243 for elk?

E

elkantler75

Guest
do you think that a .243 is enough gun for elk? i say at least a .270. lets hear what all you think on this one please. it will be for a first time hunters elk hunt.
 
I would not hunt elk with a .243.
I know many have been taken with this round but the shot has to be perfect and at fairly close range.
Why limit yourself when there are far better choices?
I once killed a bull that had a fresh .243 slug just under the hide in a hind quarter. Don't know what that shooter was thinking !!!

John
 
I would seriously doubt that many elk have been killed with a .243. Id venture to say more elk have been wounded and lost with a .243 than cleanly killed. I would consider a 7mm-08 or 308 for a kids first elk rifle.
ismith
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id say no!
when my son was 8 he drew a really good elk tag. he had been hunting deer with a 243. i wanted to get him an elk gun, and a friend suggested the 7mm WSM. i ordered one with a BOSS system for him. well when it came in, it had no BOSS. The store offered to send it back but we decided to try it first. I bought a box of bullets. now keep in mind my 8 year old only weighed 80 lbs soaking wet. he was wearing a t-shirt so there was no extra padding. I shot the gun 2x, he shot the rest of the box. we decided we did not need the BOSS. now this round puts one heck of a thump on an elk.
hope this helps.
Rory
 
I was going to add to my above post that I started out hunting with a 30-06 at age 12 and bought my .338 at age 15 with paper route money. I wasnt a real big kid at all.
ismith

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Nope! Of course a .243 will kill an elk. Heck, a .22 will kill a buffalo if you put it between his eyes. But in a real life huning situation, a .243 just doesn't have what it takes to ethically take down an elk unless the shot is perfect. How often is a shot at a live animal PERFECT??? Real good maybe, but perfect? Too many variables. Wind, unseen brush, a moving animal and i know that this never happens to anyone here but there is always nerves. All contribute to a shot missing it's mark. You want a round that packs enough wallop that it's going to mortally wound an animal even if the shot is bit off or has to plow through a small branch first.

Just my $.02

Kicker
 
Well gents, let me share my .243 WSSM story with you. I was also skeptical about this round being light, BUT with two little girls 8 & 9 at the time I didnt have much choice. The first year we put 100+ rounds through the barrel before the hunt, and guess what Bull down the first day two shots in him, the first was enough but I told her to hit em again!! We found one slug in the opposite shoulder. the other was a pass thru. Shot was 150yds. The following year my youngest took a young bull at 280yds, he walked about 10yds before dropping dead, No bullet found another pass thru. The WSSM part is a key thing here.
 
In my opinion anything smaller than a .270 should only be used by seasoned hunters willing to pass any questionable shot. why anyone would want to do that I have no idea. after spending a day of my elk season on a horse in the snow tracking a spike hit by a .243 , I told my bother inlaw shoot a bigger gun or stay home. he was hit sqaure in the shoulder at about 100 yards, if I hadn't run him into another hunter I think he would have got away and died later. 100 grains is just not enough for elk, 130 is marginal.
 
huntindude, the problem with the elk that was shot squarely in the shoulder with a .243 is it was shot squarely in the shoulder, an elk is a big tough animal and the amount of muscle not to mention the shoulder blade of an elk is a lot to pass through before hitting vitals, I shot an elk square in the shoulder with my 300 wsm and he didnt even flinch, the problem was i was shooting ballistic tips, had i been shooting an accubond or a triple shock x-bullet, something with better penetration, odds are that elk wouldve dropped in his tracks, when i finally did kill him i found my first shot had barely penetrated an inch before fragmenting into tiny little pieces. So the point here is that with a good round like say the 100 gr. partition and good bullet placement, not square in the shoulder, a .243 could be plenty of gun for elk.
 
i agree totally about not using the ballistic tip bullets. only lead core partitons for me. i still believe in the more is better philosophy when killing big elk. they deserve to die a good fast death if we are going to hunt them.
 
I once knew a man around 80 years old that could not take the recoil of his 30-06 anymore ,and went to hunting with a 243 Remington 742. He took two bull elk with his 243 in his last years of hunting and both elk went down within 20 yards.
 
Do not shoot elk with a 100gr 243 - cow, spike or mature bull!!!! If you do it's just a mater of time before you lose a bull that a larger bullet would have put down sooner. Why knowingly take that risk up front?
 
Look folks, slice it anyway you want, a .243 of any kind is NOT AN ELK CALIBER! It is plain unethical if not irresponsible to hand a .243 to a kid and expect them to make a lethal kill shot on an 600 to 800 pound living breathing animal! An experienced marksman with quality bullets could probally kill elk all day long with a .243, yet I fail to see how a .243 could even be considered a marginal elk round by anyone that respects elk.
ismith
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I have seen a few elk killed with a 243. most were cows and calves. I shot a bull at 283 yrds with my 243 wssm last year. It only went 20 yrds and pilled up. it would not call it A GREAT elk cartrige but it will do.






