243 for elk

[Trapperkid]

All this .243 talk got me remembering a question I asked a good friend of mine that I hunted elk with quite a bit before he left Wyoming.

I was helping him pack 2 elk he'd shot from the same bunch, with his .243 and 100 grain factory partitions, with one shot each, "so, how many elk have you shot with that .243 now?" I asked.

His response, "I don't know, never kept track , but more than 40 for sure, shot 10 or so with a 30/06 and didn't care for the recoil".

My friend packing a different bull he also shot with his .243.

Hunting camp hasn't been the same since he left...hope I'm packing elk out of designated wilderness when I'm crowding 80.

Ok I just can’t help but love that story

 

[Silentstalker]

Watched my 13 year old nephew pound an elk this fall with my late Grandfather's .243 using a handloaded 100 grain nosler solid base bullet this fall.

Shot was 362 yards, hit the elk just in front of the on-side shoulder, bullet was under the hide of the off side shoulder after breaking the shoulder blade.

Had good blood after about 2-3 yards from the spot of bullet impact:

Piled up maybe 80 yards or so later:

Happy camper:

I've shot several elk with a 6mm Rem. no problems at all and another with the same .243 that my nephew shot his with.

No trouble that time either.

I've gone full circle over the last 40 years shooting elk. Started with a 6mm, went to a 30/06 for alot of years, then a .338 for a lot of years, then a 7 RM for several years, then to a 7-08 which I've shot 19 elk with in the last several years. I'm going to start shooting my 6mm more at elk.

What I've learned along the way, killing 77 elk in the process...the 3 most important things to killing elk is: Shot placement, shot placement, and shot placement. After that bullet construction.

I say shoot what you shoot best, stay within your limits, and let the "experts" worry about ft. lbs, taking chitty shots on elk, and crowing about how you need a magnum to kill one...

This....

I shot a 7 mag for several years. Switched to a 270 and bought a 7mm-08 for my kids.

The elk never noticed and I have never once felt undergunned.

To the OP, your question was not stupid. People trying to shame you on a forum for not shooting a magnum is stupid.

I think you made a great choice in getting a new stock for your current 243 and buying a 270. They will both serve you well. I have had great luck with mine using Accubonds and Partitions.

Good luck to you on your hunt!

 

[roosiebull]

What makes it marginal? Please be specific. Is it lack of penetration? Does it penetrate enough but the wounds aren’t wide enough? Something else?

another fair question is what experiences has he had on elk with a 243 that makes him consider it marginal?

 

[Trr15]

another fair question is what experiences has he had on elk with a 243 that makes him consider it marginal?

Would you guys carry a .243 for grizz?

 

[roosiebull]

Would you guys carry a .243 for grizz?

i don't have a 243, or intentions of hunting a grizz.... so i probably wouldn't buy one for a grizz hunt if i ever decided to go on a grizz hunt....

people go after grizz with a bow and find success, if i ever hunted them, that would be my choice as well.... the 243 shot critters i have seen have a larger wound channel than my arrow makes, and penetrate better....sooooo....

these threads are interesting, you have people who have used them/seen them used, offer feedback (actual experience with the cartridge in question) then you have folks that say they are too small and shouldn't be used (without actual experience, just feelings)

it just flat out doesn't make sense to me

 

[Short Track]

My go to rifle is a .243. I just love it. I sit at the range for hours. My 6.5 is my long range rifle with a pricey scope. My biggest gun is a 7mm-08. I wouldn't hesitate to use any of them on Elk.

I typically take the 6.5 if the forecast is for wind.
This season I took a deer with my .243. Facing me, the bullet went all the way to the hind quarter.

 

[Trr15]

i don't have a 243, or intentions of hunting a grizz.... so i probably wouldn't buy one for a grizz hunt if i ever decided to go on a grizz hunt....

people go after grizz with a bow and find success, if i ever hunted them, that would be my choice as well.... the 243 shot critters i have seen have a larger wound channel than my arrow makes, and penetrate better....sooooo....

these threads are interesting, you have people who have used them/seen them used, offer feedback (actual experience with the cartridge in question) then you have folks that say they are too small and shouldn't be used (without actual experience, just feelings)

it just flat out doesn't make sense to me

These threads have me scratching my head. Seems there’s a ton of effort being put into “proving” that smaller calibers are no less effective than larger/magnum calibers. There’s a reason guides carry big bore rifles in grizzly country. They’re more effective at stopping the animal. I don’t think that concept changes just because the species does. I’m not a ballistics expert, so maybe I’m just too dumb to understand the argument.

 

[roosiebull]

These threads have me scratching my head. Seems there’s a ton of effort being put into “proving” that smaller calibers are no less effective than larger/magnum calibers. There’s a reason guides carry big bore rifles in grizzly country. They’re more effective at stopping the animal. I don’t think that concept changes just because the species does. I’m not a ballistics expert, so maybe I’m just too dumb to understand the argument.

i don't see it as trying to prove, but people sharing proof.... like dead animals and positive experiences. it's those without any actual experience that are trying to disprove it.

i think most pack larger cartridges because they are told that's what they need, not because they had poor experiences with smaller cartridges..... conventional wisdom doesn't always equate to a better solution.

i think a wide range of cartridges work, and work well....

i would trust results before i trusted the feelings of others...... most would, unless it goes against their feelings, like in this thread (and everyone about cartridges/calibers smaller than what's considered "adequate")

 

[BuzzH]

These threads have me scratching my head. Seems there’s a ton of effort being put into “proving” that smaller calibers are no less effective than larger/magnum calibers. There’s a reason guides carry big bore rifles in grizzly country. They’re more effective at stopping the animal. I don’t think that concept changes just because the species does. I’m not a ballistics expert, so maybe I’m just too dumb to understand the argument.

