.243 for moose

Marbles

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
May 16, 2020
Messages
4,466
Location
AK
Let's see, turns out mule deer are not bullet proof, nor wild bore, nor cow elk, nor bull elk, nor moose, nor brown bears, nor walrus, nor mt. goats, so now that we have multiple of those being documented as taken with a 223 it is the nilgai that are mythical beast with hide as tough as dragon scales that make elephants look like thin skinned wimps.

I mean, elephants really aren't much, Bell took about 800 of them with a 7x57mm and said shot placement with it was not more important than when he wired the triggers of his double barrel .400 together (for 800 grs of lead pushed by 120 grs of cordite). Before anyone brings up brain shots, the 7x57 has taken elephants with single rounds to the boiler room too.

The progression to needing ever more mythical creatures is fascinating. I wonder what will come up after nilgai, I'm sure it will be something rarer and with fewer people who hunt them to make the myth last longer.

 
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
2,890
The hyper velocity of a hand loaded 257W @ 3400 ++fps I am sure would be pretty lethal on medium sized game
The average Joe factory load imo isn’t going to get much shock factor in smaller caliber for nilgai, or produce a nice bloody trail to follow in the heavy brush
Popping them at night in a wide open field or tidal flats, then finding the heat signature is a complete different game .

It was a rhetorical question, already backed by a pile of carcasses, my experience is different then yours
 

Lee_R

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Messages
141
Location
Northern Wyoming
I believe that a hunter should do their best to ensure that the animals that they hunt should be harvested in as efficient, effective way as possible. Brown bears have been killed using small calibers too. Doesn't make it the most effective caliber.
^^This is the way. Sadly many on this forum have drank some bad kool-aid and disregard the "efficient, effective" part of your statement and have forgotten the adage that just because you can, doesn't mean you should. The animals deserve a quick death and not to die for someone who wants to boost their ego by using the smallest caliber legally possible just to see if they can or test bullet efficiency on game. If these hunters want a challenge, get closer...it's that simple.

Yes, I'm fully aware this will ruffle some feathers.
 

Marbles

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
May 16, 2020
Messages
4,466
Location
AK
^^This is the way. Sadly many on this forum have drank some bad kool-aid and disregard the "efficient, effective" part of your statement and have forgotten the adage that just because you can, doesn't mean you should. The animals deserve a quick death and not to die for someone who wants to boost their ego by using the smallest caliber legally possible just to see if they can or test bullet efficiency on game. If these hunters want a challenge, get closer...it's that simple.

Yes, I'm fully aware this will ruffle some feathers.
I would say the animals deserve a quick death and not to die slowly from someone who wants to boost there ego and shoot a gun that is too big for them and takes bad shots because they lack the skill and patients to get a proper shot. If you want a quick kill, get closer, it is that simple; don't hide inadequate skill, jumpy nerves, and a lack of ethics behind a big bore and powder column.

Yes, I'm fully aware this will ruffle some feathers.
 

BCD

WKR
Joined
Jan 9, 2019
Messages
784
Location
Hudson, WI
^^This is the way. Sadly many on this forum have drank some bad kool-aid and disregard the "efficient, effective" part of your statement and have forgotten the adage that just because you can, doesn't mean you should. The animals deserve a quick death and not to die for someone who wants to boost their ego by using the smallest caliber legally possible just to see if they can or test bullet efficiency on game. If these hunters want a challenge, get closer...it's that simple.

Yes, I'm fully aware this will ruffle some feathers.
This
 

Lee_R

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Messages
141
Location
Northern Wyoming
I would say the animals deserve a quick death and not to die slowly from someone who wants to boost there ego and shoot a gun that is too big for them and takes bad shots because they lack the skill and patients to get a proper shot. If you want a quick kill, get closer, it is that simple; don't hide inadequate skill, jumpy nerves, and a lack of ethics behind a big bore and powder column.

Yes, I'm fully aware this will ruffle some feathers.
Fwiw, my largest caliber is a 30-06 (it was my father's) and I can shoot it perfectly fine to 500 yds, but won't harvest animals past 300. Killing does not boost my ego. I have passed on many animals rather than risk wounding them. It's happened to me and I do my best to ensure it never happens again. Feel free to point the magnum caliber argument to someone else.
 

Ryan Avery

Admin
Staff member
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
8,973
Boolets and practices matter more than headstamps…

78c9a8b9958ac95106e8f13433b8fb4a.jpg


6mm exit on a mature cow elk at 782 yards. But a moose would probably walk this off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Marbles

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
May 16, 2020
Messages
4,466
Location
AK
Fwiw, my largest caliber is a 30-06 (it was my father's) and I can shoot it perfectly fine to 500 yds, but won't harvest animals past 300. Killing does not boost my ego. I have passed on many animals rather than risk wounding them. It's happened to me and I do my best to ensure it never happens again. Feel free to point the magnum caliber argument to someone else.
My post mirrored yours intentionally. I guess I should not be surprised you took it seriously, even with the Ron Burgundy meme that followed.

I've passed on a 208 yard shot that was questionable to stalk within 30 yards of two deer and shoot them, you were happy to point fingers with loaded assumptions, clearly you don't appreciated being treated in the same way.
 

Lee_R

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Messages
141
Location
Northern Wyoming
My post mirrored yours intentionally. I guess I should not be surprised you took it seriously, even with the Ron Burgundy meme that followed.