WHEN THE TAILGATE DROPS THE BULLSHIT STOPS
 
Theres just so many things that could go wrong with a small .243 on an elk , I wouldn't avdice it if you have other options.I too have a daughter that is ready to hunt and is only 14 but she shoots my 30/06(she's pretty small too) with ease. I'd say a 257 Roberts or 260 would be about minimum for elk....
 
It is better to have a kid shoot a .243 that he doesn't flinch with, then a big bore caliber that he does flinch with. Accuracy is always a better option. IMO. Start a kid with a .300 mag or similar, at 10-12 years old, and he may have to battle a lifetime of flinching. I started with a .243 and it worked out for me.
 
I agree 100% with you outdoordan. I was afraid of recoil and hunted with a 30-30 and .243 till I was 18. Killed 5 deer from 13-18 so the calibers were just fine , I also killed an elk with my 30-30.I had to take this all into consideration when picking the right rifle for my little ones. The .243 I had was a 700 BDL and it doesn't fit my daughter where she is comfortable with it. My 30/06 is a Interarms Mark X and the stock on it fits her alot better and I know it sounds crazy but has just a bit more recoil than the .243 and my .270 which is a Parker Hale has very hard recoil.

Part of picking the right caliber for smaller /young shooters is fitting the person with a rifle that fits and is comfortable.
Is the .243 enough for elk , yeah it is. Is it a good choice for say a younger hunters ? Well my opinion NO, given the options of other calibers like the 7mm-08, .257 roberts , 260 win, .308 and even a 25/06.Now of course theres always the weatherbys and new mags and short mags , but than you need to watch the recoil factor again.ANY of the calibers I mentioned are good calibers with plenty of whallop for elk , and a better option than the .243.
 
Huntdude hit the nail on the head. If the child can't handle
a "bigger" caliber, whats wrong with waiting another year to
hunt elk? Of course, an elk can be killed with this caliber.

However, too many things can go wrong. If huntdudes Brother in law had hit that elk in the front shoulder, using a 300 win,
what would have happened? I would guess it would not have went far.

I think some great advice has been given by previous posts.
 
A .243 CAN kill an elk but the .340 WBY WILL kill an Elk. I agree with a previous post that if you respect the game use a cabiber that WILL kill it quickly. I agree that it comes down to bullet selection and bullet placement with any caliber, I also believe there is a little more "room for error" with larger more powerful calibers. It would take a very mature and disipline youngster to consistently make ethical shots with the smaller caliber.
I also agree that you don't want the youth(or anybody for that matter) afraid of recoil (Accuracy is key) There are just too many recoil reducing options out there today to consider the .243, in my opinion... A .30-06 with a good muzzle brake and a good recoil pad and good fitting rifle will probably kick less than a .243. I think the minimum would be a 7mm-08 and I'd personally feel a little undergunned with it. I know there are a lot of people who use the smaller rounds and with success. But I just think if your going to error, error on the heavy side.
My .257 with the accubrake has a very mild kick and I'd hunt Elk with it. With a good solid bullet and the speed that that round produces that gun WILL kill anything on in North America. But When it comes to Elk I'll take my .340 everytime and I never had to track one. I know the .257 will do the job but I think the .340 will do it better.
Some people seemed obsessed with using the smallest caliber they can. There are several guys around here who think a .223 is an acceptable deer round, because of the newer bullets offered for it. I know guys at game farms that use them, but thats a different story when your shooting a pen raised deer on a corn pile. Hunting in a natural environment requires quick shots sometimes and shooting through a little brush etc. Well needless to say they have quite trying to prove the .223 is a deer round.

With all this said. I believe if the person cannot handle the recoil then us the .243 but practice with them and train them well, confidence in the shot is first priority. If you shoot an elk poorly with the largest calibers your going to have problems. If they can handle it though, get them into something with a little more velocity and bullet weight. Good luck.


What a great time of year. I drew Arizona 6A late rifle. I can not wait. I'll be packing the old .340.
 
IMHO, it is plenty big enough, If the shot is right, Spend some time at the range and go hunting, Come back and tell us how the 243 killed the elk you were after. Bill
 
If the .243 is the only rifle you have for the hunters first elk hunt, I would consider selling it and upgrading to at least a 7mm-08 or a .270 Winchester. These cartridges, especially the .270, could be used well into adulthood, if not a liftime. The recoil isn't bad with either, and some of the new recoil pads work wonders. I have a Sims SVL on a .300 Ultra, and I bet it would really tame a .270. Stepping up to these cartridges also give the advantage of heavier bullet weight. A plus when hunting elk. You can listen to all the crap about elk killed with marginal calibers, but in the hands of a first time hunter, the .243 makes zero sense. By undergunning, a possibly lost animal may ruin a youngster on hunting altogether. mtmuley
 
what would be your first choice for caliber if you drew that once in a lifetime elk unit. please dont tell me .243.
 
lotsa elk killed every year with a bow.

