.243 for moose?

blargon said:
You fella's that are saying you'd use a .243 is one thing, but would you hand it to your buddy's girlfriend, who has likely never shot anything, including a target?

Even if you told her about shot placement, she'll forget it all when a 1200lb Bull comes trotting out...I wouldn't use one, and certainly wouldn't give one to an inexperienced shooter...
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Just to clarify here: My girlfriend prolly shoots better than I do. I've only taken interest in hunting/shooting after long talks with her dad 3 years ago. My hunting partner is her dad, so she's been brought up in the hunting/shooting world. A 30 cal bullet would produce too much recoil for her liking though, but believe me, she can shoot.

Fish
 
huntingfish said:
Just to clarify here: My girlfriend prolly shoots better than I do. I've only taken interest in hunting/shooting after long talks with her dad 3 years ago. My hunting partner is her dad, so she's been brought up in the hunting/shooting world. A 30 cal bullet would produce too much recoil for her liking though, but believe me, she can shoot.

Fish
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Lucky You!

Thanks for the clarification. FWIW, I've seen seasoned hunters get "buck" fever when a dandy steps out...Sounds like she needs her own big game rifle, not a single shot .243...;)
 
blargon said:
Lucky You!

Thanks for the clarification. FWIW, I've seen seasoned hunters get "buck" fever when a dandy steps out...Sounds like she needs her own big game rifle, not a single shot .243...;)
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Maybe a .270 would be better in this case.

My original post was mostly aimed at the following:
I was thinking of getting a single-shot cause I think they're cool (LOVE the external hammer :D). Rossi's offer a combo gun (muzzle loader, .243 and 12ga). I could spend a weekend per year hunting deer at my father in law's place with the ML (deer is only opened for a single weekend with a ML where he lives, no rifle season although there is bow/crossbow season). The 12ga is always good to have for birds and such. The barrel isn't rifled, but I guess if cartridge takedown power is too much of a concern for the .243, I could always load it up with a slug. Although, I know for a fact that the recoil would be too much for the girlfriend. So I was thinking a well placed .243 shot is prolly a whole lot better than a 12" off target slug shot :D

Fish
 
If you use .243, make sure you get good quality bullet (bonded) and heaviest possible for this caliber.
If you gonna go with SP, it my not penetrate.
 
Within 100 yards, there is more than enough energy from a 243 shooting a heavy bullet and using the right type of bullet.

Shot placement is everything no matter what the caliber. You can shoot a jaw or a leg off with a 338LM as well as with a .223
 
I've done it, and lots of guys who have never done it will tell you to, but don't. No matter how many "I have an uncle who knows a guy that has a friend that's killed lots with it" stories, a 243 or 6m/m Remmy is not Moose medicine. Sure, you can do it, and you can do it better with a premium bullet, but it's simply not enough.
 
Forget the .243, .30 cal, .270 etc.... Get her a 6.5x55. Light recoil. Fantastic on game performance. Take coyotes to moose. With proper shot placement, quality bullet and on and on...... Husky from Trade-ex. Entry level price with some quality.
 
I'm thinking a 6.5x55 shooting a 140 grain barnes TSX. Do you handload? This won't kick very hard, but it will HIT very hard. The TSX will penetrate. I'm thinking this would be ideal for your situation. Shooting a moose with a .243, especially with a single shot, is for experienced experts. If you think she's up to the task then it should be okay, but there's ZERO room for error. Having a repeater, like a bolt gun, would at least allow for a reasonably quick follow up shot.
 
Why not a .30-30 with 170gr bullets? The recoil will be similar, but it is a more effective cartridge at such close range.
 
The other option is a Browning BAR, as the operation of the action absorbs a huge amount of energy. I had one in .270 Win and it had very, very mild recoil. And that was with no recoil pad! I'd say with 130 gr bullets it had equal or less recoil than a lightweight .243 Win. - in otherwords, negligible.
 
I wouldn't.
Ditto with the 30-30. Put a recoil pad on them and they're pretty much like shooting a .22, yet can sling a 170grFP at very respectable speed. Plus, if you keep an eye on the ee you'll find a nice one for a very affordable price. Picked my wife a dandy bolt 30-30 from there for 150 bucks from a nice gentleman "down east". Occassionally you see a nice looking marlin for 250-350.

When people ask me about moose hunting in the area we hunt, I tell them, "Minimum 30 cal, leave the scope at home".

I'm reminded of the 303 description in my '60's reloading manual regarding the huge number of surplus 303's, AND surplus fmj ammo: "It can be said the 303 has taken more game in Africa than any other calibre. It can also be said that the 303 has wounded more game in Africa than any other calibre."
(nothing against the 303, I love them, and the 243, but I wouldn't shoot a moose with the 243)
 
Lots of guys around here use small bores for big critters, but this is not a practice I agree with. My criterea is to choose a cartridge and bullet that has a reasonable expectation of killing the target animal with a single shot from any angle, within the range limitations of the rifleman and the cartridge. As soon as you have to limit yourself to this shot or that shot in order to be successful, you've made the wrong choice IMHO. Consider that the only shot you get might be quartering away. Consider also that if your first shot doesn't drop him your follow up shot might be from directly behind. I accept that monometals like the TSX has changed the rules, but an 85 gr bullet from a .243 isn't a moose bullet. You don't have to get beat up by recoil to have an appropriate moose rifle. One of the mild 6.5s will do the job as will a .270 with a good bullet.
 
I got a 46 1/2" bull on oct 10/09 with a 243, 1 shot, 97 grain barns X, 325 yards, through lungs.
 
I dont want to give you options that you obviously do not have like get so and so,if you have one you would't post it for 243.
Buddy of mine has .243 and hunts everything with it except the bears,acctually he dont hunt bears at all.
If you going to hunt with your son give him your 30-06 and you use .243.
He will have much more confidence,would not think what is going to happen after... you probably wont have trouble using it and everyone will be happy
 
blargon said:
You fella's that are saying you'd use a .243 is one thing, but would you hand it to your buddy's girlfriend, who has likely never shot anything, including a target?

Even if you told her about shot placement, she'll forget it all when a 1200lb Bull comes trotting out...I wouldn't use one, and certainly wouldn't give one to an inexperienced shooter...
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I agree! Plus is this girlfriend that is going to be walking around the woods with a "just in case she see's something" rifle qualified to be shooting a moose? Do these girls have hunting licences?
 
No thanks.

2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
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