The reason that guides carry big rifles is to finish off the grizzlies their clients shooting more rifle than they can handle, make poor shots with. Client is all rattled up about getting a chance to shoot a bear and makes a crap shot.

To answer your first question, if I were hunting say, sheep in AK or Canada with a .243 and had an opportunity to shoot a grizzly with one...wouldn't even give it a second thought. Might give a thought to perhaps shooting a 100 grain partition if I believed I'd have an opportunity at a grizzly. But, yes, I'd shoot a grizzly with one all day long.

 

[Trr15]

The reason that guides carry big rifles is to finish off the grizzlies their clients shooting more rifle than they can handle, make poor shots with. Client is all rattled up about getting a chance to shoot a bear and makes a crap shot.

To answer your first question, if I were hunting say, sheep in AK or Canada with a .243 and had an opportunity to shoot a grizzly with one...wouldn't even give it a thought. Might give a thought to perhaps shooting a 100 grain partition if I believed I'd have an opportunity at a grizzly.

Why not finish off that rattled up grizz with the .243, Buzz?

 

[BuzzH]

Why not finish off that rattled up grizz with the .243, Buzz?

I wouldn't have a rattled up grizzly to deal with from the get-go...only a dead bear to skin and a hide to pack.

For the record, I hunted sheep in WY in grizzly country for 26 days year before last. Saw several had one bad encounter. Never packed a magnum rifle the entire time...7-08 with 140 grain accubonds. Considered a 140 grain partition, but the accubonds dig every bit as deep, IME.

Wasn't too worried about not having enough rifle to deal with any situation.

 

[Trr15]

i don't see it as trying to prove, but people sharing proof.... like dead animals and positive experiences. it's those without any actual experience that are trying to disprove it.

i think most pack larger cartridges because they are told that's what they need, not because they had poor experiences with smaller cartridges..... conventional wisdom doesn't always equate to a better solution.

i think a wide range of cartridges work, and work well....

i would trust results before i trusted the feelings of others...... most would, unless it goes against their feelings, like in this thread (and everyone about cartridges/calibers smaller than what's considered "adequate")

I agree with pretty much all of that. But the issue, it seems, is that these debates always come down to whether or not larger, more powerful calibers are more effective at killing. I

 

[Trr15]

I wouldn't have a rattled up grizzly to deal with from the get-go...only a dead bear to skin and a hide to pack.

For the record, I hunted sheep in WY in grizzly country for 26 days year before last. Saw several had one bad encounter. Never packed a magnum rifle the entire time...7-08 with 140 grain accubonds.

Wasn't too worried about not having enough rifle to deal with any situation.

You didn’t answer the question, though.

 

[BuzzH]

You didn’t answer the question, though.

Answer your own question, you're looking for confirmation bias, not facts. The question asked was is a .243 ok for elk, the answer is yes.

 

[Trr15]

Answer your own question, you're looking for confirmation bias, not facts. The question asked was is a .243 ok for elk, the answer is yes.

Taking the easy way out, huh? I’ll answer my own question: Because a .375 would do it more effectively.

 

[BuzzH]

Taking the easy way out, huh? I’ll answer my own question: Because a .375 would do it more effectively.

Based on all your personal experience finishing off wounded grizzlies with one? Or did you read it on the internet?

 

[Trr15]

Based on all your personal experience finishing off wounded grizzlies with one? Or did you read it on the internet?

Based on all your personal experience finishing off wounded grizzlies with one? Or did you read it on the internet?

Muddy the waters all you want. I made my point after you stopped answering questions. I’ll leave it here.

 

[Formidilosus]

Would you guys carry a .243 for grizz?

Without hesitation. Though if I were sent out to kill as many grizzlies as possible, I would use an AR15 with appropriate bullets. If I had to follow up and kill a wounded grizzly, I would prefer the AR15 to all.

Elephants and Rhinos have been exterminated at will with AK’s. Not 375’s, not 458’s, not Nitro Expresses.

 

[Trr15]

Without hesitation. Though if I were sent out to kill as many grizzlies as possible, I would use an AR15 with appropriate bullets. If I had to follow up and kill a wounded grizzly, I would prefer the AR15 to all.

Elephants and Rhinos have been exterminated at will with AK’s. Not 375’s, not 458’s, not Nitro Expresses.

Good on you, sir.

 

[BuzzH]

Muddy the waters all you want. I made my point after you stopped answering questions. I leave it here.

Muddying waters?

Yeah, you sure did...taking a thread about whether or not .243's are ok for elk and turning it into a wounded grizzly thread.

So, what you're saying is that we have to use 375's for elk since that's what you've heard is good to stop a wounded grizzly with?

Your story...