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brewer12345

40 Cal
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
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I have been fooling with my 50 cal tc hawken and 370 grain maxi balls in an effort to come up with a load for a cow elk hunt this fall. I finally got it shooting to my satisfaction with 100 grains of Black MZ. This is supposed to be a less energetic powder, but it seems to be what the rifle likes. Since I don't have a chronograph, how do I know if this will do it for elk to 100 yards?
 
From My elk hunting experience with the Muzzleloader with open sights, 100 yards is a far poke! Yes it can be done, with a good rest and knowing exactly where your bullet is doing and accurately knowing the distance to your target. If distances like that are expected, Practice, practice, practice!! Not off the bench but in your hunting clothes, with whatever rest you plane to use, backpack, shooting sticks, logs etc.

Your load sounds sufficient to me, but I only shoot real Black, because I shoot flintlocks. My hunting load is 80 grains of FFF pushing a .530 round ball. Never had an elk complain it was going too slow or was not heavy enough, but all my elk have been inside 50 yards.

Good Luck!! And don't forget Pictures!!!!
 
With my vision and open sights, 100 yards is extreme. I expect my shots to be more like 50 yards, no more than 75. If 230 grains will do it with that much black, I imagine my load will do it without a fuss.
 
Think of it this way..... would you feel "comfortable" taking a cow elk with a .45-70 Government cartridge, loaded with the original 405 grain lead, conical bullet, pushed by 70 grains of BP? That round took a lot of elk and even took bison. Now this is a rough comparison but you're talking about a slightly larger diameter, although 35 grains lighter bullet, being pushed by 100 grains of a BP substitute ?? It's 30 grains more powder...., and the 30 grains less lead = to a bullet in a modern .22 LR cartridge. I think your load is out performing the antique cartridge, at least out to that 100 yards. ;)

BTW your question is a very valid concern, so kudos to you for double checking.

LD
 
My 45 TC Hawken has come back to half cock with heavy loads on occasion. I don't shoot those anymore. I have killed several elk with a 45-70 with loads about the same as Brewer is talking about. All I can say about it is that is" dead is dead". None of them went very far at all and most fell down quickly. If you hit your elk in the right spot it will be meat in the freezer.
 
I have been fooling with my 50 cal tc hawken and 370 grain maxi balls in an effort to come up with a load for a cow elk hunt this fall. I finally got it shooting to my satisfaction with 100 grains of Black MZ. This is supposed to be a less energetic powder, but it seems to be what the rifle likes. Since I don't have a chronograph, how do I know if this will do it for elk to 100 yards?
This last year until now ive hunted the north American rhino or poor mans grizzly (wild hog) so far ive taken them with .50 54 and 58 roundballs in all and the same 50 caliber bullet you are using. the only difference is my max powder charge is 80 grains of pyrodex RS I do shoot roundballs but am a big fan of conicals. your powder and RS is similar you have plenty to take the vitals out of a cow elk or bull elk. the main thing is putting the shot in the vitals. if you can do that you will have success with that!!
 
I have been fooling with my 50 cal tc hawken and 370 grain maxi balls in an effort to come up with a load for a cow elk hunt this fall. I finally got it shooting to my satisfaction with 100 grains of Black MZ. This is supposed to be a less energetic powder, but it seems to be what the rifle likes. Since I don't have a chronograph, how do I know if this will do it for elk to 100 yards?

FWIW,
I don't know where you're hunting, but a friend in Colorado said the CDW changed the minimum ft/lbs for CF rifles. IDK if that applies to front stuffers.
 
Eterry, the rules for muzzleloader hunting in Colorado are a separate thing from centerfire rifle.
 
Eterry, the rules for muzzleloader hunting in Colorado are a separate thing from centerfire rifle.

Actually, after thinking about it i called the Colorado DOW and ordered their catalog.

While talking to a very helpful young lady i asked about muzzle loader minimums

She said to hunt elk or moose the minimum caliber is 50, but a PRB doesn't meet their minimum. The bullet must weigh 210 grs min.

The same bullet weight applies to the 54, but a 54 PRB weighs 220 grs, so it meets the minimum.

Im not sure when this changed, but thought you'd like to know.

Im looking forward to getting my hard copy of the Regs.
 
Actually, after thinking about it i called the Colorado DOW and ordered their catalog.

While talking to a very helpful young lady i asked about muzzle loader minimums

She said to hunt elk or moose the minimum caliber is 50, but a PRB doesn't meet their minimum. The bullet must weigh 210 grs min.

The same bullet weight applies to the 54, but a 54 PRB weighs 220 grs, so it meets the minimum.

Im not sure when this changed, but thought you'd like to know.

Im looking forward to getting my hard copy of the Regs.

The rules changed in 2018 for muzzleloader. Colorado seems to err on the side of requiring a howitzer to kill a squirrel.
 
I have never found a better rifle of any ilk that kills as good as good and fast as a ML and I use RB's but have used the Maxi too in the TC I had. I never recovered either from an animal. Just hit right and fill the freezer.
 
Not worried about deer. I killed a chunky mulie doe last fall with a cast bullet doing maybe 1900 fps at the muzzle and weighing 200 grains. Similar to round ball ballistics and she did not go far. Elk are a different story. Casting up some 380 grain deals for the 54 today in addition to round balls.
 
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