Best muzzleloader bullet for elk

[chiefgobbler]

You should check out Parker Productions. The Hydra-con (50 Cal 440 gr) complies with Colorado's regulations. I geared up with some a few years ago expecting to draw a Muzzleloader Elk Tag. Going into this year I have 21 pts and will most likey never have enough to draw the tag I would like. That is another story. These bore size rounds are used with "food grade" grease and a felt pad. They group well with my Knight Wolverine and I have taken two Antelope with them. Parker also has saboted bullets that work extremely well where legal. I have killed Antelope at 190 and 220 yards with the 250 gr Jacketed Hydra-con. The 250 gr Jacked Ballistic extreme is also a great round.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

You should check out Parker Productions. The Hydra-con (50 Cal 440 gr) complies with Colorado's regulations. I geared up with some a few years ago expecting to draw a Muzzleloader Elk Tag. Going into this year I have 21 pts and will most likey never have enough to draw the tag I would like. That is another story. These bore size rounds are used with "food grade" grease and a felt pad. They group well with my Knight Wolverine and I have taken two Antelope with them. Parker also has saboted bullets that work extremely well where legal. I have killed Antelope at 190 and 220 yards with the 250 gr Jacketed Hydra-con. The 250 gr Jacked Ballistic extreme is also a great round.

Hey Chief..If you like that Parker bullet, you should try the No Excuses 50 caliber 460 grain conical. The price is $.50 per bullet compared to $2.09 per bullet for the Hydrocons, or less than 1/4 of the price. No Excuses also die sizes (to 0.503") for easy and straight starting of the bullet and buttery smooth loading. The No Excuses Bullets are also pre-lubed.

http://www.muzzleloading-bullets.com

The No-Excuses website is not impressive, but the bullets are excellent and very accurate.

 

[Eric Bailey]

I'll be hunting elk for the first time with a muzzleloader this fall. I'll be hunting in Colorado, so I have to use full-bore sized bullets and open sights. I am trying to decide which bullets use. I was leaning toward the Thor all copper bullet, but it looks like the biggest bullet they make is 300 grains. I see a lot of you hunt elk with much heavier bullets in the 450 grain range. Do you use a larger powder charge with a bullet that heavy? Or, does a 24" barrel (on my CVA Wolf) only burn 90-100 grains of powder anyway? I'm also curious to know what the ballistics tradeoffs are (flat trajectory versus downrange energy). I have seen apps that calculate ballistics for center fire rifle cartridges, but none that model the same info for muzzleloaders. I'd love to hear your thoughts and any websites or apps that calculate muzzleloader ballistics. Thanks!

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

I'll be hunting elk for the first time with a muzzleloader this fall. I'll be hunting in Colorado, so I have to use full-bore sized bullets and open sights. I am trying to decide which bullets use. I was leaning toward the Thor all copper bullet, but it looks like the biggest bullet they make is 300 grains. I see a lot of you hunt elk with much heavier bullets in the 450 grain range. Do you use a larger powder charge with a bullet that heavy? Or, does a 24" barrel (on my CVA Wolf) only burn 90-100 grains of powder anyway? I'm also curious to know what the ballistics tradeoffs are (flat trajectory versus downrange energy). I have seen apps that calculate ballistics for center fire rifle cartridges, but none that model the same info for muzzleloaders. I'd love to hear your thoughts and any websites or apps that calculate muzzleloader ballistics. Thanks!

Hi Eric, I will likely hunt Colorado Unit 61 next year with a muzzleloader (if I don't change my mind again for the 100th time). It is down to the Thor bullet or a big lead conical. Thor bullets won't be any heavier due to the all copper construction. One of the big reasons for a 450 grain lead conical is that muzzleloaders that are designed with a barrel twist for sabots (50 caliber, 1:28 twist) need that big long heavy bullet to stabilize in that barrel twist for an accurate bullet. From what I have learned so far, the conical should be loaded with 70-90 grains of powder.

 

[Old Hunter]

Eric..........The 300gr Thor will kill any elk walking this earth. Use 110gr of BH 209, and fill the freezer.

 

[razorbackhunter]

What does FPB stand for?

 

[Fink]

Eric..........The 300gr Thor will kill any elk walking this earth. Use 110gr of BH 209, and fill the freezer.

That's some hard hitting advice right there.

