Elk at 688 yards with a 243

[grand veneur]

Don't get me wrong, since I got my last cow elk with my 500 Jeffery, but I think those cartridges are a bit overkill for elk. A 270, 30-06, 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win or Wby Mag are more than enough for elk at 500 yards with good shot placement.

It always depends on what kind of Elk you are hunting. As foreigners, we mainly hunt big trophy deers in the rut, and there are often surprises how tough they are. That's why practice taught me otherwise.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I thought HE was a she? Maybe transgender? LOL

How about 25-35yds from your knees? I've shot two trotting cow elk on different hunts that surprised me from that position with my Browning .338 WINCHESTER MAGNUM. Anyone can make that shot, but the impressive part is I didn't have to chase any wounded elk. LOL

From these two posts I am beginning to wonder if your next hunting trip has the plane tickets with a long layover in San Francisco...you've gotta funny way of hunting...there buddy!

Running the numbers at 3250 it's 1054#. I have ran some of my 243s up over 3300. Not sure what the load was, even at 3150 it 977.

I'm curious how they're pushing a 105 that fast.

@CoElkHunter
It was 25 to 35 yards because you were stuffed after carrying that fire breathing magnum and you were on your knees because you could go any further and after the shot praising the lord for thatshot because you couldn't go any further.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Bob

I don't wanna speculate which mountain he was hunting on...but I'll add that he failed to speedily mention any female companionship...

Which is kinda funny; from the regs; the minimum energy for a rifle is 1000ft/lbs at 100yds with an 85gr bullet for elk (70gr for deer, antelope and bear), but only 550ft/lbs at 50 for a pistol. Both need to be .24 caliber or larger.

It looks like a inclusive thing for the .243 for kids and women. The energy is just not going to be there in a shorter barrel and to drive it higher makes it exclusive to the hand rifles. I believe that the average pistol hunters are generally regarded to be more proficient with their setup than the average rifle hunter. They are generally expert rifle hunters and their evolution has come from experience afield and on the range. As someone who has hunted with both, the woods look a lot different when toting just a handgun even if it is a hand rifle lap cannon like an encore so that keeps away the combo-trash that only practice once a year.

 

[Inline6]

@Forrest Halley it is not that hard with the right barrel and chamber. Berger 105s do not have a long bearing surface. I'm not sure why some think this is magic? When a 243 is throated for 105, which I think is the difference here. You can seat the bullets where they need to be, that affords additional case capacity.

 

[raamw]

All long range hunters prove is they are too lazy to enjoy the true art of hunting

 

[Inline6]

All long range hunters prove is they are too lazy to enjoy the true art of hunting

And some will say the same thing about all rifle hunters.

It is not about being lazy, I can assure you the hours and resources it take to be truly proficient does not equal lazy.

 

[raamw]

There is no way you can be 100% confident that you can humanely kill an animal at that range particularly with a light caliber, if long range shooting is your passion than use a 50BMG or similar round that can deliver or stick to paper targets. I have found that trying to find a blood trail in the brush is difficult at 200 yds imagine how hard it would be at several hundred. I have shot several animals that did not leave a blood trail for 40 yards or more and I use 30 caliber rifles or larger.

 

[grand veneur]

All long range hunters prove is they are too lazy to enjoy the true art of hunting

There are circumstances when hunting some game species where you often have no choice but to shoot from far away if you want to be successful. This has nothing to do with laziness, because such hunts are often very tiring and therefore require very good physical condition. Getting closer to the game would not be a problem in terms of fitness, but at times the terrain no longer allows such things. Then you have to decide whether to shoot at long range or not.

 

[Nyati]

I have a .243 W, but in this case I would have used my .338 WM

 

[Captain David newlin]

Shooting elk at that distance with anything is not hunting. With a 243 total stupidity. Go buy a beef cow , tie it out and shoot it. Wild game needs to be respected and hunted properly. Watched a long range guy cripple up a bunch of animals in Africa, and yes he was playing video to brag about how far he shot too.

 

[raamw]

I have spent hours and days trying to get the distance down to a reasonable range to me that would be dependent on the caliber but generally 200 or less. It took me 4 days of a 11 day brown bear hunt to get close to a Brown Bear, wind changes low flying aircraft to scare him into the brush, but on the last day all the planets where perfectly aligned and we spotted him at 300 plus yards we crossed a tidal river and over the next several hours while he was preoccupied with eating salmons we had our shot at 110Yds , bang Flop. Hunting and shooting are two separate things, I have gone home with a tag for my efforts but that makes it hunting.

