50 cal for elk

[longcruise]

The policy of the ranches I guide on is that everyone that hunts there will be able to put 3 rounds, with no matter what firearm they hunt with in a 2 inch bull at 100 yards distance. No hitty, no hunty.

Must be an awful lot of paying, or potential paying, hunters being sent home without being allowed to hunt. :haha:

I have been shooting ml matches since 1976 and working on hunter sight in programs for about 20 years and can tell you straight off that about 95% of all shooters I've observed (and it numbers way way into the hundreds. Maybe thousands) cannot put three consecutive shots into a two inch circle at 100 yards under the best of circumstances. That's from a bench. In fact, about 65% of them don't have a clue on how to shoot a rifle from a bench. Then, on top of that, you could train them how to use a lead sled to rest their guns and pull the triggers remotely and still over 50% of them don't own firearms of any type that will shoot 2 moa for three shots.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Sad aint it? The owners wont allow anyone that cant "Qualify" on the range to hunt. We'll even loan them rifles that are tricked out, glass bedded, free floated, tight shooters if theirs wont shoot. Lot of em have high dollar rigs but cant stand the recoil, flinch like mad dogs and cant hit anything. He does send a few of them on their way, but he dont want the guides spending all their time tracking wounded game. If they hit em, they pay for em, dont matter if they collect them or not. And they aint cheap.

 

[redwing]

After more than 50 yrs. of hunting elk you learn that there are no concret rules. A short timer or new elk hunter will often quote exact facts on killing these critters.
You take that same fellow after 25 years and he will tell you how wrong he was. The way to cut your losses is a well sighted rifle and loads. And know your game. Go out to the Mtns. and study the critters in off seasons.
I prefer the .54 or .58 that is only a personal choice. Years of hunting will help you choose what you need. If you hunt up high in the black timber or you are chasing Sand Elk in the desert. You will find out what you need. In time you will find that good tracking skills are needed if you hunt White Tails in Ky. or Elk in Wyoming. Don't discount it. :thumbsup:

 

[BS]

I have seen several 54 cal round balls shoot clear thru elk.....40 to 60 yds.....just need to pick your shots.........like the perfect broadside, just behind the leg......double lung.

My guns:

after the 54 came a .62 cal.........before that one was done, I had a .73 cal barrel ordered. Just ordered a .69 cal.....must be getting older.....

I did just acquire a 58 cal barrel, always wanted a 58..............

Being brought up on shooting 12ga. with slugs, I like making big holes.........with a 440 to 550 grain round ball, you can break the front leg and still take out both lungs.....you can't always pick your angle, so ..........I like to use plenty of LEAD.........

:yakyak: :yakyak: :yakyak:

Shot placement is the key........and use the gun that you have confidence in.

No-BS

 

[aloyalistdawg]

Hello Guys
Well I used a fifty on a 210 , 8 point this year.. The first shot (and hitthe neck) was aprox 70 yards.. The second hit was around 50.. but never went right through lungs and ribs.. Never again, the ball is not heavy enough...Go with as large as you can 54,58,0r 62 at least these have some left over :thumbsup: Well thats my opion any ways OH and by the way round ball deer taste better this one was excellent lol :thumbsup:
Best regards a "loyalist dawg" :hatsoff:

 

[longcruise]

To each his own of course, but I can't imnagine why you would try a neck shot a 70 yards.

What was the rest of your load. My .50 killed deer have always been devastated in the chest cavity and have never gone more than a few feet. Except for the one that rolled to the bottom of the gulley!

 

[Greenmtnboy]

I have been shooting ml matches since 1976 and working on hunter sight in programs for about 20 years and can tell you straight off that about 95% of all shooters I've observed (and it numbers way way into the hundreds. Maybe thousands) cannot put three consecutive shots into a two inch circle at 100 yards under the best of circumstances. That's from a bench. In fact, about 65% of them don't have a clue on how to shoot a rifle from a bench. Then, on top of that, you could train them how to use a lead sled to rest their guns and pull the triggers remotely and still over 50% of them don't own firearms of any type that will shoot 2 moa for three shots.

:bow: :bow:

 

Shooting off the bench is great for finding out what your gun can do but shooting the same gun in different hunting shooting positions will tell you what you can do, and whatever range you can hold a killing group consistantly (not just your best group) is what you need to stay with as your max range no matter the caliber. I have never seen anyone packing there shooting bench on there back elk hunting before.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

Shooting off the bench is great for finding out what your gun can do but shooting the same gun in different hunting shooting positions will tell you what you can do, and whatever range you can hold a killing group consistantly (not just your best group) is what you need to stay with as your max range no matter the caliber. I have never seen anyone packing there shooting bench on there back elk hunting before.

No doubt,
off hand shooting and compitition makes you relize how much you need to practice well before hunting season.
It's still imporant to bench your rifle in a seated and standing off hand rested position to bring your sites into aline for true site in, and practice,practice,practice off hand.
:thumbsup:

 

[John Wasmuth]

If you cant hit a 2 inch bull at 100 yards from the bench you sure aint gona hit it off hand in the field. I dont like having to track gut shot animals for a couple of days at a time. Been there, done that, dont like doin it. Dont really like guiding people that are afraid of the gun they have in their hands and cant shoot it, but I get paid to do it, so I do it. The way I got it figured. But maybe it's just me. Practice practice practice, in every position that could come up in the field. But a person that cant hit the bull from the bench aint shooting at animals on our ranches. Only makes sense.

