Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Cow elk and the 243 Winchester

Limiting shots to 300 yards and under what bullet would you use? Any success stories or pics would be great.

Have killed a number of elk with a 100 gr. Hornady interlock, and a couple with a 100 gr. Nosler Partition.

100gr partition was first on my list

Yep. Mine too.

Have used both 100 gr. Partitions and 95 gr. BT with good results.

Partition would be the answer to what you asked.

My suggestion is to use more power than the 243. The cow elk deserves it.

Over the years, I have seen more than a few Elk killed with a .243 Bulls and Cows, a well placed shot with a .243 will kill any Elk on the Planet, 100 gr Partition or my favorite 105 gr. Scenar out of a .243 A.I. will do the job. Rio7

Mousegunners Unite!

.243 Win not much of a prime choice for an elk rifle...... Better grab a 6mm or 6.5 man bun.

My daughter killed her first three with 85 gr barnes. None took more than one shot.

I killed my first elk with a 243 win and 100gr Winchester power points. I have two 243’s now, one I load with 85gr TSXs and the other 95 gr nosler ballistic tips. Neither one would be my first choice for elk, but I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity if one presented itself. Just like everything else, shot placement is key.

My Wife had taken about ten cow elk with her Browning BLR in .243, She bought that rifle with her summer peach picking money when she was 15. I tried to buy her a more appropriate elk caliber and got told where to get off.

Killed a 5 pt. bull with 85 gr. Partitions. As had been said "placement matters".

A well placed shot (between the eyes) with a .22 long rifle will kill any elk on the planet. However, not all shots are well placed. I’d use a bigger gun.

Don't you know that shot placement doesn't matter if your using a caliber bigger than a 243 ?
A 243 using heavy jacketed projectile's is more than adequate for harvesting any sized elk in your range requirement.
Push it to 301 yards and all bets are off.

This old vid has made the rounds but if you haven’t watched it give it a looksee.

John Burns, Has a You Tube video of a girl killing a adult cow Elk at about 600 yards, dropped at the shot, there's no flies on the .243.



10 rnds at 1000 yards with a 107 Gr. Smk .243

Partition will handle it, again shot placement

Beat me to it I was looking for John's Video. Rio7

The 243 Win can sure get it done, but in all honesty it would not be considered the best choice. Understand for youngster’s benefit and others wanting light recoiling chambering it is considered satisfactory.

On the video and other opinions who have used it on elk with success, great. Would love to see video (fat chance) and opinions whereby it wasn’t particularly effective or successful in one or two shots or even recovery of elk. I know those scenarios are out there, but I won’t my breath waiting for any disclosure.

Of course there are elk shot with a .243 that weren’t recovered.

Just like there are elk that were shot and not recovered with a .338, /06, .270 etc. Your point?