good deer/elk caliber

[565fitter]

I am building a 6.5cm that is currently at LRI for the group buy. I have 2 other bolt guns a remmy700 aac .308 and a remmy 700 sps ss .270. the .308 was bought for a short truck/4 wheeler gun. the .270 is what I think i'm going to build next. I am going to start applying for elk permits, so i'm wanting a gun suitable for that. should I keep it a .270 or go ahead and swap it? it will be getting a new barrel and sent in for the group buy. or should I just leave it alone and build the .308?

 

[andydrose72]

The 270 is plenty adequate for elk.

 

[billyburl2]

All three of your calibers are enough for elk. Contrary to popular belief, they are not bullet-proof. If you hit them in the boiler room, they die... That being said, if you are set on re-chambering the 270, a 300 WM is the classic elk cartridge...

 

[Layton]

Elk really aren't hard to take down given their size. 270 is fine. You'll want something a little flatter shooting like a 270 or 300wm.

L

 

[565fitter]

ok you say the .270 is "fine" what about .280 or ? i'm not dead set on changing the caliber but I will be replacing the barrel so why not get the best round to take that 300yd shot on a massive bull. that's me just daydreaming lol. the 300wm is out unless I change the bolt. keeping it on the .473 bolt face what are the best options

 

[Layton]

Honestly your 6.5c will do the job at 300y

L

 

[565fitter]

good enough for me.. lol that will save me a lot of money

 

[nmsheephunter]

280, or 280ai works great for both.

 

[Mike_in_FL]

Surprised you haven't seen this. Worth the read if you reload, and it's already taken elk.

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...s/185807-new-gap-extreme-hunter-6-5-saum.html

 

[coldboremiracle]

Any of the calibers you mention would work fine, as a matter of fact, pretty much most calibers .25 and up will do the job WHEN you put it in the right spot. Like always.

 

[broylz]

30-06 will help you keep similar bullets for the 308 as well as give you a couple extra hundred feet per second to slightly extend the range for you. fits your 270 bolt face so its just a barrel which you have already stated you don't mind.

granted this is just paper and not real world data, I plugged in a 190gr accubond long range bullet at 2800 fps from a 24" 30-06. the bullet is supposed to expand down to 1300fps so according to this sheet at my current weather data, it would reliably expand out to 1300 yards and stay supersonic until 1600 yards.
ShootersCalculator.com | Ballistic Trajectory Calculator

 

[Graham]

It's not about the caliber.


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[andydrose72]

I say the 270 is fine because you have one and it is plenty big enough. I also say leave a hunting rifle as a hunting rifle and learn to shoot it with a simple scope just using holds out to 600 yards. You can spend a ton of money on something to make a 1300 yard shot and I almost gaurentee that animal with show up at 150 yards.

 

[slm9s]

I'd rather have a 280 than a 270 & id rather have a 30-06 than a 280 if elk is your main target.

 

[tigerfan_9]

Look up psinclair and the animals he has killed with a .260 (basically identical to 6.5 creed) and you will see that will do what you want. He has killed brown bear in Alaska at nearly 600 so I think you are good. If you want something tailored to hunting (lighter, larger caliber for out west, extended ranges) then look at the 6.5 saum, 7 saum or even a 280 if you don't have a magum boltface. The bullet options for a .270 as pretty poor and a 260/6.5 creed will catch up at long ranges and a true 7mm has much better bc options. If I had two rifles it would be a heavier comp 260 or 6mm creed and a lightweight 6.5 saum or 7 saum for hunting anything in North America.

 

[30cal user]

An 423" elk was just poached in New Mexico with 22 lr

 

[Shanerbanner10]

get a good knife and track down insane bolt. That should do the trick... if not 300yds is your projected max yardage for a good shot (trusted to put it down) a well placed shot with anything 6.5+ will do. save that money and buy a bigger freezer or more freezers for all that meat.

 

[Desert Fox]

I'll say either the 308 or the 270 will do.

 

[Graham]

Any caliber legal for that type of game will do. But bad shot placement with a Weatherby magnum still won't do.


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[Hawk45]

Agreed with Graham, unless you are hunting long range (over 600) then most any LA cartridge will do the trick with a well placed shot with a good bullet. Pick a cartridge you always wanted to try or one you know you'll be able to find easily when with buddies or on a hunt.

 

[stanley52]

I would go with a 280 AI. Able to put down both reliably without blowing the smaller of the two in half. Nosler makes some great brass to reload with.. And some premium ammo in a pinch.

