My wife has a 243 that she likes and that will go with us up to Fairbanks. There aren't deer up there and I'm not trying to fool myself into thinking that its a moose gun but what about caribou? I was hopeing that an 80 grain barnes TTSX will do the trick if pushed at max velocities and there is a good vital shot. I would be counting on the fact that the barnes bullet will keep its weight after expanding and penetrate deep. Of course I would be there too follow up with a 165 TTSX from my 300 h&h doing 3025 out the muzzle if necessary.  She is really recoil sensitive and we have a hell of a time finding rifles that fit her and are heavy enough but not too heavy.

Looks like going heavier would be better...

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/133608-A-243-for-Caribou

Kind of what I figured. She really needs a 7mm-08 or something.

.257 Roberts and .260 Remington are both pretty mild on the shoulder, too.

It will do in a pinch, but I'd recommend a 30-06 or something hat achieves similar ballistics/energy.  I poked one last fall with a .338 win mag.  It took two 225 grain slugs before it was sick enough to lay down and die.  Both slugs went into the the heart lung area.  They can be somewhat resilient critters.

243 with the old 100gr soft points does very good on bou.



I have used 80gr hollow point with no trouble.



Put the shots in the boiler room and they do not go far.



Even with the 223/556 they do not go far.

A bunch have been take by it out here.

Well I figured by your handle you might know something about this. lol Maybe I'll give it a try up there. I think a barnes will do a good job

Caribou are about as tenacious as a Prong Horn Antelope, you can kill them with most anything.

Its all about shot placement. A 243 will work.

If she shoots the 243 well and is comfortable with it, go for it.  A good shot with a rifle she knows is better than a bad shot with a rifle she is scared of or unfamiliar with.

I would have NO issue using a 243 for caribou, as I have and the neighbor have taken several with the 243.  I am using Sierra 85 grain bullets and have not lost an animal yet.  The 'other side' of the problem is where one hunts.  Where we hunt there is the possibility of running into a grizzly bear.  Since I am hunting with other people, one of them generally has a 338WM or something that will handle a bear.
As far as bullets go for the 243, I think that there are some better bullets then the Sierra's, but for me they shoot so well.