Minimum elk charge for .58PRB?

[Alden]

Starting in the 85grn range is right on but I would plan on venturing into the 90-110 grn range for an elk load. I will be using my TVM early virginia 58 loaded 110grn ffg goex, .570 ball and .018 patch. I was shooting 100grn loads and the rifle shot fine groups but then I read a post by roundball and he said his 58 really had a noticeable crack when he went to 110grns. I tried it and my groups really tightened up. Try it you might like it. Elk are tough critters as you probably already know.

I wouldn't be surprised if that's where you end up. One could argue that every gun might always be loaded with 100 grains of the right-grain black powder, from .45 rifle to .77 smoothbore...

 

[Vaino]

A .58's killing power isn't in doubt w/ any reasonable powder charge on elk....but, when elk hunting, I'm more concerned w/ the trajectory and mainly the mid-range heigth.

My elk rifle is a "homade" .54 Hawken w/ a flatter buttplate that I can mount like I mount my CFs.

If some .58 load will zero a PRB at 100 yds, that's what I would settle on. That's what my .54 does and the last elk shot was at a paced off 107 yds. The load.....535 PRB ahead of 120 grs 3f.

If you're elk hunting in very dense woods, then the 100 yd zero is irrelevant...but if there's a chance for a 100 yd shot, I would develop a load for that zero......if you can shoot that big a load......Fred

 

[roundball]

When I had a 32" GM .58cal drop-in barrel in a T/C Hawken, my deer load for whitetails in the woods was 100grns Goex 2F...powder puff load and devastating on deer.

 

[Chris Nolin]

At the range over the weekend, I had interesting results with the new .58 bore on the Pedersoli RMH. I don't have pictures of the groups yet, but will do my best to describe the process.

Starting the day, I shot the first three groups (85gr, 95gr and 105gr) with the Goex 2Fg I had in my horn. I was getting 2-4in groups at 50yds. Then the horn ran out and I had to refill...with...Olde Eynsford 2F. I bought 10lbs of it several months ago. I thought this powder, made by Goex, would have similar results, so I pressed on. The 115gr group exploded (compared to the previous ones) out to 10-15" wide at 50yds. Walking downrange, I found the patches from this group were blown into 2-3 large pieces, almost completely shredded (the previous groups' patches were fine).

So, I started over. By the way, recoil against my upper arm, compared to my inner shoulder, was quite tolerable! Imagine that! This time I ran 90gr, 100gr, 110gr--where then the patches started shredding again.

Long story made short, 90gr (Olde Eynsford 2F) with .570 Hornady and .015 pillow ticking with mink oil lude appears to be the load. I was consistently getting one ragged hole at 50yds. Jumping up to 100gr opened the group significantly.

90gr of OE might be comparable to a larger amount of Goex 2Fg, right? Because as I now know, OE is "quicker" and more energetic than standard Goex. Maybe I should investigate this patch-blowing issue at higher charges. I have some wasp's nest material in my range box I could try. Anyway, I'll go back to the range next weekend to fine tune, but I think this might be it. The season starts the weekend after next, so I'm feeling ready.

 

[BrownBear]

Sounds as though you're on a really good track. Ragged holes at 50 are enough for most guys to stop messing with loads and do a final sight-in.

Might throw in some .018 patches to try with the heavier loads too, long as you're still testing. No reason not to solve the shreds by adding wasp nest, but simpler in the field if you find a patch that works by itself.

 

[Herb]

Olde Eynsford 2F is almost identical to Goex 2F in power and velocity.