lowest powder charge for elk

[sawyer04]

Just kidding, if you watch Jerimiah Johnson. When he shoots his rifle his shoulder darn near folds around to his other shoulder behind his back. I used a 58 caliber minnie with 80 grains of 2F. I didn't have the shoulder problem that ole Jerimiah did, but my wife tells me it is only a show. I haven't elk hunt since leaving Montana years ago. I just can't see much over 100 grains being efficient with a 50 or a big 50 (54) caliber.

 

[Walkingeagle]

“Have I ever showed you how to clap with your shoulder blades?”
-Pat McManus
Walk

 

[Ames]

I'd go big on the load and don't tell her. Probably have a thick coat on her, and will only take one shot. Let her get mad afterwards but down is down. Meat in the freezer.

 

[chix2111]

Ames said exactly what I was thinking. Chances are she will never know the difference.....no scope, no Weatherby eyebrow to give you away.

 

[McClura]

Something that hasn't been asked. What state are you hunting Elk in? I know a lot of states require a .54 cal minimum. I have hunted Colorado since the late 80's with my flintlocks and had to build a .54 to hunt elk.
I shoot 100 grn of 3F with a .550 round ball in my 42" barrel. The barrel I had Ed Rayl build came out a few thousands over and he sent a .550 mold with the barrel. I have taken several from 20 yards to about 80 yards. I folded two of them, cows, with high shoulder/spine shots at about 50 yards. Took a small bull with double lung and after if fell It looked like it might get up so I put one in the neck for insurance.
Shoot for lungs/heart and a .54 bullet or round ball will kill them. Practice a little on reloading for a second shot so when or if that need occurs you will hopefully have everything you need at hand, easy to get to and have confidence on your reloading.
Mike

 

[zerosprk]

I'll echo what has already been said: Make sure you satisfy minimum caliber requirements. After that, she needs to shoot the stiffest load she can handle, in terms of powder charge and projectile weight, accurately. Even a small elk is a big critter and their will to live can be quite impressive. Shoot them through the ribs behind the shoulder and the real work will begin soon enough. To get to that point though, don't be shy about hitting them as hard as you can.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Elk are incredibly tough animals. I have killed a pile of them and I never underestimate them.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Elk are incredibly tough animals. I have killed a pile of them and I never underestimate them.

Amen brother!!
Walk

 

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I would use the load that groups the best.

 

[Gman86]

Something that hasn't been asked. What state are you hunting Elk in? I know a lot of states require a .54 cal minimum. I have hunted Colorado since the late 80's with my flintlocks and had to build a .54 to hunt elk.
I shoot 100 grn of 3F with a .550 round ball in my 42" barrel. The barrel I had Ed Rayl build came out a few thousands over and he sent a .550 mold with the barrel. I have taken several from 20 yards to about 80 yards. I folded two of them, cows, with high shoulder/spine shots at about 50 yards. Took a small bull with double lung and after if fell It looked like it might get up so I put one in the neck for insurance.
Shoot for lungs/heart and a .54 bullet or round ball will kill them. Practice a little on reloading for a second shot so when or if that need occurs you will hopefully have everything you need at hand, easy to get to and have confidence on your reloading.
Mike

In NM .50 cal is good

 

[Gman86]

In NM .50 cal is good

Legal Sporting Arms Legal sporting arms for deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, ibex, oryx, Barbary sheep and bear (big-game sporting arms): Any centerfire firearm at least .22 caliber or larger, any muzzle-loading firearm at least .45 caliber or larger,

 

[renegadehunter]

My .54 is a t/c Renegade this gives me a place to start thanks

I also have a .54 Renegade.
For a patched RB load I use 90 grains of 2f or 80 grains of 3f. These loads give me the best accuracy and I'd have no worries about shooting an elk out to 80 yards with this load. The RB is patched with .018" pillow ticking lightly lubed with Mink oil from Track of the Wolf.
I also have a conical load that shoots really well. Problem with it is it is Hornady 425 grain Great Plains Bullets, Hornady no longer makes them in .54 cal. This load I run 100 grains of 2f. It may shoot well with less powder, I haven't tested a lower charge. I started at 100 grains and it shot it so well that I just stayed with it.
The conical load has quite the recoil to it, quite a bit more than the round ball load. I think the common saying is "It kills at both ends".
If you want to run a conical you'll have to experiment a bit. These 1:48 twist TC's generally shoot a 1" or so long conical fairly well, personally I'd stick to something around 1" long. They will generally shoot a TC Maxi-ball type bullet well. If the bullet is a flat based design and not a hollow base, then a lightly greased 1/8" over powder wad will likely really help with accuracy.

