Elk hunting Q.

[charcoleburner54]

I am going to rebuild my Renagade it is a 54 know but I want a new barrel I got the gun used and the owner I dont think ever cleaned the barrel so I was thinking of getting a fast twist barrel but which caliber would be best I dont want to shoot RB and shots would range from 50-200 yards who makes drop in barrels is it only Green Mountain I have so many questions so little space. Thanks for your thoughts

 

[FishDFly]

Have you considered contacting a barrel maker who can answer your questions?

Would seem like a wise thing to do.

 

[mooman76]

Do a search of Idahoron. He hunts with paper patch bullets and has some really great results.

 

[rodwha]

You could also have the current barrel lined.

 

[galamb]

Green Mountain stopped making drop in barrels a couple of years back.

There are a couple of shops that build drop in's (but not complete - not blued/browned and no sights) - but it will run you 350'ish bucks for the barrel, plus shipping, plus finishing.

For about 100 bucks more you could buy a brand new fast twist GPR from Lyman.

If the original owner didn't care for the barrel the lock and trigger could be suspect as well.

Not sure I would want to sink too much money into something that still may need fixin' after the new barrel is installed.

If there is enough meat left, perhaps a rebore/re-rifle to 58 cal is possible.

Would be more economical but may not be completed before "next season".

 

[longcruise]

Like galamb says, get the old barrel rebored to a .58 round ball twist, just because its an economical way to keep the barrel in see in service.

for your slug barrel, you will need to have it built or build it yourself. Check for legal elk calibers wherever you might hunt before choosing a caliber. IMO, a .45 with a 1:18 or 1:20 twist would be a good choice if legal. It will allow bullets in the 350 to 550 gr size with good BCs and sectional density. In a .50 cal you will need to shoot very heavy bullets with stout recoil to get to the same neighborhood as the.45.

if a .50 is needed to be legal, a 1:28 twist would suffice.

 

[Idaho Elk Hunter]

Green mountain 1-28 twist....they still have some, as I got email from them a few days ago as I inquired. I then bought a new unfired T/C barrel off ebay, but paid $400 to get it.

 

[Rat Trapper]

Those green mountain fast twist 50 cal barrels are shooters!

 

[nkbj]

Troy Luke,
If you go with rebore the rifling can be made whatever configuration and twist that's desired after the existing grooves are cleaned up. If you want to be able to shoot Val Forgett type water buffalo slayers and also have accuracy with round ball as well, that can be done. It's just a matter of telling the man doing the work what you want, providing the man is knowledgeable and has the necessary equipment.
Another option is lining the barrel but it is certainly a more expensive proposition.
The TC barrels are excellent steel and stout of breech, real treasures.

 

[Vaino]

A .58 conical which you evidently want to use for elk will have plenty of energy, but a very "looping" trajectory which isn't conducive to long range shooting.

You mentioned 200 yds....I'd forget that and concentrate on 100 yds max. The amount of powder for even a 100 yd zero that yields a "practical" mid range mid-range height w/ an average weight conical, would have quite some recoil. If you can tolerate this much recoil, then go for it.

Not trying to talk you out of anything, but have shot a few elk w/ a .54 PRB, some at slightly over 100 yds and have never lost an elk. Even w/ 120 grs 3f, the recoil is moderate.

Personally, I think a .58 conical is "overkill" on an elk and besides it's difficult to achieve a "practical" trajectory at a 100 yd zero that doesn't cause misses or lousy hits at midrange.

Some in our elk hunting party use .50 cal. 410 gr Buffalo Bullets ahead of 100 grs 2f w only/ a 60 yd zero because of excessive mid range height at longer distance zeros.

But, use what you will and good luck on elk.....Fred

 

[Idaho Ron]

I am going to rebuild my Renagade it is a 54 know but I want a new barrel I got the gun used and the owner I dont think ever cleaned the barrel so I was thinking of getting a fast twist barrel but which caliber would be best I dont want to shoot RB and shots would range from 50-200 yards who makes drop in barrels is it only Green Mountain I have so many questions so little space. Thanks for your thoughts

If you look up my posts you can see the results of my testing with conicals. Out to 200 yards is very doable in my opinion. Every person has a self imposed limit to shooting what ever the reason. Mine is 150 for a first shot. if I hacve hit one heck ya I can shoot out to 200 or even 300 if I had to. I am using a Lyman peep and a lyman globe sight. I personally don't care what the "rainbow" is of my conicals. I set the sight for the yardage I am shooting and hold dead on.
If you set the rifle up and have a good load like the Lee C-501-440-RF bullet that would be no problem.
When it comes to taking advice from internet hunters remember to ask if they have killed an elk with their set up. And yes I have killed a couple along with MANY deer and antelope. Ron

 

[Vaino]

Don't doubt you do what you say...but, your equipment is no longer "primitive". Why not just make it simple and use a CF?. Not arguing, just asking a logical question. Happy hunting.....Fred

 

[nkbj]

:stir: :dead:

op:

 

[William O.]

If I were in your shoes, I would have the barrel bored out to a .58 with a roundball twist and then practice with it. Once you've put at least 100 rounds through it, then decide what your own limitations are when shooting it.

 

[azmntman]

+1

IMHO (acquired through experience of several cows in the freezer) a .58 PRB knocks the manure outta an elk!! :v

 

[longcruise]

I don't see a single ref by the OP saying he wants to shoot a .58. My suggestion to rebore it to .58 was purely a matter of taking the opportunity to economically broaden the utility of his firearm by having both a big bore RB barrel and a conical barrel.

for long range shooting, a .45 conical gun would be preferable to a .50, IMO. I explained my reasoning above. Probably moot, since many states don't allow .45 cal for elk.

then, there is the opposite extreme in AK, where a literal reading of the regs says that a .45 RB is legal for moose and brown bears!

 

[charcoleburner54]

I have thought about getting a new muzzy and the GPH looks really nice I also was looking at October Country and there big bore RB guns they would be nice but way out of my price range thanks for all your advice you guys are a wealth of knowledge

 

[Idaho Ron]

Don't doubt you do what you say...but, your equipment is no longer "primitive". Why not just make it simple and use a CF?. Not arguing, just asking a logical question. Happy hunting.....Fred

Because my gun and load is legal in every "muzzleloader hunt that I know of and a CF rifle is not. Here in Idaho we have to draw a permit to hunt for a bull in almost every area of the state. So you have the drawing game. The odds of drawing a ML tag is easier than a CF tag. My gun and load are legal and in my opinion "traditional" but no, not primitive. that would be a stick bow and an arrow. But that doesn't sound like that is the type of hunt that the OP wants. It sounds like he wants the kind of hunt MY gun is set up for. :hatsoff:
Ron

 

[Rifleman1776]

I dont want to shoot RB and shots would range from 50-200 yards

This thread sounds familiar. Lot of folks want to turn their obsolete, old technology, firearms into long range somethings they can never be.
No round ball, your choice. But, even with a heavy bullet type projectile you are still limited to about 100 yards. And, unlikely a big bullet will kill an elk any mor ded than a round ball. Maybe you should team up with that guy who wanted to turn his .58 cal. CW rifled musket into a 4,000 fps banger with heavy minies. Your rifle with a .54 round ball will kill anything on the continent.

 

[Idaho Ron]

If you don't want to read about a guy wanting to hunt like this then don't bother clicking and reading. He said what his objectives were and they are not a PRB. I don't blame him I wouldn't want to use them either.