16" AR10 for cow elk ?

Figure it would give me a couple of quick follow up shots. Other options for me are to mount a scope on my 20" AR10 (HBAR so its a heavy pig) or use the trusty 270. Opinions ?

Any would work. Use bullets with at least a moderate sectional density. 180 grains would be good.

I preference my 270's for about all game in the lower 48. They shoot sub MOA with 150 gr partitions. I've used them to harvest a few tons of wapiti. At distance, the 308 out of 16" vs 270 out 22" is an edge to the 270 in my favorite areas. But honestly; it won't really make a lick of difference if you pop the air bags. Which rifle do you shoot best with? Use that one, shoot a bullet designed for penetration, and take one clean shot = meat on the table.

So one clean shot will drop a cow elk? I keep hearing people say you gotta keep shooting until they drop.

One clean shot will generally kill everything but as a matter of policy I've always believed you should continue firing until the animal is down. Your first shot may have been bad, the bullet may have deflected on a branch or failed, or a mortally wounded animal may be in danger of escaping across terrain that makes tracking and recovery difficult.

Either will work. I use traditional bolt guns and or AR 10 (infantry weight bbl). I haven't got an elk with the AR 10 yet..........

Anyway, The biggest factor in choosing between the two would be how badly do you want to lug around a heavy bastage of a rifle in elk country? (Not for very long,trust me on this one.)

Elk are tough,but they aren't an APC..........one bullet with good placement,and the 270 is fine.

165 gr accubond exit wound. Launched from a 16" .308


2d round recovered just under the hide after breaking the shoulder, thus stopping the animal. The first literally shattered his heart,
but he barely flinched so I put another in him.

I would go with the .270 with premium bullets (partitions/tbbc/barnes/etc)

I've dropped many cow elk with 150 gr bullets. That should be sufficient to inflict a mortal wound.

I agree though, keep shooting till it's down. It will save you time in the long run.

I have gotten three elk with my old JC Higgins .270 and never needed more than one shot. Dropped each one where they stand. Shoot in the Vital area behind the shoulder like shown when you get your hunting license and you should have no problem. I used 160gr bullets, can't remember the make its been a few years but I reloaded them myself. I been thinking of getting an AR10 though to try hunting but been arguing whether to get that or a M1A and use that. Idk but when the time comes, ill flip a coin and decide then cause Ill probably own both eventually. Either way you'll have a great hunt =) both those guns you have are great guns!

I have to admit I've only shot one elk, but I've also heard a dozen stories about elk running a marathon (slight exaggeration) on three legs. Maybe I'm not reading this right, but it sounds like you're saying the 2nd round destroyed the shoulder, but didn't make it to any vitals(just under the hide). What if that was your first shot, and the elk took off running?

We can talk about "shot placement" all day long, but the difference between a great shot and a shoulder shot really isn't much. I wouldn't want to hunt with something that won't make it through the shoulder and into some vitals.

I should have said after breaking both shoulders. The exit wound pix shows the frontal chest area with the R. front quarter removed., bullet was recovered from that quarter. First shot was a complete penetration.

I have shot many elk in 22 years and the only way I can stop them instantly is to break the front shoulder or disconnect the central nervous system.

That's great! I have a 700 in .300wsm for elk hunting, but every elk I've seen was within 100yds so I've been thinking about taking my M1A Scout instead. It seems like the quickness of a scout would be needed more than the extra range of the .300. I just wasn't sure if I trusted .308 to get the job done, but I have a little more confidence now. Too late to do any load development for this year, but next year...

Damn man, this is ARFCOM.....take both
The 308 is more than enough gun. A low power or red dot optic on the scout will put meat in the freezer.

I took my AR10 for opening weekend... didn't see any cows.

My 11 year old daughter shot a cow elk this past weekend. She shot it with a 243 with 100 grain Nosler Partitions. The shot was approx a 50 yard shot, quartering towards us. She hit the back of the shoulder, took out a lung, and the bullet lodged somewhere in one of the stomaches. The cow went 15 yards and died. Am I suggesting a 243, nope, but any shot to the blood pump/airbags will put them down. Just about anything and everything works if you do your part.

I killed one on the last weekend of the season. Used the 270...

308 180 did the job at 304 yards....

Nice bull!

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