.490 PRB on a Cow

[huntnpack]

If I plan to keep shots 70 yards and in with a .490 round ball going 1650 at the muzzle, am I crazy for chasing cow elk? I can use conicals, but I just have an itch to shoot roundballs.

 

[Addicting]

 

[Wild Bill]

I wouldn't want to stand in front of that at 70 yards.

 

[Sheltowee]

I wouldn't want to stand in front of that at 70 yards.

British redcoat, October 7, 1777, Saratoga, New York.

No reason not to so long as they group well enough. What kind of smokepole are you toting?

 

[44hunter45]

It will work. I always say to think like an archer when you ML for elk. Tracking and blood trails are a strong possibility.
Practice reloads under pressure. I use the T/C quickshot speed loaders for my .54. Extra caps in some kind of organizer in case of a pop-fizz.

 

[Bullshot]

It will work. I always say to think like an archer when you ML for elk. Tracking and blood trails are a strong possibility.

Discipline. Double lung full broadside or quartering away through the ribs - easy dead cow.

Anything else - possible rodeo

I have had some unwelcome adventures with PRB on white-tailed deer when not following the above rules. On elk that would be worse.

 

[gle3105]

Are you good at tracking? Might take a while.

 

[Jnasa]

Not crazy at all. 70 yards and in is very reasonable. Many elk have been killed with round balls.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot even a bull with a PRB. I used a PRB in my 54 cal T/C Renegade for a deer hunt when I couldn’t find conicals. I had read that they didn’t do much but I couldn’t help but think that a .530 hole through the lungs would work. The buck I ended up shooting ran a short distance after a behind the shoulder shot and keeled over before he got out of sight - much like deer do when i hit them in the same spot with my 300 RUM or 338 LM. The ball exited and did a lot of damage to the lungs.