Lotsa elk wounded every year with a rifle.

Bottom line is you can't exceed the limitations of the tool or your skill.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-18-07 AT 08:20PM (MST)[p]Energy (ft-lbs)
Cartridge Type Bullet Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
243 Remington? Express? 100 PSP CL 1945 1615 1332 1089 882 708
25-06Remington? Express? 100 PSP CL 2316 1858 1478 1161 901 689
257 Remington? Express? 117 SP CL 1824 1363 999 718 512 373

This is from Remingtons web site, I have smoked several elk with a 25-06 and you are going to tell me that 250 (ft-lbs) of difference won't kill and elk. Been there and done that. Use the caliber of your choice but don't think it won't do it. Bill
 
You've been smoking more then elk if you think a .243 is a good round for elk! Yeah it will kill, but so will a .22 long rifle.
ismith


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Also straight from the Remington site - lets see where is the .243???

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
http://www.remington.com/library/resources/hunting_suggestions/
Hunting Suggestions

Choose the type of game you are hunting from the menu to view a chart containing suggestions on what shell or cartridge to use, what shot size, the suggested choke types, and comments from experienced hunters.

Search = elk

Suggested Caliber
7mm Remington Mag
.30-06 Springfield
.300 Win Mag
.300 Wby Mag
.300 Remington Ultra Mag
.338 Win Mag
.338 Remington Ultra Mag
8mm Remington Mag

What Experienced Hunters Say... one of the toughest antlered animals to bag.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
I am not disagreeing with anything you are saying, I shoot a 300 RUM and plant elk where I shoot them. But on the same token the 243 while not recomended, will do just fine. Espiecally for a youth, or recoil sensitive person. Someone here mentioned a bow. A 243 will kill an elk before an arrow? If the right shot is put on the animal it is going to die!!! The lungs are nothing more than balloon's all you have to do it pop them. And a 243 is more than capable to do that. Shoot what you want I do not care, But my pup's are going to come up on a 223 then a 243 them a 25-06. That is what I did and it worked for me. But to each there own. Next time you think a 243 will not penatrate put a concrete block @ 100 yds and shoot it with your wimpy 243 and tell me how the bullet bounced off of the block, Or come back telling me that it blew it to pieces. harder elk hide or cinder block. The math for me is easy. But again to each there own. Later Bill

And the chart was only to prove the 243 is not much less of a round than some of the other calibers that other folks said were great calibers above the 243. Would it be my first choice? NO but would it work damm skippi!!!!! and I am not recoil sensitive or a youth!!!
 
I think the thread was about whether it would work? I don't think anyone on here would disagree that a bigger caliber would work better on marginal shots, however, that is not what was asked. I think the implication, atleast from my understanding is that it is a first timer (more than likely a youth or smaller framed woman). I have first hand experience with it working. Again, I and others wouldn't shoot an elk with a .243 as our choice but it is a very tame (recoil speaking) gun. I bought one to let a kid shoot his first deer (he doesn't have a dad that cares about him), so I took him under wing and he dropped a doe at 222 yards last fall. He weighs about 80 pounds soaking wet. If he had a tag, and wanted to shoot a elk, and we snuck in to 100 yards or less, hell, I wouldn't have any problem with him shooting it. I have seen it work fine before.
 
Outdoordan, you are a good man, and you give good advice, GOD bless you and your's. Bill
 
I'm a .338 man so my opinion is biased. I had both my daughter and son shoot 120 grain ballistic tip out of a .280 and I down loaded those loads. They got comfortable with the gun and loads by shooting them. I then loaded a hot 140 grain Barnes X and sighted in the gun. They both took the first elk they shot at and didn't notice the recoil shooting at game and wearing heavy hunting clothes. Was this sneaky? He11 yea. Did it work?? He11 yea. My son shot both of his elk 3x"s but any one of the shots would have done the job but he was told if it was still moving, shoot again.

A 22 rimire is the best way to eliminate a flinch and a kid can't shoot enough .22's.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-19-07 AT 06:01AM (MST)[p]Why not use Federal Reduced recoil loads. The kid gets low recoil and a rifle that they can grow into.