I know less than nothing about the style of rifles that are forbidden to be discussed about here, so can't offer anything for your wife's rifle.
The sister forum to this site, ModernMuzzleloaders, will have plenty of folks that can help you out with that.

 

[Gman86]

I also have a .54 Renegade.
For a patched RB load I use 90 grains of 2f or 80 grains of 3f. These loads give me the best accuracy and I'd have no worries about shooting an elk out to 80 yards with this load. The RB is patched with .018" pillow ticking lightly lubed with Mink oil from Track of the Wolf.
I also have a conical load that shoots really well. Problem with it is it is Hornady 425 grain Great Plains Bullets, Hornady no longer makes them in .54 cal. This load I run 100 grains of 2f. It may shoot well with less powder, I haven't tested a lower charge. I started at 100 grains and it shot it so well that I just stayed with it.
The conical load has quite the recoil to it, quite a bit more than the round ball load. I think the common saying is "It kills at both ends".
If you want to run a conical you'll have to experiment a bit. These 1:48 twist TC's generally shoot a 1" or so long conical fairly well, personally I'd stick to something around 1" long. They will generally shoot a TC Maxi-ball type bullet well. If the bullet is a flat based design and not a hollow base, then a lightly greased 1/8" over powder wad will likely really help with accuracy.

I know less than nothing about the style of rifles that are forbidden to be discussed about here, so can't offer anything for your wife's rifle.
The sister forum to this site, ModernMuzzleloaders, will have plenty of folks that can help you out with that.

I have the lee precision conical mold I can't think of the exact weight at the moment as wellas the round ball mold

 

[griffiga]

With any gun I have, whether it be muzzle loader or modern, I try for the combination that gives me the most power with the best accuracy. It's usually a compromise somewhere between the two. Power doesn't do you much good if you can't hit anything. Ninety to 100 grains of FFG behind a .520 round ball shoots out of my plains rifle at around 1850 fps and I can consistently get softball size groups or slightly better at 100 yards. To me, that is "minute of elk." Much beyond that powder charge wise starts to become diminishing returns. I'm sure the rifle could do better in the hands of someone other than myself, but that's the bottom line.

 

[Gman86]

These are my round ball and conical rounds for my .54 renagade

 

[Gman86]

 

[rich pierce]

Questions like this are perplexing. Similarly, defining the minimum caliber for a game species is perplexing. More useful to me is knowing what is a good caliber and load for a particular game animal at a particular range in the hands of a competent, practiced shooter. While it’s true that ball placement matters most, caliber and velocity matter. The most relevant question is “will this caliber and load give me a double lung pass through on this critter at this range?” If so, good to go. If not, then the caliber and load can work when conditions are just right.

 

[user 36911]

I use 80gr of Swiss 2F with a .54 PRB for elk. Probably equal to 95-100gr of Goex. 32" barrel and I get a pass through for a double lung shot. Too much powder will expand the ball too fast and you won't get the penetration. No shoulder shots and get close.

Using a weak load for elk is a bad idea and shouldn't be done.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I have .50 and .54 muzzleloaders and I am wondering what the lowest charge for elk would be for the calibers mentioned

My standard load in my .50 calibre rifles for elk is 100 gr 3fg for a RB and 90 gr for a T/C Maxi-Ball; same same for a the .54

 

[Skychief]

The reason I ask is that my wife may be hunting if we draw tags

Have her practice with light loads, then, fill that bore with a heavy charge for the hunt. She'll never know.