.50 Calber for Elk?

[Walkingeagle]

How many of the posters have actually shot a mature bull elk with a 50 caliber (or 45 or 40) patched roundball, let alone a with a traditional muzzleloader? Or maybe elk sized game?

Well I have with traditional ML, however both with 370gr Maxiball. I have taken moose with PRB, and bear, and mule deer, and WT deer.
I am comfortable with my knowledge of what it takes and how to hunt them.
Walk

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Elk just simply are not that hard to kill. They can take a lot of punishment and go along ways even when shot with the magical belted magnum cases. They have pretty thick coats and blood trails may not be what one would hope.
The thing about a "mature" bull is post rut they will be so run down in body condition that a mature dry cow will weigh as much if not more. Most folks make the fatal mistake of thinking they're big so they don't have to aim small.. Best bet is to shoot for just behind the front leg to avoid the heavy shoulder bones. But if you get to far back from the front leg and just barely clip the back of the lungs it's liable to be a tracking job...
Bottom line is they haven't built the elk yet that when shot with a 50 caliber round ball properly placed will shrug and look at you as if to say, you stupid human you shot me with that?
Think about it for a minute, the 50 caliber round ball doing around 18-1900 fps will be bigger in diameter before it gets to the fur, than a 44 magnum handgun bullet will be if it expands, and it's dang seldom you see anybody say the 44 isn't up to the task.

I've not shot an elk, but reading lots of old hunting books of NZ the guys who hunted wapiti (elk gifted from TR) commented often on how they were easier to down than a red stag. I find with reds like anything, a well placed shot will end the excitement in short order.

 

[William Lincoln]

Most hunters of serious bent have hunted larger animals, often including Elk.
Moose and brown bear are other biggies. Now, whether they used a muzzle-loader
of any caliber, at the time, is another question.

 

[Ranch 13]

Placing that shot is vital. Most folks that haven't shot anything with a roundball gun properly loaded simply can't fathom how affective they are. I suspect those that have trouble putting deer down with a round ball need to hone their marksmanship skills a touch.

 

[pamtnman]

Re deer that run off with round balls either in them or through them: November 28th 7:45am I hit a PA buck at 120 yards with a “vintage single shot,” right through his lungs. Complete pass-through (as expected). He ran 75 yards uphill and turned around to look at the location where he was stung. Hit him again from the other side. Complete pass through, as expected. He stood stock still like nothing had happened. Eventually he fell over. Point being that if you get any deer to drop on the spot where hit, from any firearm, modern or black powder, you’re fortunate. In my 49 years of hunting, I’ve seen a lot of deer run a lot farther, even when perfectly hit, than I would have believed had someone just told me. Every shot deer that folds up or that takes a few bounds and collapses is a gift. This particular deer in this post is a beautiful gift with a beautiful gun in a beautiful part of my favorite state. It’s quite a wonderful report, thank you. I have enjoyed this post a lot.

 

[Ragged Edge]

I must respectfully disagree with your assessment concerning WT deer. I've dropped several of them in place with both the .50 and .45, and none was a hit anywhere around the CNS plumbing. Prb is all I hunt with regardless of caliber and never have lost a deer with either one. IMHO if a shooter can't hit a WT in the lethal part of it's anatomy with a .45 or .50, a bigger projectile certainly won't do it either.

I did NOT say couldn't. I did say could not be counted on. Have you shot any that did not drop in their tracks?

 

[Idaho Ron]

I see this brought up a lot. Can a 50 take elk?
The topic bounces from PRB to conical. Distance is talked about. Comparing PRB to archery always comes up.
Guys that have never seen an elk adding their .02
I have killed 23 head of elk. I have unofficially guided to twice that number. I have busted down a few with muzzleloaders. And I have seen many killed with muzzleloaders by friends and family.
Yes a 50 can kill elk. That statement covers a lot of real-estate. Yes a 50 PRB will kill elk. Yes the 50 with a conical will kill elk.
I prefer my homemade bullets. I honestly don't trust most store bought conicals. I also don't trust PRB's. That's just me and based on my experience on game.
The real issue here isn't the 50 cal. The issue is can the hunter keep it together to actually shoot well enough to get the job done.
Experienced hunters have a tendency to fall apart with a bull in front of them. Many people I take hunting need to be calmed down. I refer to it as talking them off the ledge.
Even guys shooting cows get so amped up that they can hardly maintain control.
I ask guys right after the shot, where did you hit? Most have no idea where the bullet hit. Most day I was right behind the shoulder. An elks kill zone is large but most never hit where they said they aimed.
If a PRB hits a shoulder the odds of recovering that animal has been reduced. The farther the range the odds drop.
If a crappy conical like a power belt or a Hornady hollow point is used the odds are not much better.
I shoot for shoulders with my bullets at times. I know what to expect when I do. I do not recommend a shoulder shot because how tough that shoulder is.
There is way more to killing elk besides the cal.

 

[pamtnman]

Ragged, Ranch, Idaho, all well said. When commenters engage in bravado, chest thumping, braggadocio, black and white absolutes, and demeaning comments about how people just don’t know how to hunt and can’t shoot straight, my eyes automatically roll all around all by themselves in my head. There is so much variation and variability in hunting, regardless of what weapon is used shooting what grain arrow or bullet, there’s too much natural possibility to allow for online strutting and chest poking. C’mon guys, let’s just enjoy each other’s successes here, and leave the More Expert Than Thou at home. Awesome picture, Idaho

 

[hanshi]

I did NOT say couldn't. I did say could not be counted on. Have you shot any that did not drop in their tracks?

