Best projectile for elk?

Hey guys,

I'm toying with the idea of taking advantage of Colorado's blackpowder season in the future.

Two questions: Given the limitations you have to work with there (no optics, no sabots, etc) what is the best possible load to build a rifle around? For the time being I'm limiting my thinking to .50 caliber guns, as there just aren't many streamlined projectiles available for the larger calibers.

I'm thinking that if I want an honest 150-yard weapon, the best bullet would be something like the Hornady FPB.

http://www.hornady.com/store/50-Cal-300-gr-FPB/

Any thoughts?

Im curious what others say..

I bet that thing will thump you pretty hard if you are pushing a 300 gr bullet with enough umph to drop an elk at 150 yds..

Assuming you can use an inline ML, you may want to consider using the Blackhorn 209 powder.. You may get better yardage with less powder

Brian

I'm playing with a sidelock and have found that some folks are successfully using BH209 with a booster charge of JSG.

Having said that, honestly, if I end up elk hunting with a muzzleloader, I'd probably get another inline. I wouldn't want to remove the scope from my Savage MLII and elk hunt with it then have to re-sight it before deer seaon opened back up, so yes, an inline would be high on the list....but for now, my first goal is to figure out what projectile will work best and give the longest effective range with a sidelock, assuming the use of black powder.

If I assume the ballistics off Hornady's website are accurate, their FPB bullets (300 or 350 grain) would be enough to kill an elk at 150 yards reliably.......but that's a big assumption.

since you are limited to open sights you may also want to consider adding a peep site..

I have this peep/rib combo on my T/C Triumph..

good luck

Brian

I'm having my caplock drilled & tapped so I can install a Lyman 57 SML as we speak.

A good aperture rear would be a must-have on anything I hunted with that couldn't use optics.

LOL, look at it as an excuse to get ANOTHER gun!

I am filling out my CO app today:
My 14th consecutive year of trying for a very good CO unit, ML tag.

By the time I have enough points, I'll need a walker!

After tromping around last year amidst B&C class mule deer, but with no tag (tried but didn't draw), I kinda sorta feel your pain. There's just too many hunters. It's a supply and demand issue, pure and simple.

No Excuse Bullets

In 50 cal the 460 or 495 grainers have been excellent performers for me. You will need a rifle with a fairly fast twist to stablize these long heavy bullets. White is a great rifle and very accurate with big bullets if you can find one, Knight is ok too, but anything with a 1-28 or 1-24 twist will due.

Never hunted an elk, but I've been around them in the wild so I know they are pretty big animals. I think I would also go with the Hornady FPB if I couldn't use a saboted bullet.

With the optics limitation, and with the ranges that will limit you to, it's hard to go wrong with anything heavier than 250-300 grains out of a .50.

I think you are doing yourself a disservice by limiting it to just .50 cal, the .54 is a major step up in how much powder and lead you can sling, and there are several makes of conical bullets available. When I get the chance to get out that way, I will hopefully be shooting a flinter in a .58 or .62, but if I have to stick with my .54 firing roundballs, I will not feel under gunned. The destruction caused when a soft lead roundball meets flesh and bone is truly impressive, if you've never seen it. On par with a 30-06 at muzzelloading ranges.

arowneragain

From recollection (please investigate further) I thought that you "may" have to cut off the tip of the Hornady FPB to get it under the length limit for CO projectiles (1" Max??)

Anyway, something to consider.

No doubt I would be taking the scope off the Savage. its not gonna be far off when you put it back on if at all

I would probably try BH209 and the FPB first (personal choice as a starting point) FWIW

I couldn't find anything about a maximum bullet length in the CO regs.

I bought 45 of the 350-grain FPB's.

I'll update when I get a chance to shoot them.

I would just use the same home made lee modern Minnie balls I use for deer hunting.

.54 caliber 410 gr soft lead bullet.

Never shot an elk with them, but I have put them length wise through a white tailed deer and not recovered the slug. And that is with breaking a shoulder and a hip. Should be plenty of penetration for an elk.

I shot the 350-grain FPB from my 21" green mountain barrel today.

CCI percussion caps, 100 grains of FFg Goex, and the one round I put over the chronograph clocked 1351 fps.

I was expecting more.

Oh well........decently accurate (after two sighting shots, everything hit where I aimed it, and that's all the details I'll give, given my eyes and generally poor shooting with irons) and when they hit the steel plate I have hanging at 140 yards, they sound louder than my 6.8 SPC at that distance.

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