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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
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I know this is an elk forum and I'm not trying to highjack. I mostly hunt deer in coastal Carolina. They are small. I've killed deer with my 243 but don't like that it doesn't give me a blood trail. Before everyone chimes in on my "abilities", shot placement was never the issue. Center punch the lungs above the heart and the deer generally go 20-40yds (my experience with factory ammo). Coastal Carolina has some badass bush and without blood on the ground sometimes you almost have to trip over the animal to find it. I believe in complete pass through, 2 holes let in more air and let out more blood. I'm just getting going with reloading, what bullet will give me the blood trail I want? (I currently have 100gr boat tail Interlocks and 100gr partitions)
Again, not trying to highjack, this seems like the right "cast of characters" to answer the question. 95gr Horn SST - only caveat, stay off bone, other than ribs. It'll normally paint your back drop red !
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 41,951
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
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Hunted cow elk in central Montana last two years. No grizz in area. Last fall a hunter shot a cow at about 200 yards with a .243 using 100 grain Hornady bullets. Shot twice but probably did not need to shoot second time since both shots were in same place. Animal fell near shot impact. Another hunter was using a .375 H&H with TTSX bullets. Shot six times, hitting animal 5 times at about 100 yards with animal standing and not running. Animal finally fell over after last shot and all shots should have been lethal within a few inches of each other. Bullet selection and shot placement is probably more important than caliber, based on this example of one. Over penetrated pass through lung shots leave a lot to be desired for quick kills, especially at shorter ranges. Barnes monos will do that. Outcome would have seen different results if the shoulder was taken with a couple shots. Age old argument regarding penetration vs expansion. Barnes bullets are great on bones and muscle, not as good on soft tissue as others. If you’re shooting lungs the Hornady SST is literally the bomb. YES !
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,870
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2009
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beretzs, Many vets have told me hunting and fishing has saved their lives, depression takes a terrible toll on our vets, the outdoor activities perks them up and gives them something to look forward to. look up The Healing Waters Project, they are in all 50 states, they started out as a fly fishing group teaching vets to cast a fly on the grass at Bethesda, in D.C. Now they are teaching fly tying and rod building, and taking vets fishing and hunting, we have been a part of Healing Waters, 15 years. and have had 400 disabled vets as our guests. THANK YOU !! Rio7
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2011
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beretzs, Many vets have told me hunting and fishing has saved their lives, depression takes a terrible toll on our vets, the outdoor activities perks them up and gives them something to look forward to. look up The Healing Waters Project, they are in all 50 states, they started out as a fly fishing group teaching vets to cast a fly on the grass at Bethesda, in D.C. Now they are teaching fly tying and rod building, and taking vets fishing and hunting, we have been a part of Healing Waters, 15 years. and have had 400 disabled vets as our guests. THANK YOU !! Rio7
Great stuff. Thank you
Semper Fi
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Joined: May 2017
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Rio7,
All good here!
Happy Trails
Life Member NRA, RMEF, American Legion, MAGA. Not necessarily in that order.
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Joined: Mar 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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T Inman, We have always felt the disabled vets and their family's, cannot be thanked enough for what they have suffered to make this a safe place for all of us, and I THANK YOU for your service.
As for Management Bull Elk, we are on the same page, we give ours to vet's, as most of them will never get a chance or be able to do a Rocky Mountain hunt, we have put a lot of effort into making this a disabled friendly ranch, Rio7
Not a damn thing wrong with that. Good on ya.
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Joined: Mar 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Dbl post.
Last edited by T_Inman; 05/07/21.
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Good stuff! Thanks to all you vets.
T Inman, We have always felt the disabled vets and their family's, cannot be thanked enough for what they have suffered to make this a safe place for all of us, and I THANK YOU for your service.
As for Management Bull Elk, we are on the same page, we give ours to vet's, as most of them will never get a chance or be able to do a Rocky Mountain hunt, we have put a lot of effort into making this a disabled friendly ranch, Rio7
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 32,066
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2001
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A badly placed .338WM bullet may be - may be - marginally more effective than a 100 gr. .243 bullet, but I wouldn't put money on it.
Please explain. That sounds interesting. Speculation. I try not to do research in this area. But I see I could have made my post clearer. I was speculatively comparing calibers with the SAME bad placement. Not a badly placed .338 vs a well placed .243. Sorry about that.
Last edited by las; 05/09/21.
The only true cost of having a dog is its death.
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Campfire Tracker
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A badly placed .338WM bullet may be - may be - marginally more effective than a 100 gr. .243 bullet, but I wouldn't put money on it.
