Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting .243 Elk Load

It might. 140g's out of 6.5mm has been killing some big animals for a very long time. But in all honesty a well placed shot thru the vitals w/a 243 and you're gonna have a dead elk.

Thanks, she is getting pretty excited.

Would a .270 be a better choice? For all the haters..

When I retire my 270 I'm gonna switch to a 243 fulltime......

243....100gr Partition...around 375yds. First elk for the boy, the 10th elk for that 243. The bull was quartering towards us and the bullet ended up in the off side rear quarter.

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Not a fan of the 243 for elk. That said if I had to use one this would be the load.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/74...ester-90-grain-e-tip-lead-free-box-of-20


http://www.midwayusa.com/product/91...grain-nosler-partition-spitzer-box-of-20

As Clint Eastwood said in Dirty Harry, "A man's got to know his limitations."

Same could be said of anyone's choice to trip a trigger at a nice bull at some distance. There are variables in this equation that need to be considered both well in advance and in the moment. As many wise souls have already stated in this thread, the variables of bullet selection and individual skill to seal the deal either improves one's odds for putting meat in the freezer or ensures the prolonged misery of a regal beast. Having witnessed the latter precipitated by some "sportsman's" ineptitude, perhaps those that have had a bull or buck run off and not recovered after being "poked through the boiler room" should spend more time practicing in addition to discerning the difference between boilers and bathrooms.

While there has been some luck involved over the past 4 decades, all of the deer and elk I have received after a bang or twang have been the result of one poke. Would I use a .243 pushing Barnes 85 grain TSX's for elk? Sure, but I can tally variables to minimize the limitations of both the bullet as well as my own to ensure there's both fond memories and meat in the freezer as a given outcome....

The biggest problem with Elk hunting is finding an Elk to shoot, next the hard work to pack it out. As for this 243 business or any other cartridge for that matter, if you can shoot well in the field, then it don't matter a wit, If you can shoot well you have more problems than what cartridge bullet or what have you. I killed just one bull with a 6.5 x 55 the smallest cartridge I have hunted with and I still do. Have a great trip. Just make sure you have some blue tape on the barrel.

I'm just glad the elk I have killed weren't those 900-lb armored ones!

That DoubleTap 100 grain Partition load is what I'm taking hunting. The .243 is my back up rifle. That said, if it is in my hands and I'm comfortable with the shot, I'm taking it.

Expat

My nephew just took his first bull elk...a 5x5 bull yesterday after school with his 243 he got last year for XMAS. Two well-placed shots about 125 yards. Bull dropped n the first tried to get up so he hit it again. 95gr Winchester Supreme BST's did the job.

His older brother by 2 years got his first bull last year (5x5) in the same field, with same caliber, bullets and 2 shots. At least my youngest nephew has bragging rights, his bull is quite a bit bigger. He has had a great week as he took a 5x5 whitetail buck on this past Saturday afternoon.

For me, I wasn't a big believer in the 243, let alone the BST's for elk, but good shot placement is the key to everything.

Hopefully your -06 will stay functional. I have never killed an elk, but I have a lot of faith in TSX's and 100gr Partitions. Both are available in factory loaded ammo. I heard a good report from one guy who used the Fail-Safe on one elk, but have not heard anything on the XP3. If I had to choose one, I would go with the Partition and be selective on shot angles.

The Partition load made the trip, but the -06 was fine and the .243 wasn't required. I still wouldn't hesitate to point my .243 at an elk if I had a reasonable shot.

Expat

100g partition, 42.3g h4350

We shot a few cows with this load, no issues.

Way back when he didn't have a more appropriate calibre a buddy shot a couple of moose with cup and core bullets. The animals died quite quickly.

Jim

Native girl I worked with shot a moose with her .243 this year, 100gr Sierra GameKings she believes. Shot it quartering away, bullet penetrated to the offside shoulder, taking out a few ribs. She said it went about 50 yards before going down. Wouldn't have been my first choice, but it worked.