243 for elk

[Trapperkid]

Ok I've heard a lot of different statement on wether you can or or should use 243 for elk I ask because I have one and I'm looking at a new rifle and I may get a chance to go elk hunting shortly. It will be used mostly for deer and here in arkansas we don't have really long shot nothing past probably 350 yards

 

[Rich M]

I know for a fact that a lot of folks shoot and kill elk and moose with a 243. Shoot a premium bullet and you'll be fine.

If you go guided they will probably not let you use 243.

What new gun are you looking at? new caliber or sticking with 243?

 

[nobody]

The search bar above is your friend, we've talked A TON about this.

That being said, are there better options out there? You bet. Would I let it keep me home from hunting if that's all I had? Nope, not at all. My wife shoots one and I don't worry about her not killing whatever she is pointing it at. Get some good monolithic bullets or some bonded bullets and hand load something up and go to town.

 

[Silentstalker]

I agree. Elk are not the Sherman tanks everyone wants to make them out to be, until you hit one poorly.

With elk and smaller calibers I recommend keeping the shot range moderate to short and using a premium bullet.

Place the bullet in the heart/lung area avoiding the shoulder and you will have your elk.

 

[CAElkhunter]

The limitation on a 243 is the range at which you can use it to kill an Elk. Shot placement kills Elk not caliber but everyone needs to understand the range of lesser caliber bullets on Elk. They are tough bastards.

 

[Trapperkid]

I know for a fact that a lot of folks shoot and kill elk and moose with a 243. Shoot a premium bullet and you'll be fine.

If you go guided they will probably not let you use 243.

What new gun are you looking at? new caliber or sticking with 243?

I already have a great deer load worked up for 243 that's all I've ever hunted deer with and it's been plenty. I'm looking at a Tikka rifle for sure. I'm just thinking with 243 I can predator hunt deer hunt regularly and was curios if it would handle a possible elk hunt also. Then I could have a rifle I could grab for anything.

 

[rayporter]

the problem with elk is that they dont stand around broadside for that perfect heart shot very often.

 

[nobody]

If you're looking to replace your current 243 and get something that will work for elk and be great on whitetail and hogs and predators without being overkill, get a 270. Manageable recoil and inexpensive factory ammo (when you can find it). My brothers both shoot Tikkas in 270 and they shoot lights out.

If you're looking for another gun in addition to the 243, pick up something that's an appreciable step up, like a 308 or a 30-06. Same principle as the 270, but covers a wider array of critters and trends towards the higher end of the animal size spectrum. Grab the 243 for basic small stuff and the 30-06 when you head after elk or potentially moose and other game one day.

 

[Squincher]

There are a lot of better choices for an "anything" caliber than .243.

 

[Trapperkid]

There are a lot of better choices for an "anything" caliber than .243.

Could you name a few

 

[black dawg]

Comes down to the bullet and placement more than caliber/cartridge.

If you already have a 243 why not get another rifle of a different chambering...........6,5 creed, 7mm08.....both have good bullet selection, and pretty low recoil

 

[MBAO-millennialbyageonly]

Nothing like the smell of a good dumpster fire thread in the morning

 

[Trapperkid]

Nothing like the smell of a good dumpster fire thread in the morning

It's three in the afternoon good afternoon

 

[Indian Summer]

Instead of using your predator gun for elk buy an elk gun and shoot the predators with that. Please!

 

[Trapperkid]

Comes down to the bullet and placement more than caliber/cartridge.

If you already have a 243 why not get another rifle of a different chambering...........6,5 creed, 7mm08.....both have good bullet selection, and pretty low recoil

Because ammo is a pita to find right now and my 243 is a cheap remington 770 with a busted stock thinking an upgrade to a much better rifle that I have ammo for already. Also there are much better predator weight bullets in 6mm. Now with that said I have been thinking about getting a creedmoor instead of 243 I just want to be able to shoot it because a gun with ammo is just an expensive stick.

 

[Formidilosus]

Ok I've heard a lot of different statement on wether you can or or should use 243 for elk I ask because I have one and I'm looking at a new rifle and I may get a chance to go elk hunting shortly. It will be used mostly for deer and here in arkansas we don't have really long shot nothing past probably 350 yards

Nope. Gotta have a magnum, you certainly can’t kill anything with smaller rounds....Non magnums won’t kill elk

 

[CAElkhunter]

My favorite all around rifle is my Remington 300WM. I use it on deer with 160 grain loads and 180 grain loads on Elk. If I was looking for a good elk rifle that I could use on other things that is what I would buy.

My favorite Elk rifle is my 300RUM but that is just me. I don't have a problem with recoil. It shoots sub inch
groups and gives me the reach I like in open west Elk country.

I am used to shooting Magnums though. Not saying you have to go that big but if you don't have the
budget for several rifles that one is a very versatile caliber in my opinion.

 

[Indian Summer]

Nope. Gotta have a magnum, you certainly can’t kill anything with smaller rounds....Non magnums won’t kill elk

Yeah they had no reason to even invent another cartridge once they came up with a .30-.30.

Said the pea shooter guys....

Shoot em with anything it’s all about placement.

Reasons for poor placement: Poor rest, no rest, shot distance, wind, moving target, massive adrenaline rush etc etc. Not that heavier bullets completely make up for poor shots but they can sure help. Ok let the bashing begin......

 

[Trapperkid]

Nope. Gotta have a magnum, you certainly can’t kill anything with smaller rounds....Non magnums won’t kill elk

I trust what you say a whole lot because I've read into that thread and it appears to me like you have a wealth of knowledge in ballistics and killing so what do you say would it be ok for probably just one or maybe maybe two elk if I placed my shots correctly

 

[Formidilosus]

Yeah they had no reason to even invent another cartridge once they came up with a .30-.30.

Said the pea shooter guys....

Shoot em with anything it’s all about placement.

Reasons for poor placement: Poor rest, no rest, shot distance, wind, moving target, massive adrenaline rush etc etc. Not that heavier bullets completely make up for poor shots but they can sure help. Ok let the bashing begin......

It’s isn’t 1895. Projectiles that exist now, weren’t even fathomable 50 years ago, let alone 130 years ago. Interestingly, there wasn’t a single projectile in 1906 that could be loaded in a 30/06 that can do what any number of 6mm projectiles can do now. I only watched 6 elk get killed this year out to 735 yards and the largest cartridge used was a 6.5 CM. No issues.

I’m a fan of killing without fuss and the least amount of rodeos possible. Whether it’s extremely experienced hunters and shooters, or first year people, as recoil goes up, so to do poor outcomes.
In multiples of hundreds of animals killed with very small .224 cartridges to extremely large 338’s, the cartridge/bullet combo that has had the least amount of screw ups, and hence the highest shot to kill rate out to 600 yards, is the 223-77gr TMK. Next, has been the 243 with a couple of different bullets. The cartridges with the most missed shots, most wounded animals, most tracking, most lost animals that were hit, and most rodeos are all magnums; and magnums with monos especially.

I’m not a pea shooter advocate, I’m a whatever results in the most kill success advocate. The first one hundred or so deer I killed were almost entirely with 300 magnums because those who taught me believed they were so much better. Having killed a lot more since then, and having seen a lot more killed since then, “bigger is better” has not played out at all.