ORIGINAL: chiefks
I was wondering if anyone in here has taken elk with a 243 before. If you have what was your expeience? Like what bullet did you use? How far did the elk run after the shot? What was your shot placement?
Never done it. Seen it done. Knew a girl in CO who killed an elk every year with her .243!!
Sheplaced her shot on the side of the head, using the ear hole as an aiming point, ranges up to 200 yards. With such a point of aim, it really doesn't matter what bullet you use.
To reliably take elk with a .243 (or any other 6mm), you must be a superb shot (like the previously mentioned W.D.M. Bell!!) and have enough self-discipline to take no shots other than ear or eye-hole shots at broadside elks' heads. Also, practice, practice, practice before this elk season!
No bullet, no matter how good, is going to make the .243 into an adequate elk gun for all-round use. Using a tough bullet like a Nosler Partition or a Barnes X makes the .243 a barely acceptable mule deer rifle......
However, killing a cow elk is not quite the same as killing a 1000 pound bull, either. But I don't recommend body shots with the .243! It is too easy for big bones and muscles to absorb those little bullets!