243 for elk?

[miah]

I over herd some ol timers talking about using there 243's on elk. to me, this didn 't seem very ethical but do you think they would down an elk or just wound em.

[smdave]

Over the years you always here the stories of the 30-30 and the 243 taking many animals, they never tell the statistics of how many animals were wounded and lost. With the ability to get a gun that is more suited to taking an Elk there is no reason to take a 243 out into the field to shoot an elk. I am not saying you cant but why would you.

Dave

[Hunterman]

Old timers I would say yes to killing elk with a .243.. New timers I would say no way..

Hunterman(Tony)

[timber tiger]

yes without hesitation.....

[Michelle_Nelson]

I guess it would depend on where they shot it.  I wouldn't recomend using a .243 on anything larger than maybe a deer.

[BC CHASER]

It is all about the shot placement.  I know of a guy who shot a big bull in MT with a 22-250.  Not a head shot either, it only went 100 yards and dropped.  Would I do this, NO! I would say for elk the larger the better.

[cagifford]

what does an arrow weigh? 450 grains maybe? and push it what 300fps if your lucky. and a 243 pushes a 100 grain bullet at closer to 3000 feet per second. do the math whats the kenetic energy at impact? would you say it is unethical to archery hunt? i think not. maybe im wrong......... shoot em in the hart 243 works every time

[miah]

good point caggiford but why not go big and put em down, what if you didn't get that heart shot?

[cagifford]

i prefer something a little larger but i also prefer not to take a beeting. i just think there's a lot of people out there that flinch when they go to big caliber guns and i think if thats the case you should shoot something smaller until you can make a clean shot(no flinch when shooting offhand and benchrest) i shoot a 7mm-08 because thats what i like, and then i don't shoot past about 200 yards...

[3dsheetmetal]

I had a video of this elk hunter who only used a 243 for elk.In 29 years he killed 27 bulls with that gun.He said he always made sure of his shot placement and shot the elk through the lungs. they would only run a short distance before expiring.Seems like the norm nowadays is to get the biggest gun you can find and start letting the lead fly and hopefully you hit something. Shot placement is everything.

[BC CHASER]

Arrows are a little different, I  am a bow hunter as well and the energy from an arrow vs. bullet is two completely different.  A bullet proof vest will protect you from most handguns but an arrow will go through, I think its the same with a 5 gallon bucket of sand too but I am not sure.  I have had deer run farther after being shot with a rifle than with a bow.  No matter what you are shooting it is all shot placement.

[timber tiger]

all I'm saying is its cheaper to spend 20bucks at the range rather than 600 on a new rifle..do what you gotta do

[Bscman]

My grandpa has been using a 6mm for years on elk in Utah.
He's got the mounts and the photos to prove it is effective. Shot placement, quality bullets, and conservative distances...
Is it ideal? Not by a long shot....but effective it is! Then again, he also tells stories of shooting tree'd cougars with 22lr revolvers.

And I agree with BC Chaser 100% about arrows vs. bullets--it's a completely different ball game. Then again, I haven't taken an animal with a bullet that has a 1 1/8" diameter, either. 

[12Gauge]

I would not recommend or condone to using a .243 on elk due to its light bullets, but I am sure it can take the animal with the right bullet (Barnes TSX preferably), proper shot placement and allowable distance.  I am thinking the distance should not exceed 120 yards, questionable though.   

I personally use a 7X57 Mauser with 175 grain Hornady bullet loaded 47 grains of IMR4831 this pushes the bullet about 2500 fps.  (DO NOT use load data on older Mauser rifles).  This load drops elk were they stand.


Some one mentioned arrows,  I have actually experimented with compound bows shooting a 400 grain arrow through a coffee can filed with sand and a 30-30 Winchester, 150 grain bullet at 40 yards.  The results are: the 30-30 penetrated the can, but failed to pass through;  The arrow shot out compound bow set at 60lbs actually went clean through the can.

[MountainWalk]

Arrows have great high sectional density, which is why they penetrate, along with healthy doses of momentum. Heavy objects doing moderate speeds far outpenetrate lighter faster objects. Hence my love of heavy for cal bullets.

Ive heard of and seen elk killed with a 243. Can't say I like the practice. Can't say it doesn't kill elk though. The fellow who we pasture out our mules to, him and his wife (both old timers) use this round. Before season started he went on and on about how deadly his 243 was. Long story short, both wounded and lost cow elk this season. I do not remember the load. He didnt much crow about it later.

Elk are too valuable an animal to be shot with guns of so small caliber in my opinion. Seems like some folks like to get their jollies by shooting too far or shooting rounds too small for the critter.