I agree.. roskoe had you wounded that elk you would never forgive yourself... You did the right thing. As hunters we have an obligation to be efficient as well as humane. If you are going to shoot 200 yards, it is you obligation to practice and become confident that you are able to make such a shot.

At least roskoe knows now, that he could make such an shot......but that still does not mean he would try it again. Although I have to admit the result of the shot would have been interesting from a ballistic standpoint...

I absolutely agree the shot would have been risky. It also sounds like the rifle did not have a scope which makes the shot even more likely to have been difficult to duplicate. I have a scope on my Omega and still limit my shots to 100 yards on elk. Besides the accuracy, there is the energy thing.At that rangethe remaining energy would have been questionable unless you really stoke the rifle up a lot more than I do.

At that time, I was using three 50 grain pellets behind that Expander. And had shot some groups at 200 yards that wererunning about 6to8 inches with the open sights. My biggest concern was a completly unknown amount of bullet drop - and whether there was enough horsepower to get good expansion.Anyway, it felt like a "Hail Mary" at the time - a shot I might have launched at a wounded animal getting away, but not at an unsuspecting elk.

Little side note: next morning the same group of cows came back. Got a 125yard shot this time .

Are you talking maximum range, or effective range?