Whose Killed elk with 243?

[Hornseeker]

Just curious. That is my daughters new gun and I know it can do it, but want to hear about it! I am loading up 85 grain Barnes TSX's...which are some good bullets... I think a good shot into the lungs/heart will do the trick!

[GoldTip]

My mother in law has killed 6-8 elk (all cows) with her 243win as well as a couple cow Moose all with 100gr core lokt pills.  Bro-in law used to shoot nothing but a 243 until he stepped up to a 280 a couple years ago, I am guessing he's killed a half dozen elk with it as well as multiple very nice MT. black bears and more deer than I could count.  Not sure what bullet he is using.

[BlackRidge]

I have no doubt a Barnes 85gr TSX round (in .243) will down an elk w/ good shot placement. Awesome rounds

[Curly]

Just think how many bulls must have fallen to 150gr Nosler Partitions.........they have what, a 60% weight retention?  If the Barnes retains 95%, then the retained wt = 81gr compared to 90 gr with the 150gr Nosler.  Therefore, the 85gr Barnes should be almost equal to a 150gr Nosler Partition. 

[C-Money]

My aunt took my uncles 270 out elk hunting one day cause she missed a bull the day before with her 243. So my uncle went out with her 243 and killed a 360 7x7 bull. Uncle said it dropped in his tracks. I figured 243's may be a little light for elk, but they seem to sure put down a ton of animals every year!

[Hornseeker]

Shweeeeeet! 

[Lightning_Rider]

I figured 243's may be a little light for elk, but they seem to sure put down a ton of animals every year!

 

[deerhunter_98520]

.243 is an awsome gun...thats the only gun ive used to hunt deer with...havent shot anything bigger with it but i wouldnt hesitate to.....heres a couple of the bullets i dug out of the last 2 deer i shot...they are federal premiums with 100gr nosler partitions

[demontang]

Id say as long as your not shooting over 300yds and good placement there will be no problem.

[Holg3107]

My old man has killed every one of his elk (over 20) with a .243, I shoot a 6mm rem. basically the same thing and have killed 3 elk with it. 2 of them went less than 50 yds and were double lunged (both shots at around 100-150 yds) the third was shot in the heavy timber at 15 yds and I *censored* her in the head, no tracking necessary. The only real issue with shooting an elk with a .243 or 6mm is that the bullet wont go clear through and you are going to have a very small entry so your blood trail may be small if not non existant. Make a good shot and that elk wont go far.  By the way I shoot only 100gr core lokts out of my 6mm, maintains weight and has a great mushroom.

[boneaddict]

My wife used a 25-06 with a 120 grain nozler.

[400out]

.243 is an awsome gun...thats the only gun ive used to hunt deer with...havent shot anything bigger with it but i wouldnt hesitate to.....heres a couple of the bullets i dug out of the last 2 deer i shot...they are federal premiums with 100gr nosler partitions

The whole problem I see with this is you found the bullet! If I'm going to have faith in it as a elk gun it had better blaze right threw a deer 

[deerhunter_98520]

i know what ur sayin...the one on the right was a 300yd shot and went through one shoulder and hit the other and the deer dropped on the spot....but if the shot is good and the bullet holding up that good its gonna be a dead elk

[Bigshooter]

Just think how many bulls must have fallen to 150gr Nosler Partitions.........they have what, a 60% weight retention?  If the Barnes retains 95%, then the retained wt = 81gr compared to 90 gr with the 150gr Nosler.  Therefore, the 85gr Barnes should be almost equal to a 150gr Nosler Partition. 

That's funny.

[grundy53]

My dad killed to with my .243 when I was a youngin. He broke his 30-06 and used my .243 for 2 years. Both were 1 shot kills. Good shot placement and it will get the job done.

[Prime Time]

My dad has used a 6mm his whole life and has put down quite a few elk with it and many deer, hasn't lost an animal yet with it. I used it for a few years when I was little until I was old enough to pack my own gun around, which ended up being a .243, great shooting guns and they won't go far if ya hit them right.

[Hornseeker]

No I am getting excited to shoot some stuff with it!!

heck, 5 yrs ago I used my 22-250 (now my 243, rebarreled model 700) to drop a lope with and it was perfect. 55 grain bullet whacked the Sheeet out of that lope buck. Heck, this 85 grain 243 will hit a LOT harder than that 55 grain 22....

Thanks, I will keep you all posted of the results!!

[spotter26]

i'm sure with good shot placement it wouls do fine but, i thought you could only hunt elk in washington state with .25 caliber or bigger.

[GoldTip]

i'm sure with good shot placement it wouls do fine but, i thought you could only hunt elk in washington state with .25 caliber or bigger.

He's not hunting Washington, at least I wouldn't if I lived where he does.

[spotter26]

it is .24 cal i was mistaken. Hmmmm hunting-washington.com i would have to asume we are mostly washington hunters.

[Hornseeker]

REally, WA doesn't allow the 243 for elk??

Thanks for all the input. Yeah, I alive in Montana, have for abotu 12 years now, but was born and raised in Washington. Lived in Duvall for 18 years, then Ellensburg for 5, Silverdale for a couple then Poulsbo for a couple... THEN.... AHHH YEAH.... off to Montana. I enjoy the forum because it reminds me of "home" and I still have LOTS of friends hunting in Washington!

