from Buzzard Bait:
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In a world of bonded bullets and expanding copper bullets and other high performance bullets do you think if Jack O'Conner were alive today that the 243 might be his 270? In his time using the smaller 270 vs. 3006 was radical people thought it to small or to light for elk and large deer he proved them wrong. Today with premium bullets the 243 is a very effective round.
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I would reluctantly have to agree. If I recall correctly, Jack O'Conner spent most of his time going after deer of all types, with the odd elk and moose thrown in. There is a new paper describing 'ideal' bullet weights for various size game animals at
http://shootersnotes.com/ideal-bullet-weight/. The chart in the note indicates that an 80 grain all-copper bullet is as about as effective as the 130 grain .270 bullet of his day. Nosler partition bullets were just coming into favor towards the end of his active hunting days, so he probably did not include their performance in his judgement.
You will also see that all-copper bullets will not make the .243 Winchester a credible elk caliber.
Provided the twist will stabilize the longer bullets, the premium bullets move the .25 caliber line of cartridges into being adequate for elk.
The 6.5 calibers, on the other hand, have long enjoyed a capability for both elk and moose by virtue of the 160 grain bullets useable in their fast twist barrels.