emmagator
Well-Known Member
I know this is very subject to opinion, but i would like to hear some numbers.
270wsm max elk range?
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How far away can you reliably hit a 12 inch gong in different conditions? At the range my 270 AI I can do a tap dance on the 600 yrd gong with hunting sierra 150 gr. spbt's in calm weather conditions. I also have a nice 6x24 56mm mil dot scope and I have chronographed the loads and figured out the bullet drop and windage.
Do you know the time of flight charts for your bullet? Do you keep your bullets near the same tempeture as they were when you did the chrono data? Do you have a range finder? All these things are important.
I always prepare for the 600 yard shot and go for the neck or head. But I also never shoot long distance shots at moving targets because I fear wounding and loosing an animal. To tell you the truth in all my years of elk hunting my friends and I have never had to shoot one farther than @350 yards
It is not so much can the 270 do it, but can you?
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
Budlight said it well! A lot depends on you and how you are with killing elk. I've killed a pile of the buggers and love hunting them more than anything, I'm as comfortable shooting an elk as a lot of guys are shooting a deer. I know very well the limitations of me and my rifle and know what I have to do to effectively kill elk with what I use. I also have no interest in shooting them through the shoulders, loosing even 15lbs of meat is just not acceptable to me and I don't mind shooting one through the lungs and heart and having them go a 20-50yrds and dropping, I have no need to drop them and the way I kill them is fast and clean which allows me a little more range as well. I will say since starting to shoot the 270 WSM I have yet to have an elk take more than a couple steps after taking a Accubond or Berger through the heart/lungs, but I haven't broke 600yrds with it but seeing what it does up to that point I have a lot of confidence well past that. For me I look to stay in the working velocity range and stay at a range I can make a cold bore shot that will not go outside the 10-12 in area I want my bullet to go, some days velocity makes the decision some times conditions, energy wise just for reference I like 1000-1200ft-lbs but I don't put much weight in energy numbers but I do like to see that I'm not plowing dirt. You really seem to be struggling with the idea of killing elk with a 270, the best thing to do is wack one at 300yrds or less with a good shot, it will clear up what it is capable of, the first time I did my jaw dropped as fast as the elk did! For some guys it just won't due for me I'm GTG and have shot the elk to prove it to myself and others I hunt with, but I do it carefully, wounding elk is not acceptable!! I would not shoot an elk very far till any rifle and bullet I shoot are proven with a couple elk under 300yrds, just the way I do it even the 338 RUM and Norma I'm building won't kill a long range elk till they do short range first.
Numbers wise, here's a chart that is what I shoot at the range with the last barrel I wore out, it's actual numbers!! I haven't gotten the new barrels finalized yet so no data yet. Just numbers but with this combo I would do an elk at 800 and if all was right 900ish.
This is a chart for what a 169.5 Wildcat or similar could theoretically do, I'm not running these yet so I'm using number from other guys that have so they are proven but not by myself. This combo I would feel real good to 1000yrds but would look at a 1200yrd shot seriously if conditions were right.
Numbers wise, here's a chart that is what I shoot at the range with the last barrel I wore out, it's actual numbers!! I haven't gotten the new barrels finalized yet so no data yet. Just numbers but with this combo I would do an elk at 800 and if all was right 900ish.
This is a chart for what a 169.5 Wildcat or similar could theoretically do, I'm not running these yet so I'm using number from other guys that have so they are proven but not by myself. This combo I would feel real good to 1000yrds but would look at a 1200yrd shot seriously if conditions were right.
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happylilcuss
Well-Known Member
I agree with the above posts 100%~~
Now I know on this site and in most hunting camps the go bigger is better theory rains supreme. I also know that many an elk hunter goes by the foot pounds moniker.. However just like Big says, I too have personally killed a pile of elk. I live for elk hunting and guiding elk hunters. It is 100% my opinion that if you can shoot the caliber accuratley and are 100% confidant in the range then you are in range and should do what needs to be done.
I have spent a lot of time behind both my 270's and my 270wsm's. I have personally killed 2 elk in the 600-700 yard range and one at 865 yards. All three of these were one shot kills. None of these bulls went more than 20 feet from where they were hit.. I had spent many many days on the range and in the field practicing at up to 1000 yards and I know that up to 900 I am good to go. One other thing to note is that on all 3 of these shots the weather was still no wind, cold, dry and I was up around 7000'. Now saying that I would never I mean NEVER let my borther or my father take any of those shots. For them 350 would be max. They dont shoot enough or well enough to shoot any caliber farther than that. On a day with wind there is no way I would attempt a shot this far.
I guess what I am getting at is: If you KNOW you can make the shot at any range then take it. If your guessing than you sure as heck better hold off and get a better shot.
Another thing to remember about LR hunting is that it takes roughly 2 seconds for your bullet to get there. Its gonna take you possibly hours to get there. You better be able to find the spot your quarry was in when it was hit.. I have seen people shoot and take off and have no clue where the animal was.. If you dont do EVERYTHING right when shooting so far your gonna end up disapointed. We owe our game to do things ethically and humanely. Stuff happens but if we do as much as possible to do it right thats all we can do.
Sorry about the long post.
Now I know on this site and in most hunting camps the go bigger is better theory rains supreme. I also know that many an elk hunter goes by the foot pounds moniker.. However just like Big says, I too have personally killed a pile of elk. I live for elk hunting and guiding elk hunters. It is 100% my opinion that if you can shoot the caliber accuratley and are 100% confidant in the range then you are in range and should do what needs to be done.
I have spent a lot of time behind both my 270's and my 270wsm's. I have personally killed 2 elk in the 600-700 yard range and one at 865 yards. All three of these were one shot kills. None of these bulls went more than 20 feet from where they were hit.. I had spent many many days on the range and in the field practicing at up to 1000 yards and I know that up to 900 I am good to go. One other thing to note is that on all 3 of these shots the weather was still no wind, cold, dry and I was up around 7000'. Now saying that I would never I mean NEVER let my borther or my father take any of those shots. For them 350 would be max. They dont shoot enough or well enough to shoot any caliber farther than that. On a day with wind there is no way I would attempt a shot this far.
I guess what I am getting at is: If you KNOW you can make the shot at any range then take it. If your guessing than you sure as heck better hold off and get a better shot.
Another thing to remember about LR hunting is that it takes roughly 2 seconds for your bullet to get there. Its gonna take you possibly hours to get there. You better be able to find the spot your quarry was in when it was hit.. I have seen people shoot and take off and have no clue where the animal was.. If you dont do EVERYTHING right when shooting so far your gonna end up disapointed. We owe our game to do things ethically and humanely. Stuff happens but if we do as much as possible to do it right thats all we can do.
Sorry about the long post.
silvertip-co
Well-Known Member
I dont know about all that but this guy I met elk hunting was scouting a hill at 890y and I mentioned it was a long shot. He said he had confidence in his 270wsm to that distance as he had shot it in past on a range. So as well as the ballistic numbers I guess add a confidence factor.
