Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Your Honest Opinion?

I posted this in another forum too. I got to thinking about how my new to me Model 700 Classic .270 (22") likes both the 150/160PTs. In fact, it shoots both to 2950fps, and both under .75" (way under) for 3 shots. It shoots the 130 Hornady very well too, so lighter game is covered. My other rifle is another Mod 700 Classic in 338WM. At 66, the biggest animal I will ever hunt again is elk, and cows at that. Even a big cow is not as tough as a big rangy Bull. The "meanest" ( can hurt you) I will hunt animal is big hogs. In between is deer/antelope, etc. So, now that my .270W shoots a 160PT as fast as most 7mm Rem Mags, as far as elk/hogs goes, what advantage does my 338WM really give me? Bear in mind that I don't take shots at game past 375yds, and my "average range" for elk here is 190yds! The 338 Mod 700 is longer ( 24") not too bad, and a bit heavier, but still, not that heavy. It does recoil more, especially with its 250/2800fps loads it likes! Would I be a fool to just use this .270W and maybe sell/trade this 338 for, say, a foul weather/heavy snow day rifle in, say, a 35 Whelen carbine (or 30-06) pump as a backup? I'd like you honest opinions, especially from elk hunters/hog hunters.

No, makes sense to me but I hunt everything with a 308 win or 30.06. Im also testing the 6.5 creedmore. That 270 will do everything you need it too. Sell the 338.

I see no reason to keep the .338 - never liked them anyways. The .270 is perfectly OK for cows with heavy bullets.

I've never seen a big game pump that I thought was well made. So I wouldn't spend the money on that.

Not crazy about a pump myself...was just thinking out loud on that one, ha. I think I could be happy with a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington for a woods/foul weather rifle as shots have always been close under those circumstances. Again, just thinking of what I could possibly do with the 338 that I couldn't do with this .270W...and the rifle is handier. Heck, I could put it in a McMillan and have a wand, one that won't kick me out from under my hat!

My opinion, but a 270 and a 338 are a nice pair for anything. If your 270 shoots the heavier Bullets well, and your 338 runs 250’s at 2800 then I’d say you’re covered for just about any hunting out there. I’d probably set them both up the way you want and start hunting.

I'd come at this question from a different angle and say it depends on how much you ike the .338, and how much you shoot it. I had one I liked but I never shot it so I sold it. If you're not particularly attached to the .338, sell it and get something you've always wanted to try, something different. At 66, you owe it to yourself.

Keep the 270 and sell the 338. You don't really need a second rifle as your 270 does everything you need. A BLR in 358 Winchester would be a great secondary carbine if you felt the need. Really an impressive and easy to shoot combination.

I think you could do well the rest of your life with the 270 shooting the bullets/game/ranges you mention. I've only shot 2 elk with 270 (150 NPT) and it worked well. I bought a 280 AI after my 270 got donated. A 0.284 160 NPT/AB works just like a 0.277 150/160 NPT.

On another note, if you shoot the 338 well and dont mind carrying a bit more weight, I'd keep it. If the rifle weight is acceptable, you can always find a lighter load - I'd look at faster burning powders and lesser velocity.

As mentioned, a 270 - 338 pair covers alot of bases. In my experience, a lightweight 35 wh shooting full power loads will recoil like your 338.

Being considerably older ,I would suggest getting rid of the .33. As time goes on recoil and weight will trouble you more.Contrary to many opinions,elk are not hard to kill. I have killed more than a few ranging from a 50 caliber muzzle loader, 4mag,.308, and 30-06..I did have a 77mm Mag for awhile.It didn't kill any faster or any better. I sent it down the road a long time ago.The.270 will do you just fine for all you hunting

The Rem 7600 .35 Whelen that my son has is well made in my opinion, but kicks like a rented mule. I think that is mostly due to the ergonomics of the shotgun style stock. I prefer my 700 Classic .35 Whelen that seems to have less felt recoil. One option is to keep the .338 if it shoots well with lighter loads. However, I sent mine down the road a long time ago because of recoil and it didn’t shoot for beans, but that was just that one rifle.

