Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 308 or 243AI for elk?

You can kill elk with anything of course. Gut shooting them with a .22LR will kill them. The question is how reliably it stops them. If you want to stop an elk reliably without the chance it goes hundreds of yards, you 100% must break major bone. CNS will also stop them, but it can't be done reliably at any distance. Simply shooting their heart and lungs will kill them, but they can easily go hundreds of yards into inaccessible terrain just on the oxygen in their blood and anaerobic metabolism. At the very least on a heart-lung shot you want a pass-through so there's blood to follow.

Solid point. I’d be a chicken and probably switch to a heavier constructed bullet if I was stuck with it. Luckily most of us probably won’t have that problem.

It’s funny how the answers are always different depending on who/how the question is asked. It’s no different around here.

If I talk to someone, a .243, 6.5 etc is way under gun for elk by most. If you ask is the .243, 6.5 etc adequate for a women/child, it’s almost always a resounding yes.

I would agree, the .243 is not what I would consider as the best elk cartridge, but used within its limits, it has definitely worked.

I just think to myself if I couldn’t have exactly what I wanted if I could make a 6 CM or 243 work for me and most of the time I could.

A good friend, who grew up in the AK bush living by the rifle thinks the 308's more than enough (he hunts Kodiak every year). Phil Shoemaker, who has more experience with Brown Bears than most, thinks it's more than enough. And friend lanche, here on the fire, thinks it's more than enough. Your problem is you've got a untested bias, not to mention a big mouth and ego...

Nothing wrong with a .308 and a sturdy bullet that shoots well. Everything in the world is upside down with .243’s except a perfect angle and range.

My favorite elk load is a .308 168 gr TTSX that happens to be sitting on top of 83.6 gr of RL26 inside a .300 Weatherby case. I never ponder “Is this enough gun for bulls at _____ range”?

Good luck and be well!

👍 😉 memtb

I have nothing against the .308 Win......I shot one for many years. However, if I were guiding Brown Bear hunts, I want all of my clients shooting a .308 Win......that way I could finish-off lots of bears that weren’t “overly” impressed! 😉. memtb

Lol you dumb ass I don’t see any mention of a 155gr scenar being used to kill brown bears. The 308 is more than adequate for NA as long as you use the right bullet. You said and I quote “ You could load up 500 rounds with 155 Scenars, and have a lifetime supply for any NA hunting IMO”. Your words not mine. I love to see Phil shoemakers face when you show up to bear camp with a pocket full of 155gr scenars. Once again I have nothing against the 308 but I’m against using the wrong bullet. When talking about a big mouth and ego look at yourself in the mirror their jukebox hero.

Sighted in the 308 with 155 Scenars, and confirmed dope to 400.

Only have time for two more days before the season closes, but I feel readier now.

Thanks to all.

Good luck David.

Hope you connect with one!

Nice David. And rest assured, whatever will kill an elk will kill a brown bear

your arrogance has no bounds.. I agree whatever will kill an elk will kill a bear as long as you use the right bullet. On top of that, the 155gr scenar has a garbage ass bc.

So if I had to ask this question, I probably wouldn’t even bother huntin bulls.


If ya “hunt” em, speacilly over in that country, I’d run either one. I’ve been in the position where I’ve had to make meat with lesser rounds and heard rumors of elk being killed with way less chamberings… go hunt and have fun dave

A long time wrestling pard, we both wrestled at state our senior year, and a great hunter guided for a hot shot up lake illiamna, guided jack briddingham back I’m the day before they got caught killin moose for bait. Aaron used a 416 for backup.. I dunno why he didn’t use a 308 for cleanup??? Haha

I agree I had a bud who used nothing but 25-06 loaded with 117gr hornady btsp. He killed a lot of elk with that rifle, I was witness to several of the kills. If all you have is a 22-250 for elk make it work, but I doubt one would be making 700yd shots at elk with a 22-250.

I’d have to concur with SLM...The 243 Win can get it done, but with variables in play in some jurisdictions ~ I’d pass on the 6mm to go with a more substantial chambering.

🦫

There is a HUGE difference between a 6mm and 6.5mm. Almost all 6mms are slow twisted and there are no high SD fast twist hunting bullets suitable for use on elk. 6.5mm has a lot of options.

A .243 is not adequate for anyone. The 6.5CM or one of its ballistic twins can be made to work.

If that's the 2 choices I was given I'd take the 308.

I am glad you chose the 308!

My choice also.