 

[Stumpkiller]

You bring that bench with 'em so they can use it when it counts?

Hell. I couldn't see a 2" circle at 100 yards so how could I possibly hit it with iron sights even once, let alone three times? Thankfully our local deer have about 14" to 16" of chest height and a gallon milk-jug size vitals area. I can see that.

Luckily most of my deer get to 20 or 40 yards before I shoot. That is, I don't shoot until most of my deer get to 20 to 40 yards. But then I'm my own guide and can take my time and do it.

And I sure don't carry a bench with me hunting, and I wouldn't automatically consider someone who could shoot well from a bench as necessarily being a good offhand or even from a field rest shot. I practice on deer silhouettes with no marked bullseye at hunting ranges and in the woods with no solid bench to get my eye used to picking a shooting window AND a spot that isn't already mowed and marked with yardage and a nice black or orange dot. I have known excellent target shooters who were also excellent hunters, but as many who were dismal shots on living targets.

You want to have some fun - set out a 3-D deer target at an unmarked 135 yards in a field and ask them to tell you the range. We did at a club I belonged to at an invite shoot and had guesses from 60 to 275 yards. Probably only 10% were within 10 yards of correct.

 

[John Wasmuth]

You bring that bench with 'em so they can use it when it counts?

Hell. I couldn't see a 2" circle at 100 yards so how could I possibly hit it with iron sights even once, let alone three times? Thankfully our local deer have about 14" to 16" of chest height and a gallon milk-jug size vitals area. I can see that.

Luckily most of my deer get to 20 or 40 yards before I shoot. That is, I don't shoot until most of my deer get to 20 to 40 yards. But then I'm my own guide and can take my time and do it.

And I sure don't carry a bench with me hunting, and I wouldn't automatically consider someone who could shoot well from a bench as necessarily being a good offhand or even from a field rest shot. I practice on deer silhouettes with no marked bullseye at hunting ranges and in the woods with no solid bench to get my eye used to picking a shooting window AND a spot that isn't already mowed and marked with yardage and a nice black or orange dot. I have known excellent target shooters who were also excellent hunters, but as many who were dismal shots on living targets.

You want to have some fun - set out a 3-D deer target at an unmarked 135 yards in a field and ask them to tell you the range. We did at a club I belonged to at an invite shoot and had guesses from 60 to 275 yards. Probably only 10% were within 10 yards of correct.

Where did I say anything about taking a bench with you. This is a waste of time. Much like wrestling with sus scrufa.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Know your limits. I took my elk at 140 yards with my 54 and she dropped within 60 yards. I now upped my caliber to a .58 Not because i need more "power" but just because i always wanted a bigg'n. Just put new buckhorn sight on her too, thats going to help me even more.

 

[longcruise]

Knowing your limits is truly the most important thing and the only way to learn them is to shoot a lot in the kind of conditions one will encounter hunting.

With my current .54 cal set up with basic open sights mounted on the barrel, I'm not good beyond 50 yards off hand. I've tested my limits over and over with 10 shot offhand groups. I once held six inches at 50 yards but mostly it's about 8 inches. Having a good rest makes 75 yards doable. Huffing and puffing from climbing the mountain brings my offhand down to about 25 or 30 yards. :redface:

 

[laufer]

Knowing your limits is truly the most important thing and the only way to learn them is to shoot a lot in the kind of conditions one will encounter hunting.

With my current .54 cal set up with basic open sights mounted on the barrel, I'm not good beyond 50 yards off hand. I've tested my limits over and over with 10 shot offhand groups. I once held six inches at 50 yards but mostly it's about 8 inches. Having a good rest makes 75 yards doable. Huffing and puffing from climbing the mountain brings my offhand down to about 25 or 30 yards. :redface:

amen!

 

 

tell me about your gun and load maybe i can help you out. :hmm:

 

[longcruise]

tell me about your gun and load maybe i can help you out.

It pretty much applys to all the guns I shoot regularly, which includes a TC .50 Hawken, TC .45 Hawken, Traditions .50 deer hunter and a .54 GPR with a GM barrel.

All can be made to shoot well from the bench with holes touching at .50. All those guns will do it with more than one load combo. It's when I shoot standing on my hind legs without a rest that they shoot six to eight inches.

It's not bothering me. Some of the best shots in the world are at their best holding four to five inches offhand at 50 yards (for ten shots).

Anyway, I'm mainly a hunter and make it all about getting close enough to make a shot.

 

[cptleo1]

My 270 will shoot right at MOA all day long off a bench.

If I put the same sights as my ML has on it I am fairly sure I would be one of the guys going home early.

I determine MY maximum range with any weapon as the range that I can shoot a fist sized group, thats for ML,modern, pistol or bow.

Just mt 2c.

 

[poordevil]

:hatsoff: :thumbsup: