Woodrow,
I have shot a bunch of deer and hogs, and one elk. I have hunted a bit from stands in Texas and a bit in the mountains in SW Oregon. My elk came from Oregon. I typically spend a lot of time at the range and obssess over fine details of accuracy and ballistics. I say that so you know what level of credence to attach to my remarks. Let me give you some stuff to add to the growing pile of things for you to consider.
My deer rifle progess has gone from 7mm Rem Mag to 300 Win to a 28" barreled custom 300 Win to a custom 30-06. Yeah, I did get one specialty deer rifle--a 280 Ack in a trade that I may use. My elk rifles went from a custom 340 Wby to a custom 338 RUM to custom 338 Win. I achieved excellent accuray with all these, and the hardest kicking one--the 338 RUM (50 ft lbs of recoil) I shot the best of all. I have downsized so to speak because even in long range country, most shots are close, and out to 500 yds, any of the above chamberings are flat enough. The slower velocity also means much longer barrel life.
My 338 Win Shoots a 225 grain bullet at about 2800 fps, where the 338 RUM shot a 250 grain bullet at 2950 fps. This is not a significant difference when it comes to taking animals out to 500 yds. I shot last year's elk at 40 yds with my 10 lb (w/scope) 338 RUM. The elk was being pushed hard and moving when I shot it through a 3" gap in the trees--yeah I know, a bit of luck there. He went 20 yds straight uphill and fell. His lungs were pretty much gone.
After shooting that elk, I realized the 338 RUM was no advantage. The RUM needs heavier/tougher bullets so they'll hold together. Because a 338 Win doeasn't shoot as fast, I can use a lighter bullet and get similar penetration and expansion. Another advantage is the 338 Win could come in at 2 lbs lighter and still be very shootable, so I had Celt build me one. (An 8 lb w/scope 338 RUM would be a monster, and I am not recoil shy.) I didn't get an elk this year with the 338 Win, but it cleanly took out a Texas hog, and hogs are very tough.
A 270 WSM is not really a step up in killing power--especially on larger game--over a 270. However, a 30-06, 300 Win, or 300 WSM is an excellent deer rifle as well as a very good elk rifle. The 30-06 is capable of making clean kills at way farther than you'd probably care to shoot it. The faster 300s are a bit flatter shooting, but that is just not the advantage many think it is unless you are setting up shoot at 600-1200 yds like the long range boys do. Reagrdless, the difference in flatness out of a 300 mag vs a 270 WSM is not significant. Also, the barrel life of a 300 Win/Wby mag will be better than the barrel life of a 270 WSM.
I think your best choice would be to keep the 270 you have and then get a 338 Win. If you have to sell the 270 to finance the new rifle, then strongly consdider one of the 300 Mags as your one all around gun. A 300 mag will do everything a 270 WSM will and more.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Blaine
