.54 PRB elk load

[BS]

I double lunged an elk with 90 grains of 3F and a slightly hardened round ball. [could still scratch it with a thumb nail]

40 yards, clean thru with the 54.

My green mtn barrel shoots best with 90-95 grains of 3F with a .537 ball and tight pillow ticking.

 

[Sixgun_Symphony]

I double lunged an elk with 90 grains of 3F and a slightly hardened round ball. [could still scratch it with a thumb nail]

40 yards, clean thru with the 54.

My green mtn barrel shoots best with 90-95 grains of 3F with a .537 ball and tight pillow ticking.

How long is your green mtn barrel and what is the rifling twist rate?

 

[BS]

How long is your green mtn barrel and what is the rifling twist rate?

1", 28" 1-72 ish, what ever they have always made. 1980s era.
Pure lead is .537" hard were slightly smaller. Oops!

 

[Atticus69]

1", 28" 1-72 ish, what ever they have always made. 1980s era.
Pure lead is .537" hard were slightly smaller. Oops!

Thanks to all posters. I started this thread, I'm a year or 2 from going and continue to follow the thread. It is great to have so many good people with such vast knowledge and experience to learn from.

 

[tom_in_vt]

I’d try to keep shots short and work up the fastest load your gun will shoot accurately. I’ve seen cow elk take poor shots with a 338 win mag and travel over 10 miles before the blood trail dried up and disappeared.

Shoot the lungs and they die quickly.

 

[BS]

If you are going to hunt elk, you need to know about Tapered paper Cartridges!

8 second reloads are easy, not so much on the run, but you don't loose any powder!

http://rjrenner.blogspot.com/p/tapered-paper-cartridges.html
Lots of 'tapered wood' on ebay for mandrels.

And they work in a 54!

 

[Old Oak]

I have two setups for elk, one is a 54 T/C with 410 gr conicals on top of 90 gr fff Schutzen, fiber optics for low light ambush by water in our arid AZ. The other is a 34" 1/66 twist 53cal Santa Fe with .520 PRB 90gr FFF for spot and stalk during the middle of the day. Elk are tough, sometimes they just stand there after the shot, sometimes run, however with all the variables found in an actual hunt, I prefer the conical to put the meat on the table.

 

[Atticus69]

I have two setups for elk, one is a 54 T/C with 410 gr conicals on top of 90 gr fff Schutzen, fiber optics for low light ambush by water in our arid AZ. The other is a 34" 1/66 twist 53cal Santa Fe with .520 PRB 90gr FFF for spot and stalk during the middle of the day. Elk are tough, sometimes they just stand there after the shot, sometimes run, however with all the variables found in an actual hunt, I prefer the conical to put the meat on the table.

I'll be using a Lyman Great Plains rifle, flintlock with slow twist barrel. My limited experience is that conicals don't do well in slow twist barrels. Any contrary experiences? Maybe I should try some in my rifle and see how they do? My previous try with conicals in a 1/66 barrel was with a different rifle.

 

[Old Oak]

I have not had good experiences with conicals in a slow twist barrel, as others have said, The best overall solution to your setup IMO might be to get very familiar with the most reasonable accuracy/power combo. Elk are big targets and with a broadside, standing elk at less than 75 yards, I don't see much of a problem. Be sure to have a cow call at hand to stop them. It sometimes takes a few seconds for them to stop after you call. I prefer a diaphragm for hands free calling. letting me pick one or multiple shooting lanes. As important as anything is a wind checker bottle. As others have said, it is much like archery on steroids, however I have not had the same luck with a blood trail as with a sharp broadhead.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Although I’ve taken likely over a dozen elk with modern unmentionables, I’ve only taken 2 with a sidelock muzzleloader. Two years ago with a Lyman .50 GPH and 370gr Maxiball, last year a .54 PRB. My load? 90gr 3fg Goex, .018 bear greased patch and .530 Hornady ball. Shot at 60 yards but a poorish hit which resulted in a follow-up. The elk turned from broadside to leave as I touched the trigger. I’ve no doubt if that wouldn’t have happened it would have resulted in a quick recovery.
Walk