[WDFW-SUX]

a 22-250 will kill an elk dead. Just ask the Yakimas.

[TONTO]

 I don't believe it is in the regs anymore, but didn't 100grn use to be legal minimum. Must have done away with that when they got rid of the energy requirements for hand guns. Not saying 85grn won't get it done, shot placement is the deciding factor, but it seems kinda light for elk, hell 100 seems light for elk. Dead is dead though, shoot em where it kills em and they do go down.

[Curly]

REally, WA doesn't allow the 243 for elk??

Thanks for all the input. Yeah, I alive in Montana, have for abotu 12 years now, but was born and raised in Washington. Lived in Duvall for 18 years, then Ellensburg for 5, Silverdale for a couple then Poulsbo for a couple... THEN.... AHHH YEAH.... off to Montana. I enjoy the forum because it reminds me of "home" and I still have LOTS of friends hunting in Washington!

24 cal or larger as Spotter26 stated is legal.

Here is the quote from the regs:

"Modern Firearm Regulations

Rifles:
Big game, except cougar, must be hunted with a minimum of 24 caliber (6mm) centerfire rifle.  Cougar may be hunted with 22 caliber centerfire rifle. Rimfire rifles are not legal for big game."

[buglin4bulls]

When did that change? I have killed elk with a 243 before and it wasn't like that 

[Rick]

I wouldn't go down to the store and buy a .243 with the intentions of it being my elk rifle. On the other hand,if thats what I had in my hands when a big bull stepped out in front of me,I'd have no issues dropping the hammer.

Elk aren't as bullet proof as the internet commandos and Outdoor Life make them out to be. Its all about the shot placement. Shoot them in the guts with a .338 and they'll run for miles. Shoot them in the lungs with a .243 and they die pretty quickly.

[high country]

I wouldn't go down to the store and buy a .243 with the intentions of it being my elk rifle. On the other hand,if thats what I had in my hands when a big bull stepped out in front of me,I'd have no issues dropping the hammer.

Elk aren't as bullet proof as the internet commandos and Outdoor Life make them out to be. Its all about the shot placement. Shoot them in the guts with a .338 and they'll run for miles. Shoot them in the lungs with a .243 and they die pretty quickly.

x2......shot placement trumps fancy bullets at warp 30

[Skinnyman]

When did that change? I have killed elk with a 243 before and it wasn't like that 

A 243 is a 24 cal. A 243 is the smallest legal caliber.

[300UltraMagShooter]

See, these are the kinds of statements that really confuse me.  I'm not trying to be mean or argumentative.  I really want to know the answer.

If it is all about shot placement, then why not go looking for a .243 as your elk rifle?

 

I wouldn't go down to the store and buy a .243 with the intentions of it being my elk rifle. On the other hand,if thats what I had in my hands when a big bull stepped out in front of me,I'd have no issues dropping the hammer.

Elk aren't as bullet proof as the internet commandos and Outdoor Life make them out to be. Its all about the shot placement. Shoot them in the guts with a .338 and they'll run for miles. Shoot them in the lungs with a .243 and they die pretty quickly.

[Skinnyman]

Elk aren't as bullet proof as the internet commandos and Outdoor Life make them out to be. Its all about the shot placement. Shoot them in the guts with a .338 and they'll run for miles. Shoot them in the lungs with a .243 and they die pretty quickly.

Not to be argumentative either, but anything will die with a lung shot from any gun. But with a small caliber like a 243 there is a much smaller margin of error than with a larger more powerful cartridge/bullet. If you accidentally are a couple inches too far forward and hit the shoulder with a 243, it will be hard pressed to make it through the shoulder bone into the lungs and retain enough energy and mass to cause a lot of lung damage. In a perfect bench rest, still target world anything works. But when out in the woods with moving targets at varying distances and varying angles, there it a lot of heavier/larger cartidges that would be far better for elk. With a 243 you also have to be a lot choosier when deciding on an angling shot, because you dont have the depth of penetration and ft/lbs of energy as some of the larger calibers/cartridges. Any animal gut shot with any gun, will die very slowly no matter the caliber/cartridge.

Now, if a 243 is all you have and you want to hunt elk, go for it. Just make sure you have a great shot, and you are a very good shot from your rifle. Statistically only 4 out of 10 hunters even sight in their rifles prior to hunting season. And I am sure far less than that shoot enough (lots more than once or twice a year) to be solidly proficient.

[high country]

might as well add to your equasion that....someone who only has a 243 likely shoots it much more then the guy that has a dedicated 416 rigby.  there is a reason our extra conservative state set the 6mm minimum for elk.....because it works just fine.

fear the man with one rifle.....regardless of size.

[TeacherMan]

Two, one spike, one cow. Both went less than 80 yards after the shot. Both shots taken at less than 100 yards. I was using over the counter 100 grain boat tails. You use what you have at the time. I had a buddy get a 400 pound ber with his .243 at 250 yards.

[DeerThug]

Here is a .243 bull.  My son shot this when he was 15.  Note the pool of blood.  Getting in the lungs is the key.
Just make sure she has a good rest and practices a lot.