If you absolutely can't get a 'large' rifle, or borrow one, load up with 100gr nosler partitions from federal. Elk are an awfully 'tough' animal and have huge lungs so willvery likelyrun a fair distance if you don't clip the heart also with such a small cartridge. The sometimes tough neck shot will get an elk down in the snap of a finger, even with the 243;and thanks to the partitioned bullet penetration will be deep.