Need some advise on a caliber for Elk hunt

smokin502

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I've been invited to go on a elk hunt and need some advise on what gun I should bring or buy a different one. I have a 270 weatherby and hand load my rounds. I load 140gr Hornady SST and getting around 3300fps with them. Is that enough bullet or caliber for Elk ? Or should I get a different gun/Caliber? This is my first time elk hunting and know you may have to shoot at a good distance. I've shot this round to 960yds with good accuracy and comfortable doing it. Thanks for any tips
 
YES !
It's, plenty,.. just avoid, the Shoulder if, possible !
IF, wanting to, shoot thru the shoulder switch to,.. a Partition or, AccuBond.
All of, the .270's are, GOOD Killers, . Bullet, range and "Placement",.. Dependent.
PRACTICE some, Field Positions ( Prone and Sticks, sitting ) so that, you can Hit,.. the "Boiler Room",.. everytime.
 
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Ya the .270 wby will work excellent. Stay away from the shoulder with the sst. If you want to work up a new load that will break shoulders I'd recommend a hammer bullet for fast load development.

On the other hand maybe you "need" a new rifle.
 
SST are pretty fragile. Especially at that speed. I'd go 140, 150 Accubond, 150 Partition or 130 Scirocco. I've killed 8 bulls and 4 cows with my 270 wsm and really prefer a tougher bullet. I picked up 500 qty, 150 grain trophy bonded tipped bullets off the classifieds a few years back and man are they a great bullet. I'm sure if you're patient and slip one between the ribs it would work, but sometimes you don't have that luxury. I hate having a rodeo on the mountain with a 600 to 700 lb animal at stake.
 
Beware, the One Gun, One load guy that,.. KNOWS how to, use IT ! And the OP, sounds like, he Knows, his "Chit" !
The .270 Weatherby with, YOUR Load, will SLAY an Elk, out to about, 700 to 750 Yards, IF hit, in the "Boiler Room" !
I shoot, a .270 WSM with, 140 grain, Classic Hunter Bergers ( .528 BC ) going, 3,185 FPS and feel comfortable to, 650-700 yards, Max. ( If, Calm Wind ).
BUT,.. I will Hunt hard, to try to get,.. a lot,.. CLOSER !

I have NO reason to, impress anybody with, trying to make, a LONG Shot and possibly, cripple / lose an Elk,.. due to, a BAD Wind, "Call" !
PS; the Wind is ALWAYS Blowing,.. in Idaho and a 5 to 10 MPH Wind, IS,.. a Calm Day !
MUCH Prefer, being up close and Personal as I like, the SURE thing,.. Kill !
 
I've been invited to go on a elk hunt and need some advise on what gun I should bring or buy a different one. I have a 270 weatherby and hand load my rounds. I load 140gr Hornady SST and getting around 3300fps with them. Is that enough bullet or caliber for Elk ? Or should I get a different gun/Caliber? This is my first time elk hunting and know you may have to shoot at a good distance. I've shot this round to 960yds with good accuracy and comfortable doing it. Thanks for any tips
Yes, as long as you stay within your set-up limitations. My .270 AI with 30" Lilja barrel propels the 175 Matrix VLD at 2993 FPS. "My" unwritten rule is 1500 FT-LBS and a minimum of 1800 FPS of velocity for the bullet to effectively expand for elk size game at the point of impact - that puts me at 800Y. With your set-up, my calculation is ~600Y. Good luck!
 
My 21 year old grandson, just got back from the Sun Valley area with, a fat, 3 x 4 Mule Deer, shot with his New Savage, 6.5 PRC and 143 Factory ELD-X, ammo ! A One shot Kill, behind the "Crease", on the Buck, kneeling position over Wood, Hunters Specialties, "Sticks" @ 268 Yards,.. Practicing Field positions, does,.. pay off ! Needless to say, his Dad and grandfather are VERY, proud of him !
 
@ Feenix,..
Yes, the OP, probably needs to get, an estimate of, his Bullets BC and the Velocity at, 600, 700 Yards, etc., to see, WHEN it Stops, "expanding" to, a descent, sized, "Mushroom" that, tears, a NICE sized Hole, thru an Elks, Heart and or, Lungs. Lots of Elk hunters have had, good success with, "Boiler Room" placement with the SST's and yes, they are, a bit, "Fragile". I've killed, both Deer and Elk with, the regular Hornady Interlocks and InterBonds, but NOT,.. the SST. I was guessing at, 700 -750 Yards and you might be right about, 600 Yards, Max ! I'm NOT, a Fan of using, the Ft pounds of energy, "theory" as, sharp Arrows, slice up an Elk lungs and they Die from,. lack of Air ! I've seen lots of, LUNG Arrowed Elk, die in 100 Yards or, less.
Hopefully somebody that, HAS used this Bullet at serious distance,.. will Chime in.
 
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@ Feenix,..
Yes, the OP, probably needs to get, an estimate of, his Bullets BC and the Velocity at, 600, 700 Yards, etc., to see, WHEN it Stops,.. "expanding" to, a descent, sized, "Mushroom" that, tears, a NICE sized Hole, thru an Elks, Heart and or, Lungs. Lots of Elk hunters have had, good success with, "Boiler Room" placement and the SST's and yes, they are, a bit "Fragile". I've killed, both Deer and Elk with, the regular Hornady Interlocks and InterBonds, but NOT,.. the SST. I was guessing at, 700 -750 Yards and you might be right about, 600 Yards, Max ! I'm NOT, a Fan of using, the Ft pounds of energy, "theory" as, sharp Arrows, slice up an Elk lungs and they Die from,. lack of Air ! I've seen lots of, LUNG Arrowed Elk, die in 100 Yards or, less.
You are talking about death by hemorrhage vs. hydrostatic shock; they are not the same. What "I" provided was "my" unwritten rule and has worked for me for many decades. "I" also follow a KE rule with my bow set-up because of my low draw weight. All of these are simply a guide.
 
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YUP,. I'm NOW, a Berger, High Velocity,,.. "Scramble everything", in the Boiler Room,.. "Hydrostatic Shock, Believer" myself and the "Fragility" of, the Hornady SST's,.. "Might" act, the same ??
Even if, the SST is, a "good" Bullet to, 600 Yards, it's STILL,.. a fairly long, way !
 
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YUP,. I'm NOW, a Berger, High Velocity,,.. "Scramble everything", in the Boiler Room,.. "Hydrostatic Shock, Believer", myself and the Fragility of, the SST's "Might" act, the same ?? Still, even if, a "good" Bullet to, 600 Yards, it's,.. a fairly long way !
My personal experience with SST is limited to 180g, 400Y, .300 WM, deer (muleys and WTs), and antelope.
 
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