50 cal for elk yay or nay

[Rod]

Is a 50 enough for elk or not if so what bullet powder combo?

 

If you are talking roundball, I'd say nay--it probably has been done, and if you kept your range to bow/arrow range and placed your shot well, maybe. I'd go no lower than .54 roundball. My experience with elk has been with modern centerfire high power cartridges. Big bull elk are tough animals. Before anyone jumps on me: My elk experience coupled with my knowledge of .50 roundball performance leads me to that conclusion--I have not poked an elk with a .50 roundball myself. But you asked for an opinion. Some folks will no doubt pick .58 or .62 rifles, which would be fine. If you include conicals all bets are off--I don't have that experience, but would guess that it would be enough within reasonable range. As for loads, I prefer accuracy over power but in the case of elk (or bear), power must enter the equation. I would think that a .530 ball loaded with 90 gr ffg would be more than enough (I shoot 75 gr ffg in my .54)--but range is the variable. Round balls are not long range elk killers.

 

[BS]

Is a 50 enough for elk or not if so what bullet powder combo?

Do you have a Round Ball or Slug shooter, what twist is your barrel?

 

[Rod]

I am shooting prb now, have not tryed conicals. The twist on my gun is 1/48

 

[BrownBear]

I can only go on "reverse" experience. Five of us have hunted elk together the last few years. Me and one fellow use 54's with PRB, while the other 3 use 50's. None of us have ever lost an elk, but the devil is in the details.

Even the 50 shooters feel PRB is too limiting in their guns, and therefore they use conicals for extra range and penetration. Both of us 54 shooters have taken all ours with PRBs, and probably more to marksmanship and luck, all of our kills have been one shot.

The three with the 50's have tried half a dozen different conical, and also probably due to marksmanship and luck, none have EVER managed a one shot kill. Part of that is excitement. There's no doubt their elk would have died in a bit, but they simply took a while to go down, so they slapped in another shot.

Broadside lung shots at 50 yards or less with the 54 PRB put them down in a hurry, so we never have had a chance or a need for second shots.

But there's a bit more to the story. Both us 54 shooters are old timers and content to stalk closer and pick our shots. It seems like all three 50 shooters can't help taking 100 yard shots, and if you were looking over their shoulders when they pulled the trigger I bet the shots were further. Who knows how the 50 conicals would have performed at 50 yards? Give those young buck a few more years in the field and a little more patience, and maybe we will all find out!

 

[BS]

I can load my 1 in 48 uo to 95FF and a Heavy patch and a .495RB. If I go over 95 the groups open up.

I would use 70-80FF or 80-90FF and keep my shots less than 75yds, and only take a broad side shot.

Try some heavier loads and see what happens, all barrels are different!

 

[OTHERN]

I have hunted elk with a 50 cal flinter for 25+ years. A 50 is what I had, so thats what I used. Load is 80-90 grs of FFg with a patched round ball. Have shot alot of elk and have never lost one, however again shot placement is king. A good broadside shot is all that I will take. If I shoot them in the lungs the ball goes in one side and out the other. IF I take a shoulder shot the ball is on the other side under the hide. Most shots are from 20-50 yds, but have 3-4 that were around 100 yds. If you are worried about it, then step up to a larger cal. My 2 cents.

Othern

 

[MikeChapin]

Myself, I use a .54 but I know a lot of people who have taken them with .50s. As other people have mentioned, the primary factor is to get close and place the shot through the lungs. I don't think I have ever taken an elk, with a muzzleloader, at over 70 yards. Most have been within 40-50 yards.

This year I will use a .58 simply because it is my only flinter over .50. I have not taken an elk with a flinter so this will be a first.

 

[Rod]

Thanks for the info It sounds like most of you guys feel a 50 with PRB is marginal for elk.