 

[45.308]

Sounds like you got few things going on. I am not a 277 caliber fan, not that it does not work but for me and my opinion, not a fan. I am fan of 284 so if it were me, I would change the 270 it to a 280 or how about a 338/06!

I am a firm believer in a miss is a miss horsepower included. A 416 is no more deadly than a 243 if the shot misses. Any one who says horsepower makes up for shot placement has not tipped over many game animals, its all about shot placement with a quality bullet. A 1200 pound bullwinkle will take just as many steps or drop in its tracks from my 340wby has they have from 7.08rem. Every animal and every shot has a set of different rules. The animal and shot cannot be predicted.

I have experienced, a light weight, lighter the better rifle can be carried and shot more accurately than a heavy rifle in what most would consider under horsepower cartridges. The name on the head stamp as little to do with felling game, its all about placing a quality bullet in the engine room, nothing more, other than being able to tote a rifle for days in the hills which means also shot placement.

Family and friends use a 22.250 and bring home Alaska meat every year.

I would build the lightest rifle I can in a caliber that I like or prefer.

good luck

 

[Layton]

I would build the lightest rifle I can in a caliber that I like or prefer.

Pretty sound advise right there.

L

 

[FN in MT]

I'd bet that I have killed or seen killed far more elk than 98% of the rest of you here. That's not a boast, simply fact. That said....

It ALL boils down to PLACEMENT of a PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED bullet in the HEART/LUNG area, at a velocity adequate for EXPANSION and PENETRATION.

Your .270 shooting a tough, quality slug will do fine. I've killed them with .257 Roberts and MANY with a .280 rem. I like thirty and thirty three caliber for elk but with today's bullets what was once considered marginal for big game will work with Barnes, Noslers, etc.

FN in MT

 

[6.5BR]

Give me a broadside elk at 300 yds or under, and a 243 with 85/85 Barnes or 95 Ballistic Tip, and bring a sharp knife and camera for evidence

243 using 105s have killed Elk at 700+ yds, I would not recommend it, or do it, but it has been done. Wayne Van Zwoll dumped one with a Creedmoor at over 600 yds using a 129 SST factory load.

Shot placement, thru vitals using a good bullet. The rest is mental masturbation.

 

[Layton]

I would say build a lighter version of your 6.5c but since you have a long action you have an additional option of going 6.5x55 and get more punch with heavier 6.5 bullets. Being a long action you can really maximize that cartridge. 2900fps+ with 140s and moderate loads. You have the correct bolt face in the 270 already. New barrel and you're done. Factory ammo is readily available in a pinch although not near as common as a 270.

L

 

[Delta4-3]

When we butcher our cattle, I kill them with a .22 WMR at exactly 20 yards. All of your calibers are more than sufficient. However, I try this with my wife too, so if you are needing an excuse to get a new gun, Bo for it brother.

 

[565fitter]

thanks guys. the .270 has taken probably 3-4 deer a year since I've had it. i want to rebarrel it and get a better stock nothing to wild. i'm looking into some of your guys suggestions

 

[jkkfam89]

260 remington. Great round

 

[CLNDESL]

I'm going to be different and say 6.5x284. I have been using it for the past 2 years and have taken everything from antelope to elk with it. It is perfect in a long action and there is lapua brass. Load up some 140 berger vlds with some retumbo and you at 3000 fps with the 140s.

 

[Eric B.]

The .300 Win mag is perfect for both elk and deer and IS flat shooting within 500 meters compared with, say, a .308, another decent cartridge, especially for deer. And really, 500 yards/meters is about the max range for consistently humane harvesting of big game.

My 180 gr. Hornady SST rounds deliver great ballistics. The same cartridge in their "Superformance" load is even flatter shooting.

 

[dwtaylorpdx]

The only thing I think deserves extra attention on the 270 and elk is bullet choice. My dad hunted with a 270 for quite a few years.. We found that the standard bullets just didn't bring them down as quick. We ended up with some ugly packs several times with solid through the lungs shots.. When he jumped to a 300WM the bad packs and long tracking sessions stopped. Never lost one just would been nice if they were not in any shape to run down into a canyon..

Most of the stock Remmy and Win bullets just didn't open up well. especially at closer ranges,, end up with a tiny hole in and out...

I suspect a accubond wouldn't have this problem like a old school "Cor-Lockd" bullet.

Dave