roundball for elk?

[Kentuckywindage]

Okay im getting really itchy to take up an offer to go hunting on a friends ranch. He has elk almost every day and offered to let us hunt it. I want to use my traditions kentucky with 33 1/2" barrel, 1:66 twist. How would a round ball do on an elk? i use speer .490 round balls. I used 110 grains 3F goex. Its not to much powder, its the PERFECT amount in this rifle. Not many things are perfect in life, but that load is perfect for this rifle. Im not sure if this topic belongs in this area but i couldnt figure out where else to put it. Guess we need a hunting thread? But what do you think? My max range would be in 80-90 yards tops. My last bullet of choice would be a295 grains powerbelt. Had great luck with them but they kill my shoulder. No im not a wuss, i just have boney upper shoulders lol.

 

[catman]

Today I did some hillbilly testing with my round balls, my target & hunting load of 60gr of 2F with a Speer .490 PRB went through 3" of solid square Hickery wood (in these parts there is nothing harder) at 50 yards like a hot knife through butter, this is also my hunting load here in AR for whitetails, this load works for me and a very good POI out to 75 yards max. I would guess your load of 110 3F will do just fine for 80-90 yards. They are big animals and until you see one in the wild in your sights you will know what I mean. I have shot 2 Elk bulls with a .308 one at 150 yards and one at 210 yards with a 165gr bullet, these were very well placed hits one fell on the spot and one went 150 yards before I found it, but it was very dead. I think you're OK if you are sure of your load and your rifle and most of all YOU....
Good luck on your hunt.

 

[shmrck1]

IMHO, if you do your part the PRB will do its part and you will be enjoying elk steaks. Just
wondering have you tried .495 RB. You add around
5 or 6grns in bullet weight. Probably not
important, just a thought.
BTW we do have a hunting thread.
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[MikeChapin]

Quite a few people I know use a .50 for elk. They seem to work just fine for the ranges you are talking about. Just place the shot through the heart-lung area and you should have meat.

There is a hunting forum a little further down.

 

[Bountyhunter]

Only thing I'd say is to check your Colorado ML laws, they have some weird rule in there about projectiles. Ya wouldnt want to give your elk to the DNR nazis and loose your right to hunt for ten years.........

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Colorado laws ARE weird, but .50 ball is OK. The way I read it, .40 or larger for deer and antelope, .50 or more for elk. Bullet must weigh 180 grains for calibers up to and including .50, 220 grains for calibers over .50. Now a .490" ball may only weigh about 178 grains but you'll get away with that. The really weird thing is that balls of .51,52, or .53 are Not allowed because they are over .50 and don't weigh 220 grains. Well, I've never seen a DOW officer walking around with a powder scale and micrometer so if I had a .53 caliber I'd hunt with it.
Just as weird in centerfire. Rifles must have 1000 ft.lb. at 100 yards. But you can hunt the same game in the same season with a handgun which need only carry 550 ft.lb. at FIFTY yards. If it is a matter of assuring humane kills then why does a rifle need several times the energy of a handgun. Even Elmer Keith would admit he could place shots more accurately with a rifle. Then, of course we all know roundballs can't retain anything like 1000 ft.lb. at 100 yards but that is OK too.
Anyhow, I took my elk last season with a .490 ball and 80 grains 3f, put it in the ribcage and it will do fine.

 

[Bountyhunter]

Joe,

You got that new young game warden there at Canon City, that is lookin to make a name and a promotion for himself. Name is Lance Gatlin. I sure as H wouldnt want to let him catch me anywhere outside the letter of the law. He is some sort of forensics specialist and he is the type of person who would give himself a ticket.

I wouldnt want to hunt in his area. I sure as H wouldnt break any laws in his area.

b

 

[Greenmtnboy]

yotieJoe and I hunted last year together and both got our elk with 50 cal roundball between 90 and 100 yrds both of our balls passed clean through the ribcage.
This year I switched to a 54 PRB and killed my elk at 60yrds with a doublelung shot,the elk diden't go 20 yrds and was dead before I got to it.
I feel PRB is very effective out to 100yrds with the right load. That said, don't expect a all lead ball to bust leg bone past 50 yrds.
So it is very imporant to practice,practice,practice!!!
just as if you were a bow hunter.
:hatsoff:

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Remember, Many mountain men in the 1800's killed elk with the 50cal roundball. I would see how accurate 90 or 100 Grains of powder would be. With a lighter charge they will penetrate better. With a heavier charge they expand more but do not penetrate as much. I am sure 110gr will be fine though.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Thanks for the heads up on the rookie DOW officer! I looked in the book for the rules and for hunting elk, it must be .50 or larger and fire a minimum bullet weight of 170 grains. If greater than .50, bullet must weigh a min. 210 grains. As for the 1000 ft lbs rule, thats only for rifle hunters " the light weight bullet hunters" Sounds like i'll be fine with the PRB. And ive done my share of practice shooting and feel comfortable with those shots. I think i may do the december or maybe january hunt, I'll have to look into some areas more. Thanks, i also found where to post these kind of questions lol.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Thanks for the heads up, I've never trusted anyone named "Lance". :rotf:
Game wardens have a lot of discretionary power in the field, the law is totally subject to their on-the-spot interpretation and even if the court does not uphold that interpretation there is no penalty for the officer and no compensation for the bother and expense to the hunter.
When you consider that the average game warden will encounter more armed men in 10 minutes than any cop will ever see in a lifetime and that the game warden is many miles from back-up and out of radio contact, it speaks very highly of the American hunter that so few wardens are shot.