Bullets For Elk Hunting

[Blue Elk]

I have just put in for an ML elk hunt and I have also purchased a muzzle loader barrel for my Encore Pro Hunter. I got a great deal on the barrel from Walmart. $184.00 Its on order and I have not gotten it yet. I got me some powder Blackhorn 209 and some primers. Only thing I need now is the kind of bullet to get. I want to get it sighted in with the bullet I am gonna use on my elk hunt and stock up on the bullets before it is to hard to find. What would be a good grain and brand of bullet to try out in my new muzzloader for elk hunting? Im fairly new to muzzle loading. Thank you for any advice you can help me with.

~Scott~

 

[frontier gander]

What state will you be hunting? Colorado for example is a conical only state.

 

[txhunter58]

Shooting an Encore, you have to deal with the QLA (false muzzle). So if you are shooting sabots, no problem. However, if Colorado is where you are headed you have to shoot conicals.

Barrels with QLA's usually don't shoot many conicals well. Usually, the best two bullets that they will shoot will either be a powerbelt or a Hornady FPB.

Shot powerbelts for years, but in my Opinion, the FPB is superior through a wider range of powder choices and distances to target. My Omega took an elk down this year shooting BH 209 (90 gr) and the 350 grain FPB.

If you can shoot sabots, then there are a world of choices out there. Since I don't shoot sabots, others will have to advise you there.

 

[Blue Elk]

I will be hunting Arizona for cow elk. That is if I get drawn for a tag. I have a good chance for the tag, I am a resident with 4 bonus points, but wont find out for a couple more weeks. I am just optimistic about a tag. Arizona have no restrictions on ML bullets and I will be using sabots. Thanks for the help.

~Scott~

 

[AJ]

I prefer to use 300 gr bullets for elk. They are big thick critters that have very large bones. I want penetration and bullet expansion, and maximum distance possible.

I use the 300 gr Bonded Shockwave pushed by 120 gr of BH209 in my Omega for elk. If I can't get the Bonded SW bullets, I will use the 290 gr Barnes TMZ bullet in again pushed by 120 gr of BH209. My TC Omega shoots these two bullets almost interchangeable.

My backup gun's load is the 350 gr Hornady FPB pushed by 110 gr of BH209 in my Knight Disc Elite.

Now, like you I just hope the hunting gods smile upon me in the draw. I have to wait till June to find out the results.

 

[taylorhaught]

what unit in AZ? I would use the Barnes 290gr TMZ

 

[ronlaughlin]

I would use either the barnes, or the nosler partition. Try them both, and choose the one your rifle likes best.

Chances are your barrel is tight, thus it should shoot this barnes:
http://www.grafs.com/product/225166


A good nosler bullet would be this one:
http://www.grafs.com/product/236633


A sobot for the nosler bullet could be this one.
http://www.grafs.com/product/230201


A .44 caliber partition would have a little better sectional density and should shoot just fine with the green harvester crush rib sabot.

 

[SWThomas]

what unit in AZ? I would use the Barnes 290gr TMZ

+1. Or even a 285g Spit Fire MZ or 290g T-EZ. I'd definitely go Barnes.

 

[sabotloader]

Blue Elk

I can tell what i would use without a doubt...

I shoot elk with a .458/300 grain Nosler Partition PP, in a MMP HPH .457/.458-50 cal Orange sabot. In my Omega, White. or Remington 700ml - it would be shot with 110 grains of T7-2f. In the Knight Disc Extreme I bump tht up to 120 grain...

The .458 is a rifle bullet built for a 45-70 - Barnes also makes a great selection of bullets but I am not a Barnes fan - so I can not tell you much about them.

 

[big6x6]

Right NOW I'm planning on an elk hunt myself...I am basically going to shoot whatever shoots the best in my Savage 10ML BP(unless UC talks me into taking a White!) between:

Parker 300gr HydraCon
Parker 275gr Ballistic Extreme
Hornady 300gr SST
T/C 300gr Bonded Shockwave
Barnes Spit-Fire T-EZ 290gr

I know any of the above bullets will do the job if I do my part...

 

[Blue Elk]

what unit in AZ?

That would be Unit 8.

Thanks for all the replys. Looks like I have alot of shooting to do. So it looks like 300gr. bullet is what you would need for elk. I will start off with these and go from there.
.458/300gr Nosler Partition PP
Hornady 300gr SST
T/C 300gr Bonded Shockwave
Barnes Spit-Fire T-EZ 290gr

I will let you know if I get drawn and let you know how the ML shoots.
Thanks again for the help.

