ORIGINAL: homers brother

I'm a huge .243 fan, and feel competent enough with my Model 600 to chase elk with it. Elk are decidedly determined, but I've yet to see any elk hit in the vitals with any legal caliber survive. Every time I hear the word "extra insurance", I think "in casesomeone'sa bad marksman". And really, no amount of firepower's going to solve that - ONLY practice.

While you can buy a larger caliber, you can't necessarily buy the skill needed to use it effectively. I have belted magnums in my safe, too. The rifles I usually find myself carrying area .30-06 and a .243.