Beanman


Federal Low Recoil Cartridges

By Chuck Hawks


Illustration courtesy of Federal Cartridge.
Federal Power-Shok Low Recoil ammunition is, at present, offered in calibers .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester, and .30-06 Springfield. The .270 Low Recoil load drives a 145 grain Flat-Soft Point bullet at a MV of 2200 fps. The .308 Low Recoil load drives a 170 grain Flat-SP bullet at a MV of 2000 fps, and the .30-06 load drives the same bullet at the same velocity. All of these velocity figures were taken in 24" test barrels.

These Federal Low Recoil loads claim a 50% recoil reduction and consistent bullet performance out to 200 yards. They also claim that the Low Recoil loads will impact the target at about the same place as Federal standard velocity loads at 100 yards.

Here are the Federal load numbers for the Low Recoil cartridges:

270LR1 (.270 Win. 145 grain Flat-SP)
308LR1 (.308 Win. 170 grain Flat-SP)
3006LR1 (.30-06 Spfd. 170 Flat-SP)
Flat point bullets were selected because they expand better at relatively low velocity than spitzer bullets. After all, the Flat-SP has more lead exposed at the nose. And we know from decades of experience with the .30-30 cartridge that this type of bullet kills deer size game well at these velocities.

The .308 and .30-06 loads are roughly similar in performance to the traditional 170 grain .30-30 load (170 grain flat-SP bullet at a MV of 2200 fps). The .270 load is not too far behind the traditional 150 grain .30-30 load (150 grain Flat-SP bullet at a MV of 2400 fps). In each case the .30-30 has about a 200 fps advantage in velocity with bullets of similar weight.

Of course, most .30-30 rifles come with 20" barrels and most .270, .308, and .30-06 rifles come with 22" barrels, rather than the 24" test barrels in which all of these loads are tested. Never the less, the Low Recoil loads should remain effective on CXP2 class game out to at least 200 yards when fired from the 22" barrels of hunting rifles.

Here are the published Federal velocity figures (in feet per second) for the Low Recoil loads:

270LR1 - MV 2200, 2008 at 100 yards, 1825 at 200 yards, 1656 at 300 yards.
308LR1 - MV 2000, 1742 at 100 yards, 1510 at 200 yards, 1312 at 300 yards.
3006LR1 - MV 2000, 1742 at 100 yards, 1510 at 200 yards, 1312 at 300 yards.
And here are the Federal kinetic energy figures (in foot pounds):

270LR1 - ME 1558, 1297 at 100 yards, 1072 at 200 yards, 883 at 300 yards.
308LR1 - ME 1510, 1145 at 100 yards, 861 at 200 yards, 650 at 300 yards.
3006LR1 - ME 1510, 1145 at 100 yards, 861 at 200 yards, 650 at 300 yards.
The trajectory of those loads should look like this (Federal figures):

270LR1 = +2.0" at 50 yards, +3.5" at 100 yards, 0 at 200 yards, -14.3" at 300 yards.
308LR1 = +3.0" at 50 yards, +5.0" at 100 yards, 0 at 200 yards, -20.5" at 300 yards.
3006LR1 = +3.0" at 50 yards, +5.0" at 100 yards, 0 at 200 yards, -20.5" at 300 yards.
A 200 yards zero is really too far for these loads, as it allows an unacceptable mid-range rise. On the other hand, 100 yards is too close, as in that case the .30 caliber bullets will drop 10" at 200 yards, and the .270 bullet will drop about 7". Best to zero all three loads to hit 3" high at 100 yards from a scoped rifle with a line of sight 1.5" over bore. That should extend the maximum point blank range (+/- 3") to around 200 yards without causing the bullet to fly so high at intermediate distances that it might miss the vital area of a CXP2 class game animal.

200 yards is a very practical maximum range. Most hunters cannot guarantee correct bullet placement on deer size game in the field at greater range, anyway. And the reduced recoil of these loads will allow more accurate shooting and better shot placement. Virtually everyone shoots better with loads that kick less, a fact that has been demonstrated again and again.

A 50% reduction in recoil is really worthwhile. It will make shooting an 8 pound .270, .308, or .30-06 rifle feel like a .243. In other words, a rifle that ordinarily delivers 16-20 ft. lbs. of recoil energy will be reduced to the 8-10 ft. lb. level.

What's the point, you ask? Why not just buy a .30-30? (A 7.5 pound .30-30 shooting the 150 grain factory load delivers about 10.6 ft. lbs. of recoil energy.) Well, many shooters already own a hard kicking .270, .308, or .30-06 rifle that they would like to tame. Federal Low Recoil ammunition will let them use their present rifle for deer hunting with greatly reduced recoil. They will flinch less, shoot better and probably kill more game, more humanely, as a result. And if they get a chance to hunt heavy game like elk or moose, they can always switch back to full power loads.

