.270 Win enough for a Mountain Goat?

[ckleeves]

Goats aren’t that tough, guys shoot them with the wrong bullets. Something like a 6 creed with a 108 eldm is going to be more effective then a 375 H&H with a mono. The wallop factor index is really lopsided on goats.

 

[HornPorn]

Goats aren’t that tough, guys shoot them with the wrong bullets. Something like a 6 creed with a 108 eldm is going to be more effective then a 375 H&H with a mono. The wallop factor index is really lopsided on goats.

Agree with you 100%, but to be fair I do think many of those stories of guys using big guns and tough bullets are due to where they are hunting (brown bear (coastal AK and BC), and/or the goat was part of a combo hunt for moose or bear.

Guys down in the lower 48 and grizz free areas of Utah, CO aren't going to have that as part of the equation, and aren't going to be hunting multiple species at once either.

There is definitely a view that goats are tough and "soak up lead" that gets amplified.

 

[Steve O]

Goats aren’t that tough, guys shoot them with the wrong bullets. Something like a 6 creed with a 108 eldm is going to be more effective then a 375 H&H with a mono. The wallop factor index is really lopsided on goats.

Agree 100%

 

[ckleeves]

Agree with you 100%, but to be fair I do think many of those stories of guys using big guns and tough bullets are due to where they are hunting (brown bear (coastal AK and BC), and/or the goat was part of a combo hunt for moose or bear.

Guys down in the lower 48 and grizz free areas of Utah, CO aren't going to have that as part of the equation, and aren't going to be hunting multiple species at once either.

There is definitely a view that goats are tough and "soak up lead" that gets amplified.

Agreed. But it does seem that many outfitters hold the “bigger is better” view also, or encourage the use of monos on goats which I really can’t get behind. Even the biggest of Billies isn’t that thick thru the chest.

 

[bowhunter74]

I shot 2 caribou between 200 and 300 yards with 130 grain ballistic tips with no problem so I would say it should work on a goat

 

[6mm Remington]

Go forth with your 270 and shoot a nice billy! 130 or 140 gr. Nosler Partitions or Accubonds would be my pick for bullets.

 

[Wapiti66]

270 is definitely enough gun. I’d pick a lightweight gun that you shoot well. Goat country is no joke and you will be mentally counting every ounce you chose to pack up the mountain and into the cliffs

 

[SkunkCabbage]

With confidence. TMK/ELDM/X will be very sufficient. Don’t overthink it

 

[aussiehunter]

Mid asian ibex 130gr GMX at 300m one shot, so i believe it will be enough for you. Happy Hunting

 

[z987k]

I’ve been on around 20 goat hunts over the years. A 270 may work but there is a better chance a goat will take a death leap off a cliff and end up a bloody mess with rips in the face, broken horn, etc. if you want a better piece of mind that a goat will drop before heading off cliffs and taking a blood bath use a 30 caliber!

Mtn goats are one of the toughest critters in North America to put on the ground and they live in cliff country.

Bullet diameter has no bearing whatsoever on that happening.

 

[BRWNBR]

Out come the goat experts to do battle in the arena with the ballistics experts!!!!

I don’t know crap about numbers and whatever. But I do know my experiences as a mtn goat guide. A 25-‘06 works. But it’s embarrassing to watch. Second worse goat kill I ever saw was with a 270. Four shots. Never knew it was even hit till it picked a bed, laid down and died.
Goat death launch is a real thing. They don’t all do it, but when they do…lol oh man. You’re in for an adventure of salvage and recovery!
Big Billy’s can be much more impressive to try to kill over a big nanny. Not all goats are created equal.
Yes. The 270 will kill a goat. Is it enough? What on earth does enough mean? If it kills them then yes, it’s enough.
Will it drop them or stop them. Well that’s up to the guy pulling the trigger not the numbers stamped on the barrel. Placement. Has 150 percent more to do with dropping an animal that Rokslide opinions do.
(Shot my best goat with a bow. 3 times) it was enough bow.

 

[z987k]

Out come the goat experts to do battle in the arena with the ballistics experts!!!!

I don’t know crap about numbers and whatever. But I do know my experiences as a mtn goat guide. A 25-‘06 works. But it’s embarrassing to watch. Second worse goat kill I ever saw was with a 270. Four shots. Never knew it was even hit till it picked a bed, laid down and died.
Goat death launch is a real thing. They don’t all do it, but when they do…lol oh man. You’re in for an adventure of salvage and recovery!
Big Billy’s can be much more impressive to try to kill over a big nanny. Not all goats are created equal.
Yes. The 270 will kill a goat. Is it enough? What on earth does enough mean? If it kills them then yes, it’s enough.
Will it drop them or stop them. Well that’s up to the guy pulling the trigger not the numbers stamped on the barrel. Placement. Has 150 percent more to do with dropping an animal that Rokslide opinions do.
(Shot my best goat with a bow. 3 times) it was enough bow.

Placement is everything. Goats go down better with a 223 to the cns than a 338 through thr lungs. But everything does. Only thing unique to goats is the cliff launching.

 

[grappling_hook]

Out come the goat experts to do battle in the arena with the ballistics experts!!!!

I don’t know crap about numbers and whatever. But I do know my experiences as a mtn goat guide. A 25-‘06 works. But it’s embarrassing to watch. Second worse goat kill I ever saw was with a 270. Four shots. Never knew it was even hit till it picked a bed, laid down and died.
Goat death launch is a real thing. They don’t all do it, but when they do…lol oh man. You’re in for an adventure of salvage and recovery!
Big Billy’s can be much more impressive to try to kill over a big nanny. Not all goats are created equal.
Yes. The 270 will kill a goat. Is it enough? What on earth does enough mean? If it kills them then yes, it’s enough.
Will it drop them or stop them. Well that’s up to the guy pulling the trigger not the numbers stamped on the barrel. Placement. Has 150 percent more to do with dropping an animal that Rokslide opinions do.
(Shot my best goat with a bow. 3 times) it was enough bow.

Learning the anatomy and focusing on shot placement is so important. And having many, many rounds under your belt, and lots of practice shooting at different angles and from uneven ground, and practice getting into shooting positions with the same setup you'll be hunting with. And within all that, not pushing the limits on range, and being patient and getting as close as you need.