quality, controlled expansion or mono bullets……and of course proper bullet placement!

Those not living in elk country, nor blessed with a fat wallet, having limited hunting opportunities should use the best equipment available that they can reasonably afford!

Good bullets (controlled expansion or monos) will give you more opportunities to take an shot due to the animal angle than you should attempt with a highly frangible bullet! JMO. memtb
 
Personally, I have taken 3 Elk and a few deer and once Pronghorn with my 270 WSM. Yes, it works with a good bullet. However, today I think the 6.8 Western is a better choice. Both are .277 but the twist rate is faster in the 6.8 and will work better for the heavier bullets.
 
reconrover said:
When I think about a few of my higher powered...high $$ Elk guns, I remember the last ranch I visited in WY. The guide was an old rodeo cowboy and he'd been working ranches his entire life. His Elk gun, was an old wood stocked, rusty, .243 Remington, with a 3x9 tasco scope. He took Elk every year with it. He'd just be patient, and work his way till he was about 100 yards or less. Meat on the table every time. When I showed up with my high tech carbon space rifle, he had a funny grin for sure.
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Nobody ever told him he was hunting elk with a varmint rifle. Out here the .25-06 is really popular for about everything.
 
dhbikerczar said:
This is strictly my opinion and it's completely based on my experiences. Also I am not a great elk hunter. I've taken some but I'm not one of those guys that takes one or more every year.
My uncle and grandfather are the types that have taken one each every year for 30-ish years.
I have helped my grandfather clean and butcher 3 elk with 270 bullets in them. 2 had completely healed over and one looked several days old. I'm not a fan of 270 for elk. I have also taken elk with a 6.5 SAUM. It got the job done, but the one time was enough to show to me that the 6.5 SAUM (or 6.5 PRC) just doesn't have enough mass or expansion to make up for any slight error. Sure, a million elk have been killed with 6.5 CM, but I suspect there's a lot of elk running around with 6.5mm pieces of lead in them too. Even this last week at the local range i was talking to a guy that swears he had a perfect 500 yard shot with his 6.5 PRC on an elk but missed. He didn't see where he missed. When I said "maybe you hit it and just didn't put it down". He was 100%convinced it should fall in it's tracks. I've seen a perfect lung shot elk (6.5mm) travel a mile before falling down. I've put down some elk with the 30-06. I would take a 30-06 or anything more powerful in .308" or bigger for elk. I've never had an elk go more than 10 yards with a .308" bullet and a lung shot.
Click to expand...
What led you to determine that you were looking at .277 caliber bullets? Just askin'.
 
Kingsgr8 said:
Man the elk, deer, and moose have sure gotten tougher over the last few years! Guess I'll need to get rid of my 270 and get a 416 Cheytac.
Click to expand...

That would be a good hunting cartridge, if you can keep the total rifle weight (scoped,loaded, slung) under 10 pounds. Though, for some folks the recoil may be a bit much ! memtb
 

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