Use Enough Gun

[Jc2020]

I’ve shot a lot of deer with a 243 and had success I think it’s a great deer cartridge personally I’ve moved up to the 260 rem and Passed the 243 on to my kids but wouldn’t hesitate to use it on deer or boar

 

[rwc101]

I stopped reading after you stated .243 and .25 cals weren't enough for deer.

Every animal killed by my wife and I with a .25-06, .243 and .257 Wby Mag disagrees with you.

Keep reading. The bit about shooting hogs in the mouth is a hoot.

 

[devon deer]

The age old .243 isn't enough gun we get the same threads in the UK
It's the only full bore rifle I own at the moment, it's plenty of gun for deer, bullet construction and shot placement makes for a very effective round on deer, I have shot some huge red deer stags with it.
100 grain soft point.
Recently I have switched to copper, same result, dead deer, none lost to date.

Would I use it on Elk, probably not, but if it was my only rifle and I didn't push the distance I'm confident in my own abilities to get it done.

Cheers

Richard

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

If I had used a much lesser round she would have been a 3 legged elk and have gotten away.

I'll go a different route than everyone who has replied and disagree with you on a different point. I shot an elk with a .270 in only ONE hip, and the only direction she went was down. Hard to move with a busted femur.

 

[mtmuley]

This is something I don't have to worry about. mtmuley

 

[Rzrbck918]

This is something I don't have to worry about. mtmuley

After I read the initial post, I just scrolled until I confirmed you too had seen it.

 

[BAKPAKR]

This is something I don't have to worry about. mtmuley

Me neither - 300 RUM and 181 gr Hammer Hunters. Of course, the three deer my daughter shot with her 223 and 77 gr TMKs last fall didn’t run any farther than my doe.

If I ever get to chase big ol’ Western deer again, I might need to move up to 199 gr Hammers.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Man I better tell my 5, 8, 11, and 13 year old daughters that their 243 isn't enough gun. Oh wait, that almost 200 pound doe our 11 year old shot last fall with REDUCED recoil handloads and a 95 gr Ballistic tip at 2400fps that broke the shoulder going in and then completely passed through and had the doe on the ground in 50 yards after doing the front end plow... didn't get the message. I have numerous friends who have used the same recipe with their small sons and daughters and they have all anchored deer as efficiently as a larger caliber. Maybe it has something to do with shot placement....

 

[belshawelk]

This is something I don't have to worry about. mtmuley

nor I. I grew up watching my dad shoot every deer in the head with a .22 LR from our back porch.That was then

Here is where I always get arguments coming from. I have been on more elk hunts than most ever will. As a hunter, guide or helper. I have seen many many, many elk shot with a 30-06, 7mm ( my least favorite) and other guns, only to get hit really hard. Yes in the vitals for those asking. I guess I am just too old now, but get dont like tracking critters. Last 4 elk I shot I hit in front shoulder, breaking both shoulders. They do not move after hit. I feel the same for bear. And no with a good tough bullet zipping through the shoulder with a crap load of energy it doesn't destroy meat. Long story short, I started using more gun and never looked back. For snipers and perfect shooters who can shoot an elk at 3 miles I know your 6.5 will work for you. I am good, but not that good.

 

[mtmuley]

If I ever get to chase big ol’ Western deer again, I might need to move up to 199 gr Hammers.

That 199 Hammer is wicked. Takes a 9 twist though. mtmuley

 

[BAKPAKR]

That 199 Hammer is wicked. Takes a 9 twist though. mtmuley

Boxing up a Bartlein 9 twist today to put on a different 300 RUM. It is going to come back as a 30 Nosler though - gotta do what I can to conserve powder. Hope it is enough gun for whitetails.

 

[rustednuts]

shot placement>bullet selection>caliber

This needs to be a shirt

 

[mtmuley]

Boxing up a Bartlein 9 twist today to put on a different 300 RUM. It is going to come back as a 30 Nosler though - gotta do what I can to conserve powder. Hope it is enough gun for whitetails.

Steve has run that 199 at ridiculous speeds in a RUM. I shot it at 100 yards in a 10 twist. Great accuracy, but Steve warned me to stretch it out to confirm stability. mtmuley

 

[JPeters218]

I’ve used 30-06 and .270 a ton for elk. I’ve seen absolutely no difference in performance between the two. Shoot them in the lungs at under 100 yards; they go 50 yards and tip over

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Finn Aaggard of African fame said of the .308 Winchester: It offers unsurpassed game field utility.

Going down a step on the .308 case we have the 7mm08. Easily a worthy candidate for an all around cartridge, equal to or even exceeding the legendary 7x57 or as it was known in India the .275 Rigby.

Going further down we have the .260 or even the 6.5 Creedmore, both the equal or better of the 6.6x55 Swede. Another cartridge of legend which the early Scandinavian explorers of the Arctic used with success on polar bears. They were great shots and those long bullets of great sectional density went deep then deeper.

Why any body would chose over any of these, a,243 which was designed as much for woodchucks as for deer just amazes me. Adequate is just okay, but surely not high on the list for game field utility.

Regarding the 25-06. it is fine for deer and antelope. I so enjoyed my .257 Roberts and thought about getting a 25-06. When I did the math, however especially considering it needs a long action. I just decided on a .270. The .270 has so much more game field utility. As I mentioned in the fist post, I even loaded it with 180 grain Barnes originals.

For me it is all about the highest level of game field utility and the track record.

I did have a .260. still have a 6.5x55. I recall taking an angling going away shot at big mule deer one time. He was in a slow trot not far away and I easily put a 160 grain 6.5 bullet high behind his last rib and he crumbled like a dropped rock.

Dressing him out, that heavy long bullet went high and straight, did not hit the guts, tore through one of his kidneys, did incredible organ damage and went diagonal across both lungs. That was great performance,,,real game field utility.

Things happen in the field that often ask for greater performance than a round equally designed for woodchucks. Just going from.257 to .264, max bullet weights go from 120 grains to 160 grains

I just do not understand settling for so much less? And even for new young hunters, why limit them?

All of the rounds mentioned above are fantastically accurate, many are very mild of recoil and proven killers.

MR

 

[dsotm]

Gotta love caliber gatekeeping

 

[rwc101]

Hilarious. The .243 turns woodchucks into red mist. Irrelevant comparison. Top 10 selling cartridge for decades. A lot of people have gotten "game field utility" out of the millions of deer, antelope, and elk killed with the .243. Between my new rifle and my 270 WSM I'll never worry about being under gunned.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I think we live in an age when "adequate cartridge" discussions are not really helpful (except for range considerations). "Adequate bullet" conversations are more relevant. I'd rather hunt elk with a .243 and 90 grain E-tips than a 7mmRM with 139 grain A-max's.

 

[nrpate05]

Because bullets are so good these days, "enough gun" has become smaller. For elk, I'd rather have a .270 with a good copper bullet than a .300 WM with squishy bullets. I shot my mule deer with a .25-06 and 100 grain barnes this year. Complete pass thru, he went 20 yards and left a massive blood trail. Would be happy to use that combo on elk at sane distances.

 

[PNWGator]

The ‘value’ of the smaller chambering is increased accuracy and precision and higher hit rates, especially for new riflemen. Paired with phenomenally designed projectiles, there is no downside related to terminal performance.