Best rifle caliber for western hunting?

Reece123 · 2025-09-22T20:15:06-0600

Hello all. I am looking at hunting out west in the future, specifically elk hunting and was wondering what caliber rifle you would consider to be the best for the job? Ideally id love to get one with my bow, but for the time being the rifle seems to be more obtainable. The majority of my hunting career I have used a .270 win which has dropped every white tail I've pulled the trigger on, but I know elk are a completely different animal. Im a reloader, so cost of ammo isn't a huge concern. Will 270 do the job or should I step up to something like a 30-06 or even 300 win mag? im thinking realistically shots under 300 yards.

North of 60 · 2025-09-22T20:18:22-0600

This should be fun

Seriously though, if all i had was a .270, I'd pick a good bullet and roll with it.

rabbithuntr · 2025-09-22T20:19:50-0600

6arc

Seriously though look at the 6.5, 6mm and 233 kill threads the terminal ballistic are probably better than you think.

Reece123 · 2025-09-22T20:24:50-0600

North of 60 said:
This should be fun

Seriously though, if all i had was a .270, I'd pick a good bullet and roll with it.

im sure this will turn into "Ram vs Ford vs Chevy" but my main concern is "Can I justify buying a new X bolt in a new caliber for a hunt, or will the ole trusty Remington in 270 be enough?"

cmahoney · 2025-09-22T20:29:03-0600

All of them

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Tmac · 2025-09-22T20:29:45-0600

Your 270 Win is perfectly adequate for elk. We are using 3 270’s next week for Moose and have killed a pile of elk with the 270. The only limitation vs the newer offerings is barrel twist limiting you to more moderate weight bullets. We rarely shoot over 400 yards, but our 270’s are good for more, especially at altitude.

North of 60 · 2025-09-22T20:31:13-0600

I think you answered your own question when choosing a good bullet...however a man can't have too many rifles

.

I'll say it like this...if i hadn't inherited a .300 Win Mag from my dad, i'd probably buy a 6.5 PRC, which is pretty close to a .270 ballistically for quite some range.

3darcher2 · 2025-09-22T20:31:14-0600

This really comes down to do you fancy yourself the next world class sniper or are you a guy who wants to hunt elk and be competent to kill the elk at "normal" hunting ranges, whatever that is.

Probably 95% of elk shot in the US with a rifle could be killed by the old Rem 700 in 270 with the 3-9 Leupold from 1997.

What would you buy to hunt elk as a western elk rifle if you didn't have a rifle would be a totally different and much more interesting question.

mtnbound · 2025-09-22T20:32:04-0600

Reece123 said:
Hello all. I am looking at hunting out west in the future, specifically elk hunting and was wondering what caliber rifle you would consider to be the best for the job? Ideally id love to get one with my bow, but for the time being the rifle seems to be more obtainable. The majority of my hunting career I have used a .270 win which has dropped every white tail I've pulled the trigger on, but I know elk are a completely different animal. Im a reloader, so cost of ammo isn't a huge concern. Will 270 do the job or should I step up to something like a 30-06 or even 300 win mag? im thinking realistically shots under 300 yards.

Unless you just want to buy a new rifle your 270 will do the job.

Reece123 · 2025-09-22T20:36:21-0600

mtnbound said:
Unless you just want to buy a new rifle your 270 will do the job.

Well that doesn’t really help scratch the itch I have but thank you for the insight!

mtnbound · 2025-09-22T20:37:50-0600

Reece123 said:
Well that doesn’t really help scratch the itch I have but thank you for the insight!

Welcome to RS. We rarely help; get used to it.

sierracharlie338 · 2025-09-22T20:41:29-0600

Sounds like your gun is too old and you need a new one. . .

Reece123 · 2025-09-22T20:44:00-0600

sierracharlie338 said:
Sounds like your gun is too old and you need a new one. . .

I’ll definitely have to show my wife this post. An expert like yourself knows best!

Choupique · 2025-09-22T20:44:20-0600

Reece123 said:
doesn’t really help scratch the itch

Get yourself a new scope or some sweet binoculars or something and go blast stuff with the .270

sierracharlie338 · 2025-09-22T20:49:00-0600

Reece123 said:
I’ll definitely have to show my wife this post. An expert like yourself knows best!

I did stay in a holiday inn express last night! Feel free to ask about booking a hunt or buying a new truck if you need any advice there as well

Live_weighT34 · 2025-09-22T21:10:21-0600

I’ve got 4 cow elk and one mule deer to my credit with the ol 270 Win. It’s a great cartridge for western hunting especially for inside of 500yds.

nphunter · 2025-09-22T21:21:50-0600

280AI is my go to for everthing rifle hunting. My wife and kids have a pile of animals with it. It has well over a dozen big game animals under it’s belt.

North of 60 · 2025-09-22T21:40:23-0600

@Reece123...similar thinking to our ancient Louisiana fish friend (Choupique), knowing what i've learned about suppressed shooting,I would put those $ toward a nice suppressor and hunt any big game in the lower 48.

RockAndSage · 2025-09-22T22:00:13-0600

Reece123 said:
Hello all. I am looking at hunting out west in the future, specifically elk hunting and was wondering what caliber rifle you would consider to be the best for the job? Ideally id love to get one with my bow, but for the time being the rifle seems to be more obtainable. The majority of my hunting career I have used a .270 win which has dropped every white tail I've pulled the trigger on, but I know elk are a completely different animal. Im a reloader, so cost of ammo isn't a huge concern. Will 270 do the job or should I step up to something like a 30-06 or even 300 win mag? im thinking realistically shots under 300 yards.

So...if you spend much time here, reading tons of personal accounts and people's combined experiences and wisdom, you'll see a pretty clear trend and pattern, along with a lot of personal evolutions that didn't start this way:

1) The more someone shoots, especially along a dedicated training path, the less cartridge-choice matters
2) The less recoil a gun-cartridge combo has, the more someone will shoot and practice with it
3) The cheaper the ammo, the more someone shoots & practices
4) The more someone shoots, especially in field-realistic training scenarios, the more they realize lower-recoiling setups just shoot better for them, and the more they want to shoot
5) Everything in North America has been killed with .223 and 6mm bullets, but tipped "match" bullets seem to be the most effective
6) The more you like your gun, the more you'll shoot with it.

Bottom line: if you have a new gun in mind that really rings your bell, get one in a chambering that's cheap to feed it and lower-recoiling, and shoot the hell out of it. Because you'll enjoy it, and be better for it.

slm9s · 2025-09-22T22:03:31-0600