The Low Recoil loads are also a natural for teaching beginning hunters to shoot with existing rifles. You don't have to buy your son, daughter or spouse a new rifle; just a few boxes of Low Recoil ammunition, to get them started.

The nice folks at Federal were kind enough to send me, upon request, a box of their Low Recoil .308 Winchester cartridges. These were test fired at the range by G&S Online Technical Assistants Jim Fleck, Bob Fleck, and myself. Accuracy was comparable to the comparison full-power factory load (Remington Express with 150 grain Core-Lokt PSP bullet, MV 2820 fps) in the Ruger M77RSI International test rifle.
 
In my opinion I feel that sometimes people try to start their kids out way to early hunting large game, like an elk. Hunting large game requires larger equipment. I hunted deer till I became comfortable shooting a deer rifle. When I was comfortable shooting a larger rifle, I hunted elk. Not until then. I agree with the earlier posts, have respect for the animal, and a 800lb bull is a huge animal. I hunt coyotes with a .243. Not elk. Have elk been killed with them? Of course. If a kid cannot handle a larger caliber, then take him hunting deer, till he/she can shoot something larger, by setting the example early in their hunting careers they will learn ethics and responsibilty.
 
huntindude said it best, a skilled marksman is about the only one that should use it for elk, and in his hand it is a deadly tool, i might add !
 
>huntindude said it best, a skilled
>marksman is about the only
>one that should use it
>for elk, and in his
>hand it is a deadly
>tool, i might add !
>
I'd say only an idiot would use small caliber bullet like a .243 to take an elk. There's enough things that can go wrong when hunting elk. Why add more to the mix with the possibility of crippling one and losing it with a bullet not designed to to take large game. Not much different than shooting at extreme ranges with a muzzleloader or a bow. Just call'in it like I see it...
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-20-07 AT 06:40PM (MST)[p]My 75lb 12 year old used a .243 last year to kill 2 antelope and 1 - 300lb Mule Deer Buck. The antelope where at 205 and 375 yards and the Mule deer was at 305. That buck was bigger than any calf elk and as big as your average cow elk. I was using 100 grain Nosler Partitions and my son can shoot very well. I would have no qualms having a beginner use a .243 on cow/calf elk. Not on Bulls.

I would no more hunt bull elk with the .243 than I would put any kid that size in front of a 7MM WSM or a 30-06. The chance of them not getting a flinch, at the bench, is small. They may not get a flinch shooting the gun a few times offhand and then a few times at an elk, but you are asking for more problems taking an unexperienced marksman in the field then having too few grains or foot pounds of energy.

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BTW - This same kid drew a SuperHunt tag here in Idaho for Elk this year and will be toting a brand new .280 shooting 140grn Accubonds at around 2900fps.
 
Cow,calf,bull. So what? The .243 is a bad idea for elk. My first elk rifle was a Remington 721 in .30-06. I don't have any flinch problems. If you think cows and calves are easier to kill than bulls, you are kidding yourself. You make a marginal shot on ANY elk, and you have trouble. A larger cartridge with todays reduced loadings is a good idea. Or as I said before, the small 7mm's carry a punch with low recoil. My buddy's 12 year old daughter is deadly with her 7mm-08. In this day and age, there is NO reason for youth to hunt with subpar cartridges. mtmuley
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe a 243 is legal to use for elk in Colorado given a particular bullet weight. This doesn't make it a good idea, but it does make it legal. I know hunters who can use a 243 more effectively than others can use any 300 magnum. This isn't to say that bigger isn't better, only that blanket statements can be fleeting given the extremely wide array of experience, discipline, and marksmanship out there.

Don't think I'd use one, I've got a perfectly good 257.

No difference between a calf and a bull?
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-21-07 AT 04:52PM (MST)[p] no definitely not! it may be legal but is the worst choice that is. this comes from a guy who shoots a 243win as his primary rifle.
i could pick the ticks off its back but still would not shoot a elk with it. i make the break at mule deer it kills muleys but not as clean as i like even with a heart shot they don't bang flop.
i use a 300 mag and here is where i catch heck in here but i still shoot them behind the ear. elk you want to drop in a place of your choosing not the elks.
i have heard all the crap about head shooting elk but they don't go anywhere when you do. if you can't put it behind ones ear at 80 Yard's "don't" but where i hunt 80 yards is a long shot. if they bail off the side you better have mules and a long rope to get them out.
elk shot behind the ear knees buckle and they never hear the gun go off. drt
 
Pre64, After 30 years of chasing elk, I have been witness to some incredible determination for survival from elk of all ages. Just because it does not pack bone on it's head, doesn't mean an elk is easy to kill. That's my point. mtmuley
 
The question was, "Do you think that the .243 is enough gun for elk?". My answer is NO! Like it has been said before, yes you can kill an elk with a .243 but you can also kill one with a .22 rimfire. My opnion is there are a few other low recoil rounds that will work a bit better and they seem to have a bit more bullet selection also. The 7mm-08, .257 Roberts and don't forget the trusty old .300 Savage.
 
