.45 legal for Elk?

[Vaino]

I think Colorado has it right w/ .50 cal. being the minimum. I previously used a .50 cal., 410 gr. Buffalo Bullet and if a conical is used, the length cannot exceed 2X the dia. Have since gone to a .54 PRB and of the elk I've shot, there's no difference between the BBs and the PRB asre "killing power". Went to the PRB because of better trajectory....less mid-range height. Who's Toby Bridges and why are people "bad mouthing" him?.....Fred

 

[paulvallandigham]

Toby Bridges is a media prostitute, who once wrote for some gun magazines, spouting the usefulness of shooting the PRB, but then not only changed his tune when he got hired by some In-line companies,but began appearing before legislatures in various states, lobbying not only for his right to use a zip gun with modern pistol bullets, but began lying about the effectiveness of the PRB on deer. He actually tried to get state legislatures to OUTLAW the use of the PRB for hunting deer!

You have the situation reversed: Its Toby Bridges that is bad mouthing US- not the reverse. Most of us try to never think of him. It gets our blood pressure up. :shocked2: :hmm: :surrender: :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

" I "get" the concept and personally feel that my 16 bore RB gun and my .451 Whitworth are about equal in range and game taking ability. i.e. i would take the same shot with either rifle out to 125-150 yards max depending on conditions"

Both look to be pretty good Elk loads and I believe you are talking about a period bullet or a close copy, which I think would be fine in a ML hunt, I have talked to folks from all over the country and have yet to find one who hunts in a state where the original intent was not meant to use an older technology for the ML hunt, if just shooting more deer was the goal no single shot limitation would make any sense, and if you are out there Ron I do not receive your posts so they are wasted if directed at me.

 

[pchwcf50110]

TG, i guess what i should have said is that in the 2/3's of the country where the whitetail deer is the preminent big game animal the states don't look at it that way anymore. it's all about population control which is totally diferent than trying to stretch something as small as an elk herd to meet the high demand for tags. so i guess in a round about way i kinda agree with you.

 

[Goldhunter]

reply to original question.

In Utah, it depends on what's used. Round ball in .45, NO; conical in .45, yes. UT does it by projectile weight.

from UT 2010 Big Game Guidebook;
"To hunt big game, you must use a lead or expanding bullet or projectile that’s at least 40 caliber in size.
If you’re hunting deer or pronghorn, your bullet””including your sabot””must be 170 grain or heavier in weight. If you’re hunting elk, moose, bison, bighorn sheep or Rocky Mountain goats, you must use a 210 grain or heavier bullet, or a sabot bullet that’s at least 240 grains."

By the weight requirement, .54 is the smallest round ball we can use here.

So a .45 RB is not legal for elk in UT, nor in my opinion, advisable due to their size and strength.

But a .45 lead concial like IdahoRon is talking about is heapin good medicine for the Wapiti.

But as always, YMMV. :thumbsup:

 

[Jason Lewis]

i know this is off topic, but i've just examined the bridges site for the first time. i've heard of the North american muzzleloading hunters association or whatever it is. these guys are a joke, all advertising and no science. i have chronographed these so called high energy substitutes, they are not high energy, for instance, from a CVA inline a 300grn powerbelt with a vaunted 3 pellet load on 777 only managed about 1350fps with shot to shot variations of about 50ish fps. swiss 2F can shoot the same projectile at about 1500fps+ with around 100grns. sorry just my two cents worth, i was astounded how wrong much of their information was.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Most states probably look at the common ML projectiles which woud be the ball,and not consider the long heavier bullets,as most ML hunts were set up so one steps back in technology and range of the weapon so to be much less effective than the centerfires, some folks just don't "get" this concept, but that is another thread or two of its own.

The topic is, Is a 45 legal in your state for elk. Ron

Oooo LOOK theres a kitty! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: