243 for elk?

[grumpyvette]

I got asked if a guys 243 win deer rifle would work on an elk hunt?
I have zero doubt that a good shot using quality bullets in a 243 win can kill elk within reasonable ranges because Ive seen it done several tines now by a guy in our elk cam with a 257 roberts and the difference is just not that huge between the two cartridges, but that being said I can,t see why anyone would select a 243/6mm caliber rather than at least a 6.5mm-270-30 cal with the heavier projectiles when theres so many better choices.
no mater how you look at it a 6mm is either a gun best left to experts hunting elk who will limit shots to those with precise shot placement or its marginal at best in average hands under normal hunting conditions where you can,t accurately predict ranges, angles or shot placement.
selecting a cartridge having a bit more penetration and energy on impact just seems to me to show a bit more respect for the game.
Ive seen my share of elk hit by guys from my elk camp,(guys that on average are better than average shots) with even common calibers like a 308 win and 270, 30/06 etc and much heavier calibers that have gotten less than ideal shot placement. so to answer the question, yes a 243 will work in skilled hands but Id sure have a great deal more confidence in a 270 with 150 grain bullets or a 30/06 with 180-200 grain bullets

as has been stated before
"you should not select a caliber for elk hunts that works when everything goes right, but one that will still work well when most things don,t go as planed"

 

[grumpyvette]

when selecting a cartridge having a bit more penetration and energy on impact than a 243 has on elk,just seems to me to show a bit more respect for the game.

what does respect mean?

Obviously we all make individual value judgements,based on what we feel is correct, or what the law requires,in my case it refers to simply wanting to use a rifle that drop elk quickly and cleanly with little chance of inflicting a wound that may not be very rapidly fatal, or cause prolonged pain/suffering from any reasonable range and angle and getting in close enough to make a precisely placed shot and knowing your games anatomy.
yes IM sure everyone reading this thinks they are excellent shots....well next time you out where you can do a little test put a 3" orange target dot on a large sheet of poster board and back off to that 200-300 or even 400 yard range you gentlemen all seem so comfortable shooting at and then RUN back that last 100 yards of that 200-300 or even 400 yards to where youll shoot , and shoot within 1 minute from that location,so your heart rates up like it will be when you see that bull of a lifetime and squeeze off a single shot from a field position, chances are excellent you won,t put a hole dead center in the dot, in fact chances are excellent you won,t even hit the dot, and that means chances are also excellent that under field conditions your also not likely to place shots on game exactly where you would want to so having a bit more punch for those less than ideal conditions we normally see makes sense, and why I feel a 270 is really about the minimum realistic choice in an elk rifle.
Ive had several of the guys in my elk hunt club try it, and Ive done it dozens of times, it takes a great deal of practice, and having a bi-pod and a sling are almost mandatory accessory's if you want to consistently hit anyplace on that orange dot
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/sid=6 ... 646_d_5695

most of the guys I hunt with practice shooting from field positions frequently, most were shocked at the results they produced after trying this and thats probably why most of the guys don,t even try past 350 yards but insist on getting closer. It took me years and use of a bi-pod and sling to be consistent hitting anyplace on that orange dot from 200 yards after running even 100 yards and shooting,
consistently shooting well enough to place a single first round hit where you want it to be under realistic field conditions is a totally different deal than shooting tight groups from a bench rest