I've passed on a 208 yard shot that was questionable to stalk within 30 yards of two deer and shoot them, you were happy to point fingers with loaded assumptions, clearly you don't appreciated being treated in the same way.
And clearly the meaning of the "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" adage escapes you. Going with the smallest, lightest lessons the margin for error. There's hundred of pages supporting light caliber for game on this site and I'm fully aware that technologies change, but I think it's completely foolish to shoot a 700 lb animal with a .224 caliber bullet just because it's legal and you can. As I said, the animals deserve better. But you and all your believers go right ahead where it's legal and continue to show off your trophies, it's too bad pics can't be taken of the wounded ones that would have been recovered had more appropriate calibers had been used, guess I'll never prove my point?...I'm fully aware it's just my opinion , I have no delusions of changing your minds.
 
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
1,265
Yeah I could give a flying F what other people think what is acceptable caliber wise on moose or elk , I just know for a fact shooting a nilgai with a small caliber and it’s gonna run oft and never be seen again
Except a CNS shot

Having hunted both, I can honestly say that moose are a lot easier to kill than nilgai. Not because they are somehow "weaker" but because they tend to stop and look around a bit more, which affords more time to get set up for the shot. They also tend to act like whitetails when they are hit, which is to find the nearest place to lay down. Nilgai, being antelope try to escape the issue by running.
That being said, a .243 will take a Nilgai down just as easily as a .300 WM within the shooting distances that most are taken at on game ranches (300 and in).
 
Joined
Jan 27, 2022
Messages
1,265
And clearly the meaning of the "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" adage escapes you. Going with the smallest, lightest lessons the margin for error. There's hundred of pages supporting light caliber for game on this site and I'm fully aware that technologies change, but I think it's completely foolish to shoot a 700 lb animal with a .224 caliber bullet just because it's legal and you can. As I said, the animals deserve better. But you and all your believers go right ahead where it's legal and continue to show off your trophies, it's too bad pics can't be taken of the wounded ones that would have been recovered had more appropriate calibers had been used, guess I'll never prove my point?...I'm fully aware it's just my opinion , I have no delusions of changing your minds.

That is the problem. It is opinion. However the 100s of pages of FACTS that have been laid out prove that what you are saying is not true.

How do you prove a theory? You lay out a hypothesis and then you test it to either prove it or prove the negative of it. The hundreds of dead animals and pictures of necropsies show that even those "small" caliber bullets of certain designs make more than adequate wound channels to quickly and cleanly kill game animals, and in most cases, better wound channels than so-called "premium" bullets of larger calibers. Enough for it to be statistically relevant. However, people still want to disbelieve and let their feelings trump the evidence.

I also like how you imply that the forum is full of a bunch of lairs who intentionally hide information that doesn't support them. If you are that convinced that so many of us lack integrity, why do you continue to come here?

I can also state with a fair degree of confidence that just as many animals are not recovered by "big gun" shooters as little gun shooters, or bowhunters for that matter. That is a piss-poor arguement. Do better.
 

RMM

WKR
Joined
Jan 30, 2021
Messages
391
Location
PA
And clearly the meaning of the "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" adage escapes you. Going with the smallest, lightest lessons the margin for error. There's hundred of pages supporting light caliber for game on this site and I'm fully aware that technologies change, but I think it's completely foolish to shoot a 700 lb animal with a .224 caliber bullet just because it's legal and you can. As I said, the animals deserve better. But you and all your believers go right ahead where it's legal and continue to show off your trophies, it's too bad pics can't be taken of the wounded ones that would have been recovered had more appropriate calibers had been used, guess I'll never prove my point?...I'm fully aware it's just my opinion , I have no delusions of changing your minds.
Well since you think it's foolish, I guess no one should do it then.. Let me guess, your age starts with a number larger than 4

Edit to add: And I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess you think energy is a relevant number in terms of killing
 
Last edited:

JGRaider

WKR
Joined
Jul 3, 2019
Messages
1,831
Location
West Texas
Boolets and practices matter more than headstamps…

78c9a8b9958ac95106e8f13433b8fb4a.jpg


6mm exit on a mature cow elk at 782 yards. But a moose would probably walk this off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Dead is dead for sure, but I prefer much less bloodshot meat personally. I'm aware that photo may be the exception rather than rule for that particular bullet though.

Gotta admit, never in my life have I seen a group of people so concerned with what other hunters are using to hunt/kill with.
 

gbflyer

WKR
Joined
Feb 20, 2017
Messages
1,729
Many moose have fallen to a 100gr Remington Corlokt. I’m sure the ELDX would work equally as well. It’s a large animal with large vitals.

Now is that .243 a brown bear stopper? No, at least not a good one.
 

JBradley500

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 15, 2020
Messages
297
What makes this forum interesting is the disproving of logical fallacies regarding calibers, bullets, and cartridges, which are based on hearsay, limited samples, or dated technologies. Whether good or bad, it sure does attract a lot of people who have a hard time accepting their incorrect preconceived notions.

Gotta admit, never in my life have I seen a group of people so concerned with what other hunters are using to hunt/kill with.
 

Ryan Avery

Admin
Staff member
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
8,973
Dead is dead for sure, but I prefer much less bloodshot meat personally. I'm aware that photo may be the exception rather than rule for that particular bullet though.

Gotta admit, never in my life have I seen a group of people so concerned with what other hunters are using to hunt/kill with.
I personally don’t care what you or anyone shoots… but you are on a hunting forum what did you expect to talk about?

As for the NR Dtac I’ve seen it be the rule more than the exception.
 
Top