58cal roundball for elk

[Sharp Shooter]

Sorry for starting a new topic but my other whent another direction.

ANYWAYS.....

My roundball load in my 58cal is 120gr Goex FFG. I use a Hornady .570 roundball. So for elk hunting with this load what would be an ideal yardage limit? I was thinking 50-75 yards.

Thanks

 

[rabjr]

I should think that load would be good for as far as you can accurately hit a target. Should be fine out to 100 yards.

 

[BrownBear]

I can verify that a 54 cal RB over 90 grains of 3f is fine for broadside elk shots. Twice in fact. Once at 30 and once at about 55. With any RB I'd take broadside shots only. I'm not much for shooting further than about 75 yards, so you're on your own there.

 

[Vaino]

Last elk shot was a lead cow {big} at 107 yds. {paced off} and she went 30 yds. Used a .54 PRB w/ 120 grs. 2f and the hit was through the ribs, w/ the "ball" recovered in the opposite shoulder, just under the skin. I say "ball" because it was more like a thick quarter....I was amazed at the expansion. The load you specified in .58 cal. is good to 100 yds. and is deadly if it's a rib hit.....

 

[rabjr]

Totally agree with you guys, the .54 roundball with 90gr has done nothing but impress me the last 4 years on deer so I can't see the .58 roundball not doing the same with Elk.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Sent one zippin clean thru a big cow buffalo at 110 yards with 100 grains of FFg. She didnt go much further than 30 yards after she was hit. They work good.

 

[Headhunter]

I am going against the grain on this one. I am here to say that a 58 ain't no 50. The 58 has a LOT of power.

I shoot the same load as you do in my GM 58 except I use 130 grains of powder. I have a life size cutout Silhouette of an elk that I use for my testing.

I keep moving it out in 25 yard increments. You will soon learn your what Max range is.

A 58 will Plow any elk at 150 if you can hold it steady.

Headhunter

 

[John Wasmuth]

.58 aint no slouch when it comes to raw poor, it'll kill anything on earth.

 

[tg]

" I have a life size cutout Silhouette of an elk that I use for my testing."

This is an excellant way to determine your maximum range.don't put a bullseye or target on the silhouette just move till you cannot keep them in a 6" circle in the kill zone this small group will give a margin of error.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

Sorry for starting a new topic but my other whent another direction.

ANYWAYS.....

My roundball load in my 58cal is 120gr Goex FFG. I use a Hornady .570 roundball. So for elk hunting with this load what would be an ideal yardage limit? I was thinking 50-75 yards.

Thanks

I agree 100 percent :hatsoff:
Where were you thinking of elk hunting this year?
Oh ya like I said on the post that went south I get three inches of elevation change with a 225 grn RB what I did was to get Track of the wolf's ajustable tang peep site not pc but primitive and very cool I have a 50 yrd setting and a 100yrd setting has made a huge difference for point of aim when hunting close range dark timber where you may have to " thread the needle"

 

[Sharp Shooter]

I will probably hunt units 7 and 8 in Colorado.

 

[Ron LaClair]

Sharp Shooter, I think you're loaded for Elk :thumbsup: I like big calibers and I think my next gun will be a .58 flinter. My favorite meat gun right now is my .62 Jager flintlock. I took this moose in northern Ontario with it. My load was 200gr's 2FF and a .610 RB, he never had a chance :grin:

 

[Greenmtnboy]

Sharp Shooter, I think you're loaded for Elk :thumbsup: I like big calibers and I think my next gun will be a .58 flinter. My favorite meat gun right now is my .62 Jager flintlock. I took this moose in northern Ontario with it. My load was 200gr's 2FF and a .610 RB, he never had a chance :grin:

NWTF, I have seen that pic before and love it :bow: :bow:
And the lock is even on the right side.
:grin:

Hay what kinda accuracy are you getting with 200grns of ffg?
And hows the recoil?

 

[Dphar]

Sharp Shooter, I think you're loaded for Elk :thumbsup: I like big calibers and I think my next gun will be a .58 flinter. My favorite meat gun right now is my .62 Jager flintlock. I took this moose in northern Ontario with it. My load was 200gr's 2FF and a .610 RB, he never had a chance :grin:

Congrats on the moose...
If you know someone with a chronograph you might want to test 150 gr vs 200 in your 62. My 30" barreled 66 does not gain much beyond 140 gr of FFG Swiss other than recoil which keeps getting worse.
The larger balls actually use the powder more efficiently than the smaller bores do and generally need less powder as a percentage of ball weight to get usable velocity. A 50-54 needs near or just over 1/2 ball weight of powder from the rifles I have owned. My 66 only needs 1/3 to make 1600 fps. But there are factors that can change this. I had a barrel with a rough interior surface from the breech ups about 6" that was 120 fps faster with the same load. Probably due to the slower acceleration of the ball. it was also much less consistent than the smooth barrel.
But if it shoots 200 significantly better you might be stuck. Some barrels just like more powder. I once had a 54 that would not shoot well until I reached 120 gr of FFFG. 20-30 grains more than any of the other 54s I have owned.

Dan

 

[laufer]

I will probably hunt units 7 and 8 in Colorado.

what is your experience in those units, i see a lot of public loand, is it crowded? i hunt 20 and 19 and the last few years were not so good.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

First year trying these units.

 

[laufer]

thank you. sorry to sway yet another topic into something else, but it seems to me that .58 prb with good shot placemet is more than enough for elk. i would add that anything over .54 with 90gr ffg is sufficient for elk 100yrds or less.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

thank you. sorry to sway yet another topic into something else, but it seems to me that .58 prb with good shot placemet is more than enough for elk. i would add that anything over .54 with 90gr ffg is sufficient for elk 100yrds or less.

I agree.

 

[laufer]

practice, practice, practice, shot placement is the key. good luck.

 

[oletymepreacher]

Your load is OK. I have hunted the units you refer to since 1977, and have had 50% luck-usually one elk every other year. Should you be hunting the muzzleloading season, they will be on the highest points around, and you will know you are getting close if there is no sound of ATV's.

If mountain climbing is not for you, the third or fourth season should push some of them down lower, depending of course on weather.