cow Elk near Jefferson

[Sandan027]

I drew my tag also. This will my first ML elk hunt. I'm shooting a 1/48" twist Hawken, I'm thinking a 320gr. Maxi Hunter in front of 85 grs Goex FFg. What do you all think of that load?

 

[Patocazador]

Sounds like a winner to me. I like Maxi-balls in mine but never shot an elk with one.

 

[Sandan027]

Thanks. I'll let you know how it worked in a few months (hopefully). I meant Maxi-ball. Now to figure out how to edit my original post

 

[elbeefalo]

Do you mean County (38) or town (39)?

I pulled a buck tag for GMU 38. Now I gotta see if I can get the wife an OTC doe tag, too.

 

[longcruise]

Jefferson? You mean as in south park? Which unit?

guessing it's a .50 cal?

Just my opinion, but the maxi hunter would be a better choice. The 85 grains is plenty. Been there/done that with 70 grains.

 

[Sandan027]

town. Area 500.

 

[Sandan027]

Why a maxi-hunter? Is the penetration good enough? Were you using the 275 gr. or 350 gr. boolits?
I'm considering Hornady 385 gr. great plains boolits, but think I'll get better stabilization with the Maxi-ball 320 gr. and yes a .50 cal.

 

[longcruise]

The only elk I have killed with the .50 conical was with a 370 gr maxi. That cone shaped nose does not seem to create as good a wound channel as something with a flatter nose.

a mulie buck taken with the same at 35 yards over 100 gr 2f showed similar results.

I like the looks of the. Lyman great plains bullet for its shape. That flat nose woul cut a good. Wound channel. It does require obtaining the mold though.

Conicals at ML velocities take us out of the expansion game so these flatter noses eliminate the need for expansion.

If you were shooting a .54, I'd be preaching round ball but have always felt the.50 ball to be a bit small for elk. I know many have used the .50 ball on elk, but I remain a prisoner of my opinion!

 

[longcruise]

Also, if you are shooting a 1/48 twist, everything mentioned so far in your thread would stabilize just fine. My TC 1/48 even stabilized the 450 gr Lee 50-70 bullet. It did need to be sized to get it down the barrel.

 

[Rat Trapper]

My TC Hawken 50 cal shoots real well with 90 grains of 2F Triple Seven, ox-yoke wad over powder and Hornady great plains 385 grain bullet. Your rifle will tell you what it likes. Every rifle is different, but I have always had best luck with the Hornady bullets in all my TC rifles over maxi bullets. Shoot what ever does best for you in your rifle and use a hunting load of powder.

 

[Sandan027]

The Hornady Great Plains 385er is on my list. I wasn't sure about using the over powder wads though. Lubed, right? I was under the impression that 80 grains of FF was a hunting load.

 

[longcruise]

Never tried the over powder wads. Many swear by them. Always got good accuracy without them.

the accuracy killer for me was the crud ring that built where the bullet sat on the powder. Accuracy was best when it was wiped away after every shot.

I shot a lot of 100 gr loads until I did some cbronographing. The difference between 80 & 100 gr of 2f or pyro RS was insignificant! With either of those powders you won't get a 370 or 385 going much over 1300 fps without massive charges. Never got mine over 1400 fps.

 

[Sandan027]

At the range I swab after every shot. As to the chron, that's great info. If I'm not getting a significant velocity increase going to 100gr from 80gr it doesn't makes sense to have to put up with the extra recoil. I'm going to play with 75-90gr charges and see what gives me the best accuracy.

 

[TJK]

Scandan:

I hunt elk over in area 55. My elk load is 100 grains of goex 2f under a .530 round ball with a .020 patch lubed with TOTW mink oil. I hunt with a TVM Late Lancaster flintlock.

Both the load and the rifle have been very effective for me and I've put down three nice cows over the past few years with a total of 3 shots that ranged from 65 to 90 yards.

Remember: You're not hunting elk until the little hairs on the back of your neck start standing up and you ask yourself, "how the heck am I going to get an elk out of here".

Go Roundball

Rio

 

[Sandan027]

TJK,
Thanks for the info. I'm shooting a .50 so a PRB just won't do it for me. I was getting pretty good accuracy with a 370gr. Maxi-Ball over 80gr. Goex FF. I'm still experimenting.
I''ve had that "how do I get it out of here" conversation before. I shot a cow elk with a bow up by Black Mandall Lake in the Flattops. What job that was. Elk hunting I believe is like childbirth. We forget the pain when it comes time to do it again.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Remember: You're not hunting elk until the little hairs on the back of your neck start standing up and you ask yourself, "how the heck am I going to get an elk out of here".

Go Roundball

Rio

When I used a 1 wheel cart, my wife & I carted a cow elk more than a mile down a knee deep snow feed creek, because it was the easiest way out of the valley We walked that far in icy water & my wife was up for hunting the next day. :grin: yep I suck at cards