77mm Mag. WOW!! Just kidding. My brother has carried a 270 with 150gr partitions for 20+ years and it has killed every elk he pointed it at from a yearling cow to a big wide 5x6. Having a 35 Whelen myself I'm biased but I see it as an excellent option for the 30+ caliber range that can be loaded from mild to wild. As Saddlesore said, the 270 will hunt any animal you wanted.

With all due respect, if you are getting a chronographed speed of 2800 fps with a 250 gr. 338, you are beating every factory round I've ever shot, and every reloading manual I've ever looked at. I got 2820 with a Nosler 225 gr Partition when they first came out, with 72 gr of H4350, but could never get even the published 2700 with either Nosler or Sierra 250's. This was with a 24" bbl. What's your secret?

I've found the .270 plenty adequate for bull elk with the 130 Barnes TSX.

Lima- this is with R26/250 NAB for av 2797fps, right at 64K, according to Quickload workup. The 270 is also getting that 2950/160NPT with R26. Evidently, both cartridges/heavy bullets like this powder. I tried some lighter loads with the 200NBT ( 4895 & R15) and 210PT(R17) and they shot OK, 1.5" and .85 respectively" for 3 shots, their best. I like both rifles, and am not really worried about hunting in a lot of either rain nor snow as I always prep a rifle for such. Heck, I grew up in SE Texas "rain forest" with wood/blue guns and used 3 in 1 oil or later on WD-40. So a synthetic stock is not really needed, even the 338 doesn't weigh that much. I just got to thinking about how impressive that 2950fps 160NP .270 load is! 7mm Rem Mags are very popular here for elk and I bet not too many factory 7 mag 160gr loads beat 2950fps, if any! I'm just mainly brain storming...keep the opinions coming though guys, I appreciate it!

This past week my hip situation made me realize that I am definitely going to have to hunt differently than I used too, that's a given, but I think I'll hang onto the 338WM. Yeah, I could borrow a rifle back from the SIL...but I really like using "my own stuff". I don't like going on any long trip w/o two rifles. I have had trips that were saved by having a spare. Heck, I've had rifles that shot well at the range, drive out to the desert to shoot rocks, and they not fire! I like 2 rifles when working up loads, allows one to cool, so time is better utilized ( which has always been the most expensive commodity for me!) and I like the fact that these two rifles are identical, set up the same Trigger Tech, etc, the 338WM only slightly heavier. I could put a lighter scope on it and it would be undiscernible in handling I bet. Thanks to you guys opinions, it really helped me think through this time. All I would do is lose a whole bunch of money if I sold it and/or end up with a "spare" that didn't appeal to me. So I am going to wring out some lighter bullets and find a 2500-2600 fps load for the 250s. It worked so stinking well in that 35 WAI, and its nice to have the "option" of a 2800fps/250NAB load. I'll just take and swap out both rifles on future hunts until I get them both "bloody", so to speak. I "know in my heart" my all day tromps in knee deep snow are over. ha I'll just go out, if snowing hard, and find a big spruce to sit under, see what walks by. Whichever rifle is in my hands...that's the huckleberry that will do the dirty deed.

Yea,I got back to it too long a time and it wouldn't let me edit. Sometimes my computer stutters as I type.

Kinda like being asked your "honest opinion" by a woman on how she looks, or if she's overweight...

Be VERY careful how you answer.

THINK, then answer...

The truth may not be the best option...

DF

Keep the .270 and sell the .338 Win.

I have hunted elk many times with a 270 and always done just fine. In fact every elk I ever shot with a 270 fell to one shot except one I killed with 2 shots at about 400 yards with a 270 Short Mag, and when I dressed it out I found the 2nd shot with my Benelli Auto-loader was actually not needed.

Most elk I have shot just fell at the shot, and some have gone about 10-15 feet and then fell down. But I can't say I have seen any difference in how fast my elk have fallen comparing my 270s to 30-06s, 7MM mags, 300 mags and even my 338 mag.
And I mean absolutely none at all.

Others may say different, but that's what I have seen in over 50 years of killing elk, and seeing others kill many elk too.

Same thin here szihn