I personally think most of the people who think the 243 is not enough gun for elk have never shot one. I never killed an elk with one but my sister did, Cow, and my dad did a Bull, I have killed some big hogs with mine 250lb and 300lb, I am not saying hogs are tougher than elk but they are a alot tougher than any deer. My 243 hot handloads, 100 gr nosler partitions, Bang flop of all of the hogs I have shot with my 243, deer bang flop, If that is the gun your new hunter likes pratice, use a partition or some kind of premium bullet. Like I said earlier in one of my posts, shoot a cinder block @ 100 yds and see what happens, elk hide is not that tough. But also I would not try a shoulder shot on an elk with the 243, shooting a smaller cal you have to be selective with the shots that are taken, practice, practice, practice, time at the range, But all of the crap about don't take him hunting, or go with a bigger cal he will be afraid of is BS. A poorly placed 30-06 shot is alot worse than a properly placed 243 in the lungs. Opinions are nice, But you and the person who will be hunting's opinion are the only ones that matter. There are too many folks that do not know or always assume the worst. Use your gut, if you think the 243 is enough gun take it, if not try something else. Good luck and God bless you.
 
elkslayer54, A poorly placed shot is bad no matter what cartridge is used. I have a .222 Remington that is a one hole gun at 100 yards. Maybe I should shoot elk with it. I have a .243. I also have a .30-.30,.270, a 30-06, and a .300 Ultra. I have taken antelope and coyotes with the .243. It is an awesome varmint gun with 55 gr Ballistic Tips. It DOES NOT, and WILL NOT, for my kids either, leave the gun safe for an elk hunt. Also, cinder blocks don't have the will to live and escape what is after them after taking a bullet. Elk hide IS tough. And so are their bones. And especially their will to live. mtmuley
 
It takes a premium bullet. a standard bullet will go to pieces on the spine and bust a shoulder into about 10 thousand pieces and not enter the lungs...on a bull.

And there is a good possibility that my .243 will get used on elk, again...when my kids get old enough to hunt...and I'll be buying good bullets or loading them myself.
 
RE: .243 for elk?

LAST EDITED ON Jun-22-07 AT 11:51PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jun-22-07 AT 11:21?PM (MST)

The top ten reasons to shoot an elk with a .243:
#1 - I shoot 300lb hogs, works for them!
#2 - a .243 can bust a cinder block - elk shatter like that, don't they?
#3 - my 9 year old can't handle anything larger than a .243, and a muzzle brake is what?
#4 - it's a "Family Tradition", just ask grandpa.
#5 - well, I haven't lost one yet - as far as I know.
#6 - I'm a certified and extremely qualified marksman, regardless of conditions.
#7 - it's the only gun I own.
#8 - it's still legal - right??
#9 - 100gr -- got the speed!!!
And #10 - pretty sure no one else has ever killed an elk, so they don't know how easy they are to harvest!

Point - you will be hard pressed to find "any" professional hunter, outdoor writer, gun / ammunition manufacturer, or quality guide / outfitter that will recommend you harvest elk with a .243!!!! The bullet is too small, the hole is too small and often does not exit, the impact (knockdown) is too soft, tracking is often difficult with very little blood. What you end up with is a "lost" dead elk and if it's not today it will be soon - count on it!
 
RE: .243 for elk?

All great responses, Cinder block dose not have a will to live. and the top 10 reasons to laugh at the last post(here is your sign). Elk shatter like that don't they? Spoken like a man who knows very little about elk. AGAIN ladies I said the 243 is not my choice for elk BUT AGAIN it would work for a recoil sensitive person or young person, With pratice and a premium bullet. I also have a collection of different rifles, 223,243,6mm,25-06,30-30,30-06,300win,300 RUM, Just to name a few, I told you I shoot a 300 RUM. This post is not about what I shoot, It is about WILL A 243 WORK ON ELK???? This is not a pissing match on my gun is better than your gun, Not about a worthless top 10 reasons to never go to the woods under gunned. Will it work YES, Is it recommended NO, But if that is what you have go with it, I would not go buy 10 new maginum guns because someone on the net said elk don't shatter like a cinder block, Or because thier confidence in their own shooting ability is lacking, I do agree elk are tough animals I have killed a pile of them, Bulls cows and calves. If you put a bullet in the lungs it is over I don,t care if you use your grand pa's 222 or a 50 BMG What Ever, I don't care.