I just spoke with Terry over the weekend, he'll be sending me a sizing kit here in the next day or two, for the 300gr Thors. Got my sights ordered, thanks to the good info from Umpqua, I'm ready to start slinging large amounts of lead down range!

 

[Old Hunter]

That's some hard hitting advice right there.

I just spoke with Terry over the weekend, he'll be sending me a sizing kit here in the next day or two, for the 300gr Thors. Got my sights ordered, thanks to the good info from Umpqua, I'm ready to start slinging large amounts of lead down range!

You mean slinging copper.

 

[Old Hunter]

What does FPB stand for?

Flex Tip
Projectile
Black Powder

 

[Eric Bailey]

That's some hard hitting advice right there.

I just spoke with Terry over the weekend, he'll be sending me a sizing kit here in the next day or two, for the 300gr Thors. Got my sights ordered, thanks to the good info from Umpqua, I'm ready to start slinging large amounts of lead down range!

What sights did you order? My Wolf came with scope rings. So, I need to get some open sights to hunt here in Colorado.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

What sights did you order? My Wolf came with scope rings. So, I need to get some open sights to hunt here in Colorado.

Hey Eric...

For the front sight: XS Sights "white line patridge" front blade (not partridge). This has a thin white line that your eye pics up well and you aim off of the top of the blade so your aiming point is not covered. A lot of guys use fiber optics but in various lighting conditions they can be hard to sight with, and at 100 yards they cover a lot of the target.

For the rear sight:

XS Ghost ring sight: Very simple clean install. Not a lot of extra hardware on your rifle.

OR

Williams FP peep: Much more adjustability than the XS Ghost ring. You can also order various aperture sizes depending on what you like better, or completely remove the aperture and use it like a ghost ring.

Here is the link for Williams:

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/gunsightsdefault.htm

Here is the link for XS Sights:

http://xssights.com/index.php?nID=sights&cID=Sights&pID=sights&sID=rifle

 

[Fink]

Eric- I went with the Williams front and rear sights.

 

[Drhorsepower]

Uh,

I haven't decided on my front sight, I am leaning towards the xs sight for the reasons you mentioned. It is hard for me to spend money with that company though, I do not like their pistol sights at all(I need to get over that)
For rear sight I have a Williams fp sight sitting on the bench

 

[Old Hunter]

I like a peep with a fiber optic front sight. Works better for me in dim light.

 

[Musket Man]

My factory Knight front fiber optic sight was broke off when I needed it most. Would a had a decent Colorado mule deer if I had replaced it with the Williams I have in it now before that hunt!

 

[spark]

I used a 300 gr Barnes x with sabots and 3 pyrodex pellets for New Mexico elk, Illinois whitetails and PA whitetails. Works good out to 200yds with my set up (scope). I' ve also used 240gr xtp .44cal pistol bullets and 2 pellets for PA whitetails. The 240 works in the flintlock with 90gr of FFF also. Of course those are with sabots if you are allowed. I have never recovered a Barnes bullet that went through an animal and they leave a blood trail that Ray Charles could follow. Just my .02.

 

[Fink]

Just got my bullets from Thor today. Hopefully they perform as well as Thor customer service. Terry doesn't mess around when it comes to returning emails and shipping bullets/sizing packs.

 

[In God We Trust]

I have always used the 295 grain Powebelt. It has worked well for me on deer and elk. I hunt in Colorado where scopes are not allowed so I don't know how they perform long range. I don't shoot past 125 yards with open sights.

 

[Old Hunter]

I'm going the heavy slow bullet this year. .54 cal sidelock with a 430 gr Hornady Great Plains bullet. A big hunk of lead. Too bad they stopped making the maxi-balls.

My range is under 70 yds. So, i'm thinking 80 gr of Goex 2F. I'm trying to keep the recoil down for this old fart.

 

[Eric Bailey]

I appreciate you guys mentioning Thor Bullets. I just ordered a pack of the Thor 300 grains in .501 diameter. It fit nice and snug in the barrel of my CVA Wolf Compact with faintly visible grooves from the rifling. I was going to go with the Hornady FPBs, but I think the Thor is going to be a better fit in my barrel. And because it is all copper and therefore longer at the same weight, I think it will have a slightly better BC. Since it is one piece of metal, I also think it will hold together better than any of the jacketed lead bullets. Looking forward to getting some shooting practice.