 

[roundball]

FWIW, I think of muzzleloaders and round balls compared to centerfire rifles sort of like this, with both being used at typical woods distances:

The .45cal is like a .243...the energy of a light 128grn ball has range sesnsitivity and shot placement is absolutely critical, wait for the heart, wait to avoid bone, etc;

The .50cal is like a .30-30...has good medium energy, still prefer good clear shot placement...energy of the 180grn ball carries higher further than a .45cal, and a clear, standing heart/lung shot at 100yds using a rest will work on whitetails;

The .54cal is like a .30-06...a more powerful round ball caliber, the 230grn ball carries high energy to greater distances, and hitting bone will usually not be a major issue;

The .58cal is like a .300mag...a big frontal area, the heavy 279grn ball will take most of the big game on the NA continent except things that bite back, carries higher energy to longer ranges, and shot angle has the least restrictions given the heavy ball's ability to penetrate through a lot of stuff.

Just a way I think about them in the relatively close range woods settings I'm talking about...

 

[BS]

FWIW, I think of muzzleloaders and round balls compared to centerfire rifles sort of like this, with both being used at typical woods distances:

The .45cal is like a .243...the energy of a light 128grn ball has range sesnsitivity and shot placement is absolutely critical, wait for the heart, wait to avoid bone, etc;

The .50cal is like a .30-30...has good medium energy, still prefer good clear shot placement...energy of the 180grn ball carries higher further than a .45cal, and a clear, standing heart/lung shot at 100yds using a rest will work on whitetails;

The .54cal is like a .30-06...a more powerful round ball caliber, the 230grn ball carries high energy to greater distances, and hitting bone will usually not be a major issue;

The .58cal is like a .300mag...a big frontal area, the heavy 279grn ball will take most of the big game on the NA continent except things that bite back, carries higher energy to longer ranges, and shot angle has the least restrictions given the heavy ball's ability to penetrate through a lot of stuff.

Just a way I think about them in the relatively close range woods settings I'm talking about...

Very well Put! :bow:

That pretty much sums it up! :grin:

 

[laufer]

Shot placement is a key.
I use .54 for both elk and deer. Not sure about .50 for myslef, but again, shot placement is the most important.

 

[Rod]

I like the way you sum things up :thumbsup:

 

[bill ropke]

If you are using a .50cal with a 1-48 twist, why not experiment with a conical. I use the Buffalo Bullets brand and have hade excellent results with their 410gr bullet. I push them with 90gr FFg and they work like a champ. I have killed whitetails, elk, boars and caribou with this loading. I have only recovered one bullet and that was from a whitetail that I shot just over 140yards away. Quartering away in dense grass it was lodged between the shoulder blade and the hide on the far side of the animal. He dropped right where he stood though.
Just a thought for you.

 

[Rod]

I just bought some T/C 275 grain maxi hunter last night. I am going to try them out on sunday. Do you use anything to get a better gas seal or do you just pour the powder and seat the bullet on right top?

 

[bill ropke]

Pour powder, and seat projectile on top of powder. I would also make a new witness mark on your ramrod just so you know where they are fully seated. Just a reminder.
You may want to make sure that the grooves are full of lubricant, either bore butter, wax, etc.
The base will expand to form a nice tight seal upon ignition. Start with a 70gr load and work your way up till you get good accuracy.
ntn2it

 

[BS]

The 275 maxi hunter is made for deer, not elk. It is light and will expand too much. :nono:

Just remember hollow points expand not penatrate. On elk, you need penatrationg, not expansion!

The 410 Hornady is a very good place to start, and put a wad under the bullet, thick hard card stock works well!

 

[peeweet]

The 460gr No Excuses conicals driven by 90grs of kik ffg is devastating out of my .50 Hawken.I would use this on moose out to 75yds without thinking twice.

 

[lacerote]

I Killed a large Red Deer Stag last year with a 50 cal 48 inch gain twist , patched round ball 80 grains of fffg Swiss . First shot only hit one lung at arround 60 yards but he bled like crazy kept going down I found him not that far away and put one in the neck as he was down . One lung was Hamburger . Red Stags are reported even harder to kill than Elk from the guides I spoke with who hunted both . That said If I had to do it again I would opt for my 60 . BUT I would not feel that underguned with a good shot which is the most important thing anyway if I had my 50. That said I am off to shoot wild Boar next week and it is my 75 cal Jaeger for that , THEY HUNT BACK !!!

 

[Rod]

Thanks for the info