~Scott~

 

[ronlaughlin]

Blue Elk

I can tell what i would use without a doubt...

I shoot elk with a .458/300 grain Nosler Partition PP, in a MMP HPH .457/.458-50 cal Orange sabot. In my Omega, White. or Remington 700ml - it would be shot with 110 grains of T7-2f. In the Knight Disc Extreme I bump tht up to 120 grain...

So, do i understand correctly, the orange sabot and .458 nosler should load satisfactorily in my Omega. I guess, i am concerned because my barrel seems quite tight, and i like to use crush rib sabot when i shoot .429 and .452 bullets.

Thanking you for your help.

 

[sabotloader]

ronlaughlin

So, do i understand correctly, the orange sabot and .458 nosler should load satisfactorily in my Omega

Well, that would be a problem... I have an older Omega and they load fine there but the newer Omega/Triumph/Encore barrels are very tight and you may not gey them loaded.

For a rifle with a tight TC bore then you would have to go the .451/300 grain Nosler Partition PP, it is basically the same bullet but is slightly longer .830 vs .840 and the sectional density is better with the .451. Drop them in to your preferred 'crush rib' and you are off to the races.

http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=11&b=5&s=19&t=45

 

[ronlaughlin]

So, do i understand correctly, the orange sabot and .458 nosler should load satisfactorily in my Omega

Well, that would be a problem... I have an older Omega and they load fine there but the newer Omega/Triumph/Encore barrels are very tight and you may not gey them loaded.

For a rifle with a tight TC bore then you would have to go the .451/300 grain Nosler Partition PP, it is basically the same bullet but is slightly longer .830 vs .840 and the sectional density is better with the .451. Drop them in to your preferred 'crush rib' and you are off to the races.

http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=11&b=5&s=19&t=45

Thank's for the response. That indeed was my concern. I am already successfully using the .451 nosler in my Omega, and am already 'off to the races'. Results on game are excellent, as you know. It doesn't take much of a forensic scientist to 'see' the difference in tissue damage done by the nosler compared to some of the other popular muzzle loading bullets.

I was tempted to try the .458 nosler, but now i am perfectly satisfied with the .451 bullet. Oh, but what about my CVA.......................?

By the way, when we lived in Missoua we used to fish the Selway and Lochsaw and Clearwater in February. It was great fun to drive over the pass and on down to 1600 feet above sea level or so; into green grass and Spring weather. Missoula February in those days was cold, snowy, and dreary. Saw many Bulls, and big Bucks. Came so so close to crashing into a moose one night. Watched a Bull shed an antler one day. He wasn't very comfortable with just the one antler.........we drove on toward home.

 

[sabotloader]

ronlaughlin

Results on game are excellent, as you know. It doesn't take much of a forensic scientist to 'see' the difference in tissue damage done by the nosler compared to some of the other popular muzzle loading bullets.

Amen on that one... it is amazing what they do to the internals even if they do not touch them all

The CVA may be a different sotory but if you already have the .451's no real sense to get .458's...

 

[txhunter58]

Great thread, I have saved this info in a file for the day that I get picked for elk in Utah!

 

[SWThomas]

Right NOW I'm planning on an elk hunt myself...I am basically going to shoot whatever shoots the best in my Savage 10ML BP(unless UC talks me into taking a White!) between:

Parker 300gr HydraCon
Parker 275gr Ballistic Extreme
Hornady 300gr SST
T/C 300gr Bonded Shockwave
Barnes Spit-Fire T-EZ 290gr

I know any of the above bullets will do the job if I do my part...

My choice out of those would be the Barnes. And I've fired 4 of the 5 you have listed.

 

[art sehnke]

I would NOT omit the Hornady 350 gr. FPB bullet from your testing group.
I gave it a 100 yard "TERMINAL performance test" & it came thru w/flying colors. A perfect mushroom w/90% weifgt retention. I used 100 grs. BH209.
Art Sehnke :wink:

 

[Blue Elk]

Well, I didn't get that muzzy elk tag. :cry: :cry: But that just means I have a year to practice with my new ML. My daughter got a jr only tag for cow elk. So I get to go elk hunting.

 

[old/new]

What gun is she going to shoot?

Hope you take pictures if she is succesful...or not!! :wink: