243 BULLET for cow elk?

[davlandrum]

4406 - that was a failure of the bullet not the caliber.

[4406v]

Yes I agree it was bullet failure and this is my point.I was using 100 grain bullets and had a failure on a small deer.I am not bashing the .243 as being "no good" I just did not have good results and would not use it again.I would also strongly recommend a bigger caliber if someone asks my opinion.I would simply state my experience for my reasoning.
I know lots of people who swear by the .243 and I'm sure lots of animals have been killed cleanly with them.My experience was bad (for the deer) and as a hunter who realizes it's my RESPONSIBILITY to use the best caliber and bullet for the job.My opinion is the .243 is too light for elk.

[ZeroJunk]

I'll throw this in FWIW. I shot an average doe straight through the rib cage broadside with a 300 WBY Mag 150 grain factory load and the deer ran 300 yards before she stopped.I was fortunate to find her. Only a couple of drops of blood, exit wound same size as entrance and sealed back with fat. An inch either way hitting a rib on entry would have been a body slam. It happens.

[skydiver3346]

No way would I attempt to do that. Why? Because they (Elk) are a lot bigger than a deer. A lot bigger, even the cows are bigger! As such, I personally just believe you owe it to the Elk (to use a larger caliber bullet).

Things change on hunting trips. What you can shoot at your range may be a completey different scenario than when you are in an actual hunting situation, Ex: winds, terrain, movement, etc. Things change and conditions change in the real world and you may not be able to make "the perfect shot", (and the .243 will lose its effectiveness if not a perfect shot).

Why is it null and void to shoot a larger caliber rifle? At any rate, PLEASE use a Nosler Partition bullet. They work great, (have shot them for years with zero problems).

[Jack O'Conner]

This photo shows location of chest vitals. Plan to shoot for top of heart. It takes self discipline and high ethics to pass up shots that are less than perfect.

I suggest ask around your friends and family and try to borrow a 270 for her. The 150 grain bullet is 50% heavier than .243's BEST weight yet recoil is not much more. 243 is too light for taking elk unless all conditions and angle is perfect. Murphy's Law tells me that perfect conditions will not occur for you this year.

How do you plan to get the dead animal from forest to your vehicle? You won't be dragging it.

Good hunting to you.
Jack

[Buzzcook]

"How do you plan to get the dead animal from forest to your vehicle? You won't be dragging it."

Now that's a good question. I'd bet lots of people on their first hunt for sizable game don't take the logistics of getting the animal back to the vehicle into consideration.

[riggins_83]

100 grn nosler partition or sierra game king.

Both are good choice you'll be more limited by range and shot placement. The honest truth is there are few people who ever take a 250+ yard shot when hunting. I know some do but percentage wise.. it's pretty rare.

Knowing your gun, being a good shot and not overestimating the capability of your ammo or yourself are the important parts.

No way would I attempt to do that. Why? Because they (Elk) are a lot bigger than a deer. A lot bigger, even the cows are bigger! As such, I personally just believe you owe it to the Elk (to use a larger caliber bullet).

This part i do agree with. While a 243 would certainly kill it you're taking a bigger risk of the animal having a slower or more painful death (or having to track the animal). I do believe Nosler Partition is about the best thing you can find for hunting large game, period. Based on penetration, energy and the amount of damage it will do you have a much better chance of having a clean instant kill with 30-06, 7MM rem mag, 300 win mag, etc.

I might seem like I'm contradicting myself here but nobody wants to have to be a Navy Seal target shooter when hunting. Selling yourself short on caliber and power can cause you to really be limited on shots.

In other news this will be my 200th post!

[.300 Weatherby Mag]

I would opt for something bigger with muzzlebreak.... Although a .243 will work, I would want more... At least a .270....

http://www.savagearms.com/116fhsak.htm

[sc928porsche]

Even the 25-06 would be a better choice for your recoil sensitive friend. Your range would still be limited tho.

[CRDNLPLT]

A .243 would be just fine. When I was in Zambia all I could muster up for a spur of the moment hunt was a .243. Shot a hartebeast (probably similar to a cow elk...about 350lbs and about 180 yds. Dropped in tracks), an impala (essentially a white tail) and a duiker (baby whitetail). Was using handloaded 100gr Hornady SP. Like others have said...it's all about placement.

[roklok]

The Sierra GameKing is not a bullet that I would use on an elk even in a much heavier caliber. These bullets are pretty "soft" and do not hold together well enough for deep penetration. I had a bad experience with a Game King 130 grain in my .270 on a small whitetail doe. The doe, which weighed about 60-70 pounds on the hoof, was quartering slightly towards me. I placed the bullet in the forward shoulder at about 50 yards, and watched in amazement as the deer whirled and bounded away. After a long and difficult tracking job, I located the doe 150 yards from where I shot it. Upon skinning and butchering the deer, I discovered that the bullet blew apart in the muscle of shoulder (did NOT hit any bone) and only a small fragment entered the chest cavity. I have no doubt that the .243 will work on an elk, but there are much better bullets for this purpose than the GameKing.

[bcarver]

100 partition

[flyguyskt]

so i took the 243 out this weekend and put a box of nosler 100 through it. wow what a crappy group. this gun does NOT like them. tried 100 grn hornady interlocks and they grouped very well. dont know much about them so i will have to do some research.

my 375H&H however put 3 in an inch at 200 :-)


the gun thing is not a matter of i dont have a bigger gun for her or the recoil, as i do own a 270 winny. the problem is the stock length. and im not going to cut off my stock for a 1 time hunt. and dont feel the need to buy a 500$ gun for a 1 time deal either...it will be atleast 9 years before we can hunt elk in south dakota again!