1. Will it work? YES
2. Is it recomended? NO
3. Is the top ten list above BS? YES
4. Are elk cinder blocks? No
5. Is a cinder block harder than elk hide? YES
6. Did elknut totally miss the point of the cinder block statemant? YES
7. Do you need a premium bullet for elk? YES
8. Has elknut ever killed a big hog? NO
9. Would a outdoor writer recomend a 243? See answer 2
10. Will a 243 kill an elk? See answer's 1 and 7
 
243 shoulder shots

A lot of good discussion here. I would like to hear some discussion regarding how well a 243 will break through the front shoulder on an entry shot. I doubt there are many success stories, perhaps some close range exceptions. You shoot an elk in the front shoulder with a .243 and you will likely write it off as a miss. Any caliber (even arrows) will work for a double lung shot if the bullet enters the rib cage. Some work faster than others because they tear up the vitals better. Why use a 100 grain 243 when you can get a 308 that shoots 165 grain bullets? It pentrates so much better. A .243 is not the best tool for the job.
 
It all depends on the distance any gun will kill and elk but with a small bullet like the 243 you better be close, 30-378 covers all distances with the muzzle brake it kicks about like a 243 try it.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-23-07 AT 08:04PM (MST)[p]elkslayer54, I prefer not to be called a lady, first of all. Now, I have killed a "pile" of elk also. No calves though. This is not my gun is better than your gun. It is this cartridge sucks for elk(.243) and these don't(aforementioned 7mm-08,30-06,280 Remington etc.) The general concensus on this post says a .243 is a bad gun for elk. And I'll bet some of the other guys that posted have killed a "pile" of elk too. mtmuley How many elk are in a pile?
 
I agree with elkslayer54.
I haven't killed a pile of elk with any rifle (I'm an archery man, and if 7 can make a pile well then).
I do think that a 243 is a little small for elk, how ever most of you have just pissed my wife off, she hunts elk with her 243, now I've only seen her hunt for the past 10 years, but I can say that she has never just wounded an elk with it, and to my knowledge she's never had one go more that 20 or 30 yards after hitting them. of course I've never seen her take a shot over 150 yards either. On the other hand her twin sister killed an elk at what we think was between 500 - 600 yards, with one shot and it dropped on a dime. My personal opinion is that it was luck, but still the fact remains she killed it at long range.
In closing I'd say a 243 is a little light, but 'can' be extremly effective in the right hands.
Personally if I ever tried an elk hunt with a rifle, I'd use my 25-06, but I'm sure alot of you would consider that to small also, but its the gun I'd be most confortable with.
 
so the overall concensus is a .243 is too light unless you really hit the mark. what do you all think about a .270? it is a little light but does it have the appropriate knock down power?




Happy Hunting
 
The 270 is what I personally currently shoot. Its fairly obvious that a 270 is not as affective as say a 7mm mag or a 300 RUM like my father has but Im currently 15 years old so I am not quite ready for the larger magnums but as most of you know thousands of elk have been taken with 270's. I have currently taken three cows and 2 bulls with mine and they have all been one to two shot kills from 90 to 450 yards. I also took a cow when I was twelve with my dads custom 25-06. All of my elk were taken with either 130 grain swift sorrocos or 140 grain nosler accubonds the accoubonds in my oppion are better for elk and the swifts are better for antelope and deer. I would say 25-06 would be the lightest caliber I personally would feel comfortable shooting an elk with but also the 243 wssm don't seem all that bad but I have yet to shoot one.
 
JUDAS FRICKEN PRIEST!!!

IF YOU USE A .243 TO HUNT ELK WITH!!!

YOU'LL BE ON THE LIST OF PU$$YFOOTS HUNTIN PI$$CUTTERS!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THINKING YOU BOYS SHOULD COWBOY-UP & USE A REAL GUN!!!
 
RE: JUDAS FRICKEN PRIEST!!!

So the thing i dont get is there are a few of you praising the 243 wssm and in all reality it is no better than the 243 win. ballistics on the 243 wssm are only slightly better, both would work but i think we all agree are not recomended
 
RE: JUDAS FRICKEN PRIEST!!!

There are much better choices, and alot of larger calibers can be made very shootable for young hunters with the addition of a good muzzle brake.

That said, I killed a cow elk once with a .243. She was broadside at about 100 yards. One shot with a 100 grain Hornady SP bullet behind the shoulder was all it took. She made it maybe 20 yards before piling up.

I think it is much more important that a youngster be able to shoot a rifle accurately than it is to make sure the caliber has enough wallup! Any, and I mean any legal caliber will kill an elk reliably when shot placement is good and shots are taken within appropriate ranges for the caliber being used. On the flip side any, and I mean any large caliber cannon can and will wound an elk if shot placement is not good, and no amount of "bang" will ever make up for poor shot placement.