I've killed deer with the .45, .50, .54 and .62 and all did their job efficiently. I've also, years in the past, killed them with calibers from the .22 Hornet, .357 revolver up to the .338 Win mag and .45/70; probably 18 to 24 different calibers. I guess I've had about the same % of dropped-in-place kills with .45 and up prb as I've had with all those smokeless calibers. And yes, if I had a chance at an elk I'd likely choose either the .54 or .62. But with whitetail being easy to kill I never sweat it.

 

[Longrifle]

So here in Colorado, .50 prb is a no-go for elk. That being said, we really don't have a choice if using a .50 cal. I found that the LEE R.E.A.L. 250gr shoots well out of my Kentucky with a 1:66 twist. So that's what I use.

Elk are high elevation, spot and stalk, from ridge to ridge, down through the valley and on the other side of a river......only to find out that they are now exactly where you were earlier that day. IMHO, Elk hunting is not easy.

 

[longcruise]

We had a member here who was from near Gunnison. First name was Nathan. I don't remember his screen name.

He killed an elk every year with a 50 and PRB. Seems like there were a lot of pictures of hearts with holes through them.

Pretty sure that his secret was that he was an excellent hunter who did a lot of shooting with his hunting rifle.

So that answers the question for me.

 

[Longrifle]

IMHO, Critters haven't become tougher to kill since the days of our forefathers.

The driving force behind the misconception that a magnum howitzer is needed to harvest game, is media outlets that glorify the killing and not the hunt. Everyone wants to buy what the guy on TV is using, and most times that guy is only using it because the manufacturer is sponsoring with free gear.

Im given a hard time because I haven't jumped on the bandwagon and my cartridge rifle for big game is my trusty ol' '06 that I run cheap soft points. Ironically, the elk or deer can't tell the difference.

Same goes for ML hunting, I use what I am comfortable with and what I know. Just because I hunt with a .50 doesn't mean I am wrong, nor is the hunter who chooses to hunt with a .62. Again, the critter can't tell the difference.

I have seen a bunch of finger pointing and chastising for caliber selection.

It all comes down to personal preference. I think what's forgotten is that we all enjoy the same activity, even though we may go about it differently, we still need to help one another in a respectful manner.

The rifle and projectile used is only a miniscule part of the overall hunt.

 

[Stykbow]

I think what's forgotten is that we all enjoy the same activity, even though we may go about it differently, we still need to help one another in a respectful manner.

I agree with this 100%.

 

[cynthialee]

My first TC Hawken came from an old timer who used it to exclusively hunt Elk. He was using heavy conical rounds and 90 grains of Pyrodex in the thing. I tried a few of his load outs and promptly went to PRB as I just hunt deer. (I just don't hunt elk. Quartering it and packing it out is too much work for me)

If you use the larger bullets I suspect there would be no issue. But I also know that many a hunter has used PRB in a 50 to take down moose, bear and elk. But just cause you can don't make it a good idea.

 

[Urban Coyote]

Well, I guess a .50 round ball works. I posted to get advise that proved itself today. Apparently the my lesson in loading and shooting paid off too, not much effort since he caught on real quick. His hunting ability didn't hurt either, he's awesome.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Can we hear the story? How far was the shot? How far did the elk go? Whats the story about how it came in? Shot location? Penetration?
Walk

 

[Urban Coyote]

Details, I didn't get many as he called from the kill site and was running out of daylight. The little I got suggested he'd initially make a bad shot due to unfamiliarity with double set triggers, the range about 35 yards. He hit a leg and had to track a bit but was able to knock him down with a chest shot, again fairly close. This guy is an awesome hunter having grown up in great game country. I took a couple guns, T/C PA Hunter Carbines, for him to shoot in late August, one percussion, one flint. He'd never fired a muzzleloader before, we set up clay targets at 50 yards and he cleaned house with both, offhand.

He did send me a text this morning saying he's hooked on muzzleloader hunting. He is well accomplished with rifle and archery filling all his tags each year. He also said he wants a .54 gun he can shoot a round ball from as fast as he safely can.

So while the borrowed .50 T/C Hawken worked he does want something with a little more authority.

 

[Stony Broke]

I've taken a lot of game with muzzle loaders, but last year I had one that really flustered me with my .50 and a prb. It was a nice buck that came out in front of me within about 25 yards and had no idea I was there. I took my time and shot him in the normal area I use....no way I could have missed. He turned around and ran back into the woods where he had come from, and after 2 hrs.. of searching I never found him. I've never had problems like this before.....but it can happen. Never even found a drop of blood !

 

[Log Cabin Billy]

A .50 cal lead round ball with a good powder charge will devastate any North American animal ....History has proven that long before anyone on this page was born...........

 

[longcruise]

I've taken a lot of game with muzzle loaders, but last year I had one that really flustered me with my .50 and a prb. It was a nice buck that came out in front of me within about 25 yards and had no idea I was there. I took my time and shot him in the normal area I use....no way I could have missed. He turned around and ran back into the woods where he had come from, and after 2 hrs.. of searching I never found him. I've never had problems like this before.....but it can happen. Never even found a drop of blood !

I observed on the range on a 25 yard target a wild ball that would have been a miss on a deer at that range. I think i was a ball with a large air pocket. It went way high and right.