[taylorce1]

InterLock bullets are the standard hunting bullet from Hornady, they are a good bullet and will probably work for you. I’d prefer the Partitions but if they don’t shoot they don’t shoot. I still think a lager caliber heavier bullet is the way to go.

If you got a .270 Win find a different stock for it and cut it down to fit her. If it is a common rifle action such as a M700, M70, Mauser 98, or a Savage 110 can be found used all the time on forums such as this an auction sites. Most can be have for pennies on the dollar compared to the price of a new stock. No one said that you personally had to buy a new rifle for your “female friend”; if she is into this hunt as much as you are then she should be willing to help with the costs.

[ibdecent]

1st choice: barnes (any flavor will do) and no, not because of the no lead crap either

2nd: nosler partition, proven track record in my books. much experience with it out of a .270

[flyguyskt]

SOOO does anyone have a donor winchester model 70 rhand .270 long action? actually a featherweight model????

[taylorce1]

Look around but here is one that you could get. http://cgi.ebay.com/All-Checkered-Ri...3A1%7C294%3A50

Here is a good fixer upper: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=131188019

Here is another: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=131193194

and another: http://www.auctionarms.com/search/di...temnum=5119888

Don't worry so much about it being a feather weight barrel channel or not. As long as the forearm is stiff enough that it will not flex it will not effect the way it shoots. You can full length bed the barrel if you really don't like the gap in the barrel channel.

Measure your friends length of pull on her rifle, take the pad off of the stock you buy. Cut down the stock to match the length of pull of the other stock, make sure you allow for the recoil pad. Re-attach the old pad and grind down to fit the stock, or go buy a smaller pad in the size you need. Or a real cheap way to go is to just buy a slip on pad in the size you need.

[Jmackk]

Okay, I do own a 243 and I do hunt elk and my oppinon on this is DONT DO IT. My dad hunted elk with a 243 for most of his life, but that's because he's a head shooter(its just his thing, ask him) A 243 will not cause good enough penitration(especially with a winter coat) to cause a quick deat. I hate to see animale wounded and die slow or are mamed.

I did see one guy try and use a 243 once, we were walking up a draw and this elk came over the ridge and my dad shot him(30-06 at the time, not a head shot) and droped him. Well, on further inspection the elk had been shot to hell. We counted 6 shots(all body shot) and then this guy came running over to use and said "hey you got my elk, he just would not stop running so I kept shooting" We gladly let him have it since it was shot up. Now that guy was a crapy shot and only 3 were kill shot, but the 80gr bullet just did not do enough damage to make a quick kill.

Unless you are going to head shoot, which works on cow's, I would say use something bigger for body shot's. I use a 444 marlin(love it) and my dad now use's a 30-06, AND my uncle uses a 7mm. I do know a guy that uses a 375H&H but I think that over kill. If you really insist on using it, head shot, or get a heavy bullet what will give great, no, out standing penatration. I do think they make 110 or 108gr bullet for 243 Ill have to check. AND IT MUST BE A DAMB GOOD SHOT, you dont want to be like the fool we came across. And honestly being able to shoot tite groups from a bench does not mean a hole lot when hunting, it just means your gun shoots strait, but you must do the reast. And sometimes you dont have time to get a reast, many times I have had to make a quick shot off hand and sometimes moving, but never if I was not totally confident that I could make the shot. Remember you do own it to the animal, dont be "one of those guys"


I hunt in AZ and the elk hear in the southwest can get fricken hug. Skydiver is right, my cow I got last year was 430 dressed out and a good friend of mine got a bull thet what was 6 something dressed out, biggest bull I ever seen. I dont know were you are but I would advise aganst 243, unless you head shoot, I do sometime(not with the 444) I can give you more info on Elk and 243 and stuff if you want it I do reload for it, just PM me, im pritty knowledgable on both. And I really like the 243 so dont think its just because I dont like the round. Thats my 2 cents....or more like 4 or 5 cents

[butta9999]

The partition is a good bullet but highly priced. I have used the partition in my .243 with good results on different game.

I would suggest the 100gr hornady interlock as well, i currently use them with great success.

[guntotin_fool]

Ok, first off, yes, if you can find or borrow a bigger caliber, I would do that.

A .260 rem, 7 08 or 308 will do nicely, and the recoil will be unnoticable with winter clothing on.

If you have to use the .243, use nothing other than the partition or a barnes triple shock. You need to drill a deep hole, and they will do it.

My daughter shot her one and only with a 6.5 swede. It walked about 20 yards in obvious distress and fell over. Shot placement is the key, you want to slip the bullet in the spot where the elbow covers when standing still or just behind that. Use the elbow as the aiming guide.

Make sure you have the wherewithall to get that animal gutted and moved out. Either horse back, four wheeler or even a dirt bike, to pull that carcass out of the woods.

[flyguyskt]

found a nice stock for my 270 so i will cut it off and let her shoot it. to see what she thinks. may still use the 243

[taylorce1]

I do feel that is the right way to go, I think once you get the stock to fit her she will be able to handle the recoil of that .270 Win. Try a couple of boxes of Remington managed recoil .270 Win ammo to get her used to the rifle and then start progressing up in bullet weights until you find her limits. Make sure to use at least a 130 grain premium bullet on the hunt. 150's will recoil harder but I still prefer them even for cow elk, all the elk I've killed with the .270 has been with 150 grain Nosler Partitions either Federal Premium ammo or my own handloads.

[ZeroJunk]

Glad you decided to try and use the 270. It's without a doubt better for this job.