The problem with big guns is that the make for poor shooters. Pick a caliber that your youngster is comfortable shooting and start with that. Even if it is a .243. Keep your shooting distances modest (which you should do with young kids anyway) and have fun.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-27-07 AT 00:54AM (MST)[p]elknut: Back at ya bro:) :) :)

Smellybuck: I would not try a shoulder shot with a 243. behind the foreleg,

Mtmuley: You are not a Ladie, OK. 7 to be a pile because that is all hollysdad has killed.

Holleysdad: Tell your wife to continue, she is doing a fine job, There is a now 7 elk to the pile rule now. And the sisters shot 500-600yds, Luck is what I think. But the proof is in the freezer.

bobcat: Read the post: for recoil sensitive people or a youth!!!!
NOW GO GET SOME KIBBLES N BITS AND CALM DOWN. PURRRRRRRRR THAT IS BETTER.
 
I personally hunt elk with a 308 Winchester because it is a rifle that is confortable for me to shoot,I own two magnum rifles but the recoil is to great to shoot to often,making them a poor choice for me for hunting with.
A person should hunt with the rifle they are most confortable with and have the confidence with in taking the game animal they are hunting.Like has been said ,shot placement is the key.
 
elkslayer, I've killed over 2 piles of elk then. None with a .243 I don't reccomend it, won't reccomend it, but realize people will do what they think is a good idea. mtmuley
 
mtmuley I would say I have 2.5 or 3 piles of them, But that really don't matter, Just means you and me were in the right place at the right time, alot of times. Congrats on your many harvest's. I agree I would not recommend it!! But to say it won't work is silly, But there is only a small window of an elk that a smaller cartridge like this will perform, and as long as the hunter knows his or her limitations I an cool with that. I am not going to change the way I hunt because someone on here dose not agree with my methods, and neither are you, So basically we agree to disagree, just a little. But we both do not recomend this light of a caliber.

But if anyone dose use a 243 aim small miss small, stay behind the fore leg, and use premium bullets. God bless you all. I hope you all kill an elk this year with what ever caliber you choose.
 
I think the 243 is a poor choice because it limits what you can do in the field. How does anyone know ahead of time what the situation will be when the hunter and the elk meet? Wind, distance, slopes, weather, condition of hunter, light, dark, etc, etc. The 243 is definitly distance limiting, regardless of what anyone says here in cyberspace.

Any talk of comparing elk to cinder blocks or other hard things is silly...plus no kid has the experience necessary to hunt with a rifle caliber that is borderline anyway. Why would you do that to a kid? Hey, lets go pike fishing with a Zebco 202 with two pound test line...

For a kid, I would recommend a 308...just as good as a 30-06 and will kill an elk out to 250 yards. Most of us shouldn't be shooting past 250 anyway, especially a kid. Good Luck.
 
Elkantler!
To me, this ain't no 'ballistics' question.
This is a "huntin'-family" question.
This is simple stuff, really.
If a .243--yes, I have taken a Spike with, by the way--is what the new hunter can handle, then it's up to ME to see that limitations are respected and up to ME to TRY MY BEST to provide an opportunity within these limitations.
One of this Huntin' Dad's jobs is to teach his kids, not hammer them with a caliber, a list of numbers, or other crap.
That's no fun for 'em, guaranteed. It's my responsibility and I will not pass that off onto any gun or circumstance or any novice hunter themself, regardless of their age or stature. 'No shot' means 'No shot', there'll be another time. Learn from it.
Personally, I'll give the greenhorn a levergun, but an old hand works WITH the newbie--the newbie ought know he/she does NOT have to struggle with the tool.
 
Who on this site hunts elk with a .243 or puts one in the hands of their kids for the same?? Any takers?

Seems we have several that think it's OK, but in reality they shoot a larger round.
 
Well said rumproast! If a kid is comfortable and shooting a .243 well, then why would you want to threaten him with a big caliber? Why mess with the recipe? Choose a heavier bullet, get em close... all that's left is the guttin.
 
still beating this horse? for the question if any one uses a 243 for elk, well i don't but when a buddy of mine get's cow tag's on his land for depredation hunts, the shots are close, and i use a 6mm-06, done so for about 10 years, and like i said before, and like it or not, it is a deadly tool.
 
this is a touchy subject. both sides of the arguement are strong but i think we will go with a 30-06 this year. thanks for all the feedback and i hope it is usefull for everyone. bullet size and structure are important no matter what caliber. i will stay away from the ballistic tip projectile for big game. thanks again!!
 
MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS ARE THAT A .22 DOES FINE ON ELK and is perfect for a first timer out to 500

YOU AINT GOING TO KILL A BIG BUCK UNLESS THERE IS A BIG BUCK WHERE YOUR HUNTING!!!
 

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