.243 for elk?

[REHJWA]

Does/Has anyone hunt elk with a .243?
I was reading in DEC 2013 Bugle about a lady who killed her bull at 200 yards with a solid copper .243 bullet.

 

[huntnphool]

A friend killed her 372" bull this year at 250 yards with her .243, one shot.

[carpsniperg2]

I really love my 243wssm. 90 grain accubond at 3200fps would be lights out for any elk. If I ever draw a dang multi season elk tag I will have to put it to work.

[bracer40]

Yea and people kill animals with 1000 yd shots too.

.243 for elk. Possible, but I sure wouldn't recommend it or do it myself. Why risk wounding and losing the animal?

[huntnphool]

Yea and people kill animals with 1000 yd shots too.

.243 for elk. Possible, but I sure wouldn't recommend it or do it myself. Why risk wounding and losing the animal?

Been plenty of moose posted up around here the last few years killed with a .243 as well.

[carpsniperg2]

Choosing a lighter rifle is not risking loosing it. Taking poor shots is risking loosing a animal.

[huntnphool]

Choosing a lighter rifle is not risking loosing it. Taking poor shots is risking loosing a animal.

+1

[REHJWA]

Thanks, my wife is more comfortable shooting the .243 she got her deer with than the 30-06 I had her hunting with.

[RadSav]

I know a few guys and gals that have been successful shooting elk with the .243. Some of them have a hefty pile of antlers in their garage.  It works like anything else if you put a well constructed bullet in the right spot. 

But, it would not be my recommendation for most hunters.  Elk get people excited.  Excited people tend to be a little loose with their shot placement.  I know we are all 1,000 yard snipers these days, but I'd rather see a lady or young man shooting a .27 bullet or larger on elk.  Just incase the nerves get the better of them.  A little caution and a heavy bullet goes a long way when hunting elk.

I think most ladies and young men can handle the 130 grain bullet of a 270 or the 140 grain bullet of a 7-08 just as well as the 243.  Both far superior to the 80 - 100 grain 6mm bullets when heavy bone must be penetrated.

[Huntboy]

Choosing a lighter rifle is not risking loosing it. Taking poor shots is risking loosing a animal.

+1

 

[bobcat]

Sure a 243 will kill an elk, but so would a 223. But in my opinion the 243 is a deer cartridge, not an elk cartridge. It's something that I think an experienced elk hunter might use for the extra challenge, but for someone new to hunting I'd definitely choose something with a little more horsepower.


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[Bob33]

If "shot placement" is all that matters, people would hunt elephants with 243s.

It will work most of time, but bigger is better.

[BOWHUNTER45]

yeah I guess it all comes down to how good the shooter is ...one of my hunting buddies wife uses a .243 for bear ...she has dropped a few ! It is border line but does the job !

[motg9_6]

my brother and myself have killed alot of elk with a .243 does just fine.

[coachcw]

I have shot two elk with a 243 on I spined and dropped in its tracks the other right behind the shoulder and through the lungs . he didn't even act hit  after a second round he decided to check out of there . after a couple hours of tracking  I caught up with him and put him down with the spine shot. I was using 100 noslers . the thing i'd think about is KE and wound channel . the 243 doesn't have much of either . my staring point would be a .260 or 7mm-08 with 140,s  or a 308 with 165's. elk are tough critters and that lil bullet just rattles around in there .