 

[MS 9x56]

What “Game Farm” was that on? kidding but that’s a really DUMB DEER, why didn’t you just Knife it ?

I must admit I felt a bit sheepish after the deed was done, but he had it coming since disturbing my slumber.

 

[MS 9x56]

There are circumstances when hunting some game species where you often have no choice but to shoot from far away if you want to be successful. This has nothing to do with laziness, because such hunts are often very tiring and therefore require very good physical condition. Getting closer to the game would not be a problem in terms of fitness, but at times the terrain no longer allows such things. Then you have to decide whether to shoot at long range or not.

This is true, but the OP was not hunting Marco Polo sheep in the Tienn Shien mountains. They were hunting elk below tree line. There was ample opportunity to close the distance.

 

[HankBuck]

This is true, but the OP was not hunting Marco Polo sheep in the Tienn Shien mountains. They were hunting elk below tree line. There was ample opportunity to close the distance.

MS 9x56 - you are really tough to please “ample opportunity”...etc. It’s almost as though you were on that hunt right alongside of her? I’m Not a fan of that video but i’m almost as kind as the Pope compared to you....and I’m Not even a nice guy. I am enjoying your posts and those of many others and reminds me to NEVER post a video of me anywhere — I’m sure I would screw something up somehow. It’s like everyone is watching this woman in her underwear and guessing her weight, facelift?, suspect liposuction ? Etc.. We are a very hard group to please.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I know what the problem is Bob…

Coriolis effect in the southern hemisphere is acting against the bullet spin direction due to your barrel rifling. Slowing those bullets down! It’s all because your rifles were made for the upside of the world…

@NIGHTHAWK
Me thinks not. I used the max load in the manual and even ventured higher to try and get the velocities.
Alas I ran into very flat primers and still didn't get close so backed off to Max.
Even my so called fast chrony was slow as well as a magneto speed chrony they were tried on.
One 243 wouldn't even break the 3,000fps with a max load of H4350 with an 87gn on either chrony set at 12feet.
Dang even Winchester revised their velocities down because they were pie in the sky.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Forrest Halley it is not that hard with the right barrel and chamber. Berger 105s do not have a long bearing surface. I'm not sure why some think this is magic? When a 243 is throated for 105, which I think is the difference here. You can seat the bullets where they need to be, that affords additional case capacity.

@Inline6
That may be so but not a bog standard 243. My 25 is long throated and give amazing velocities.
A match chamber, long throat and seated way out may not work in a standard 243 mag .
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I must admit I felt a bit sheepish after the deed was done, but he had it coming since disturbing my slumber.

@MS 9x56
But isn't that how close you are supposed to use a 243 on deer.
Tie a piece of bread on the muzzle and have a sleep. When said deer comes to eat the bread blow it's God dam heed off.
Ha ha ha ha ha
Bob

 

[MS 9x56]

What “Game Farm” was that on? kidding but that’s a really DUMB DEER, why didn’t you just Knife it ?

Knife was in my pocket rifle was in my lap.

 

[WAB]

@NIGHTHAWK
Me thinks not. I used the max load in the manual and even ventured higher to try and get the velocities.
Alas I ran into very flat primers and still didn't get close so backed off to Max.
Even my so called fast chrony was slow as well as a magneto speed chrony they were tried on.
One 243 wouldn't even break the 3,000fps with a max load of H4350 with an 87gn on either chrony set at 12feet.
Dang even Winchester revised their velocities down because they were pie in the sky.
Bob

Bob,
I’m getting 2,900 with 100 gr bullets in my .243. I don’t feel like I’m pushing it hard. I will admit that I don’t totally trust my chrono, hence the LabRadar heading my way from @Inline6.
Bill

 

[CoElkHunter]

Knife was in my pocket rifle was in my lap.

Next time duct tape a bayonet to the barrel! LOL

 

[MS 9x56]

HankBuck, sorry if I come across that way it was not my intent. The point I was trying to make is that it is not hunting but shooting. I have nothing against shooting, hell I was on the rifle team in the army. The animals deserve better. My Dad taught me above all to respect the animals. I may be a bit preachy and over zealous on that point If I offended you I apologize. Long range hunters would not be welcome in my camp.But that’s just my prerogative.