shottyhunter24

also not to hijack the thread
i have seen a guy take a full size black bear with a 243 to the heart ran 20 yards and collapse

critterwatcher

I agree with the comments made by those that mentioned shooter experience, ethics, and bullet type.

In the past I have hit Elk between the shoulder blades with a Hornady 30-06 150gr SST Superformance that went down and then got back up, whereas with a Hornady Custom .243 100gr BTSP Interlock, same placement, they dropped like a rock, every time. Ranges where from 50 to 200yrds. (Locations with cwd I would avoid shots near spinal areas) Yes these shot placements lose some meat but for me are worth it for a quick kill.

The point is a well placed shot with a bonded round should work (and have) on any north american mammal using a .243 at short ranges, but think a bigger bore might be the wiser choice.

Topgun 3006

Here we go again with a dead 8 year old thread brought back to life out of the archives by a newbie! Welcome newbie, but please stay with the current threads, as there are plenty to post in or start a new one!

PS: Your experience with the SST is not unexpected, as it opens up quickly when you hit a big animal like that where you stated. Also, please be informed that the Hornady Interlock is not a bonded bullet and that's what I reload in .243, 25-06, and 30-06 calibers. Their Interbond is their bonded bullet and it's great for bigger game like elk, moose, etc. where you want deeper penetration before full expansion.

moosemike

Absolutely. And I wouldn't be afraid to hunt Moose with a .243 either. Just give me a Partition or a TTSX and I'll have Moose meat.

the blur

Hydroshock of a .243 is usually greater than a larger caliber.
I use short track cartridges on all big game. No more .30-06 or magnums. Can't practice with them.

flags

Why? Are you delicate? I've spent a lot of time at the rage practicing with things up to 375 H&H and 458 Win Mag. And hydroshock never killed anything. Damage to vital organs does and if you think a .243 is better than a bigger caliber on game like elk and moose then I'm betting you haven't shot many of either.

the blur

Yes, I am delicate. You have a problem with that??????

Guess you never seen a 3" exit hole from a .243 hydro shock. Hydro shock is indeed what kills.

flags

My bet is I've got a lot more experience with bullets hitting flesh, in both man and beast, than you do.

Topgun 3006

You may want to read the definition below because what you're referring to doesn't have anything to do with your 3" exit hole and I think flags has seen more than his share of exit holes, LOL!

"Hydrostatic shock or hydraulic shock is a term which describes the observation that a penetrating projectile can produce remote wounding and incapacitating effects in living targets through a hydraulic effect in their liquid-filled tissues, in addition to local effects in tissue caused by direct impact. Just as force applied by a pump in a hydraulic circuit is transmitted throughout the circuit because of the near incompressibility of the liquid, so the kinetic energy of a bullet can sometimes send a shock wave through the body, transferring physical shock to tissues whose physiologic function may be disrupted by it (especially in the circulatory or nervous systems). (Other kinds of shock, namely circulatory and psychological, may follow, but mechanical shock is the immediate disruptor.) There is scientific evidence that hydrostatic shock can produce remote neural damage and produce incapacitation more quickly than blood loss effects. In arguments about the differences in stopping power between calibers and between cartridge models, proponents of cartridges that are "light and fast" (such as the 9×19mm Parabellum) versus cartridges that are "slow and heavy" (such as the .45 ACP) often refer to this phenomenon."