270 vs 7-08

[GlennGTR1]

I currently have a 270 rem 700 XCR in a Bell and Carlson stock . The gun shoots well. I have been toying around with the idea of going to 7-08 so that I can use it for Hunter class shilouette shooting and hunting. I have heard good things about the 7-08 as far as accuracy and mild recoil so it would be something I might shoot more often. My thought was to get a 700 SPS stainless and put it in a McMillian stock, adjust or replace the trigger with a Timney then work up a good load and see what she can do. I was wondering if anyone here has used the 7-08 on elk and what the results were? i have heard that the two are similar in their effectivness on elk and I havent had any problem with my 270 on elk.

[Rick in Oregon]

Glenn - I shoot both, my 7-08 though is the Ackley Improved version. I've been hunting big game with my .270Win since the early 60's, having gone to the 7-08AI as a Titanium sheep rifle in the early 90's to have similar ballistics in a much shorter and lighter package. To that end, I'd say if you use premium bullets such as Barnes TTSX in 120, 130 or 140gr weights, no deer or elk on the planet could tell the difference what he was hit with, and you'll get complete penetration almost every time from a 7-08 with these bullets on elk inside of 300 yards in most cases, barring the extreme. I shoot the Barnes 120gr TTSX in mine, and I'm amazed at the performance it offers. The wicked little combination of rifle and caliber is the lightest, shortest, most portable lethal package I own.

As always, shot placement is everything, but assuming you do your part, the 7-08 with the right bullet is an elk killer, no worries.

[TONK]

Glen I own a couple of .270 Winchesters in model 70 Classic and pre-64 action. I once owned a 7mm-08 but did not like the muzzle blast from that short model 70 barrel at the time. I don't shoot any competition anymore, (pistols & Camp Perry some years back) but I can tell you a bunch about elk hunting and what I like for an elk caliber.

I have used everything from a .270 Winchester to a .375H&H caliber hunting elk in the high country. I never paid much attention to the rifles weight back in those days as a young hunter. However, bull elk are not the easiest thing to put down and keep down as some people want others to believe. I lost my first elk years ago using a .270 Winchester on my very first elk hunt.....wrong bullets simply put. Most of us learn as we go along in life.

I then used the .300 Win mag with 200 grn bullets for over 20 years before switching out to the .338 Win mag and this is my go to elk caliber. My back up is a .338-06 which is very light weight, I need all the extra help I can get walking up those 1 and half high mountains out West. I personally don't believe anybody should go after bull elk using anything less than a 30-06 with a 180 grain bullet. Sure, you can kill animals with lesser but that doesn't make it a legit elk gun in my eyes.

[Rick in Oregon]

TONK: I'd agree with you on all counts........ten years ago. But now that monolithic/homogenous bullet technology has progressed to where it is at the present, these argeuments are not valid any more.

I also hunt with the .270 Win, the .30-06 & 200gr Partitions/X-Bullets, but my primary elk gun is a pre-'64 M70 in .338-06 Ackley, so we're in the same ballpark when it comes to big animals and big bullets. BUT, now that bullets like the Barnes Tipped Triple Shock X-Bullet and the Nosler E-Tip are on the scene, calibers like the .270 Win and even the 7mm-08 become solid elk killers using these 100% weight retention bullets at 'normal' hunting ranges, as complete penetration is almost guaranteed virtually every time. I know this to be true, "cause I've seen it."

Barnes offers a free DVD about "Bullet Myths Busted".....get it and check it out.

[Guy M]

Yeah, there is no doubt those danged Barnes TSX bullets hang together and penetrate like crazy! Very impressive...