Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting .270 Win or 7mm RM

I know that wasn’t directed at me, but enough to expand the bullet and penetrate to the vitals

Doesn’t take much...

1200/1500 is 80 percent. Probably not really designated as " significant ".

The way I understand mono lithics it is more velocity at point of impact more important than fpe. I am not sure on the fps required for a Barnes to open up, so I would just be guessing. I would guess 1600 fps or greater?

They kind of behave like a broad head, ( arrow).

I agree with this. Ive killed many animals with both and there is zero difference. Honestly id think you would be hard pressed to find two more similar rounds especially if you're not hand loading. You can safely get 3000 fps out of a 150 in the 270 and do about the same in the 7 mag with a 160. Pretty close no?

Id prefer the 270 for the lesser recoil, but the 7mag is a damn fine round and my favorite of the belted mags.

Its odd that an earlier poster mentioned that the 270 is not common in the camps he's been in. When it comes to the western US, i don't think ive ever been in a camp that didn't have a couple. Its THE quintessential western round in my opinion.

PUBLISHED data barely has Remington's big 7 (big in name only mind you) pushing 175s at that speed let along 195s. Chronographing those published loads yields even less in my experience. I don't see the need to compare (likely) grossly over pressure 7 mag loads against the .270. I will agree with you though on the point that the 300s don't offer a big step up in power. I honestly believe that next big step up in power over the .264, .277s. and .284s are the .338s.

The 7RM is a fine round, but it won't do anything a 270 won't in the real world of big game hunting except bark louder, kick harder, and eat more powder. But nobody is going to change your mind.

The best advice on this thread is to work on locating elk, bullet selection and marksmanship.

This is the .30-06 .308 debate

Berger’s data shows ~2850 for that exact bullet.

You’re right, nobody will change my mind because I‘ve actually used both a bunch at distance, and know which is easier to hit with when the wind blows. I’m not saying the terminal performance of one is better than the other, but putting the bullet where it belongs in adverse conditions is another matter.

Yup, I would have been quite happy to take the shot, as I was carrying my .300WM loaded with 175g LRX at about 3000fps MV.

And no, the .308/130g TTSX would not deliver 1500fpe at 476 yards, even at the nearly 8500 feet altitude where the opportunity presented itself. Had Daughter been comfortable taking the shot at 476, however, I would have been comfortable with her doing so. There was no wind to speak of and it was a full broadside opportunity - pretty much perfect conditions.



2000fps and 1500fpe are my rule of thumb number as I consider them more than adequate with a good bullet. As in "more than adequate", not "minimum".



Depends on the specifics of the shot opportunity. I've hunted elk with my .44 Mag carbine, 240g @ 1880fps. Always figured 100-150 yards max for that rifle and load, which retains 1572fps/1318fpe at 100 and 1435fps/1097fpe at 150. The one shot I had with that rifle I passed on - not because the bull was at 100 yards but because my hunting buddy already had one down and I figured we already had enough work ahead of us.

I don't know how you evaluate opportunities but give me 1000fpe and a fat bullet - or enough velocity to expand one - and things will die. Give me 2000fps and 1500fpe and, while they may or may not die faster, I'll be more comfortable taking the shot. The .300WM/175g LRX load I was using delivers about 2361fps/2167fpe at 476 yards and 7000 feet, more at the almost 8500 where we were hunting. Even better.

Daughter's .308/130g TTSX load? Not my first choice for 500 yards but capable nevertheless. Her new-to-her .270 Win with a 150g LRAB should deliver 2339fps/1823fpe @ 500 at 7000 feet. Better.

The .270 is perfectly useable with good billets. I’d go with the 7 mag just because I prefer more power whenever I can get it.