Please explain. That sounds interesting. Speculation. I try not to do research in this area. But I see I could have made my post clearer. I was speculatively comparing calibers with the SAME bad placement. Not a badly placed .338 vs a well placed .243. Sorry about that. Ah. Thanks for the clarification.
I probably hit more elk with a pickup than you have with a rifle. I have yet to see anyone claim Leupold has never had to fix an optic. I know I have sent a few back. 2 MK 6s, a VX-6, and 3 VX-111s.
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Campfire Tracker
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Shot my first elk with a 250 Savage and a 87 grain something bullet. A 243 will work fine with a 100 grain Partition, have done it.
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Campfire Regular
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.243 wouldn’t be my first choice for an elk rifle, but if that’s what I had I certainly wouldn’t stay home. I’d load up some TTSX’s, or 100gr Partitions or Interlocks and go hunting.
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Campfire Tracker
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.243 wouldn’t be my first choice for an elk rifle, but if that’s what I had I certainly wouldn’t stay home. I’d load up some TTSX’s, or 100gr Partitions or Interlocks and go hunting. Well said.
I probably hit more elk with a pickup than you have with a rifle. I have yet to see anyone claim Leupold has never had to fix an optic. I know I have sent a few back. 2 MK 6s, a VX-6, and 3 VX-111s.
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Campfire Regular
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I've killed cow Elk using my .257 Roberts, wasn't hunting (moving cattle), wouldn't have been my first choice, but the 115 gr Nosler partition had no issues whatsoever.
Respects,
Richard
Cat, the other white meat!
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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My wife killed her first elk at a naive 24 years old with a borrowed .243 Win. She will readily admit that it was a lucky shot.....the kill actually required two shots! She will be the first to tell you that’s it’s not a great elk cartridge!
She’s many killed elk since, with the vast majority being one-shot kills after going up a few calibers in cartridge selection! memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
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I have seen it done a few times but never shot an elk myself with a 243. In 50+ years of elk hunting and guiding I have come to think of the 243 about like every other person who's seen them used a lot.
Bullet holes kill, not guns or bullets. Those are tools to make the hole. Holes can vary in 3 ways. Diameter, depth and straightness.
The 243 shows excellent results when used with excellent bullets and mediocre results when used with mediocre bullets. It can give poor results when used with poor bullets.
JUST LIKE MOST OTHER CARTRIDGES!
But when used with Barnes TSX, Nosler Partitions bullets, Hornady GMX, Swift bullets and many of the best bonded bullets the 243 kills elk just fine. Maybe not as dramatic as the same placement with a 30-06 or 300 mag, but the elk die quickly enough when the bullet hole goes through what it should and a good 243 bullet will do just that.
I prefer larger and heavier bullets, but there is no arguing with success, and I have seen good kills many times from 243s.
Last edited by szihn; 05/31/21.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 32,066 |
100 gr (I think maybe Partition - if not that then a Corelokt) kilt a moose just fine for my wife.
Double-lunged at @ 75 yards, he walked about 30 feet to put a screen of willows between us, stood there for 20 seconds or so and tipped over. Missed ribs on both sides, so penciled through, but the lungs were mush.
I've never warmed to the .243, but have taken a bit of game with it (sheep, caribou, black bear, and that moose). I finally got my 700 to shoot about MOA, after 45 years of 2 1/2 MOA! (needs just the right amount of front tip pressure. .I should take it hunting again.....
What szihn said.
Last edited by las; 05/31/21.
The only true cost of having a dog is its death.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Regardless of slug, location/placement is everything.
1Minute
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I know this is an elk forum and I'm not trying to highjack. I mostly hunt deer in coastal Carolina. They are small. I've killed deer with my 243 but don't like that it doesn't give me a blood trail. Before everyone chimes in on my "abilities", shot placement was never the issue. Center punch the lungs above the heart and the deer generally go 20-40yds (my experience with factory ammo). Coastal Carolina has some badass bush and without blood on the ground sometimes you almost have to trip over the animal to find it. I believe in complete pass through, 2 holes let in more air and let out more blood. I'm just getting going with reloading, what bullet will give me the blood trail I want? (I currently have 100gr boat tail Interlocks and 100gr partitions)
Again, not trying to highjack, this seems like the right "cast of characters" to answer the question. 95gr Horn SST - only caveat, stay off bone, other than ribs. It'll normally paint your back drop red ! Same w the 95 grain Partition. Bone is no issue though and I normally try to break 1 or both shoulders. Break shoulders and you will be following short blood trails or deer are DRT.
Last edited by 10gaugemag; 05/31/21.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Noted how many caveats, etc. are used when using light caliber cartridges for elk…..
Life Member NRA, RMEF, American Legion, MAGA. Not necessarily in that order.
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