Best Muzzleloader Bullet for Bull Elk?

[Joe Hulburt]

Another Thor fan here. Here in Oregon I have to shoot the 247 grain hollow points but if legal I would go with the 250 grain with the plastic tip. Probably not much or an issue as the hollow points grouped excellent when I had a scope on my gun dialing in the load. Often touching at 100 yards and they hold together really well!

 

[JohnCushman]

After seeing how 295 copper plated lead powerbelts exploded on deer and antelope there's no way I'd use them on elk. I like my maxiballs in all my smoke poles now, even my inlines. Powerbelts are cheap, so I use them to sight in.

 

[cahunter805]

290gr Barnes TMZ with a Harvestor sabot over BH209. If it needs to be full bore then Thor bullets.
If smokeless I’d start with Parker.

 

[HFW]

I have taken 7 moose, 2 caribou and 2 elk with either a Barnes 250 or 290 T-EZ over 100 grains of 777. Very accurate load from my TC Pro Hunter. Majority of shots have been 80 to 150 yds with only one moose at 200.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

If we could use sabots i'd use the Barnes T-EZ 290 gr but we can't. I use a Powerbelt Aerolite 300gr with 75gr of BH 209. The secret to using a Powerbelt is to not push them too fast or they explode. Especially, if you're foolish enough to hit a shoulder.

Get close and put a hole in both lungs. Elk in the freezer.

For a sidelock, a .54 round ball with 85g of Goex 2F works well too.

 

[AmericanLongrifle]

I don't use an inline. My twist rate on my KLR is 1:66, so I am limited to what I can shoot. However, Hornady has a 240gr solid conical that has shot well for me. No issues with anything walking away.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I don't use an inline. My twist rate on my KLR is 1:66, so I am limited to what I can shoot. However, Hornady has a 240gr solid conical that has shot well for me. No issues with anything walking away.

It looks like your gun is a .50. You couldn't use a PRB for elk now. However, the .54 with a .535 ball is 235gr. So, our loads are similar. If you can't smell the elk you're too far away.

 

[AmericanLongrifle]

It looks like your gun is a .50. You couldn't use a PRB for elk now. However, the .54 with a .535 ball is 235gr. So, our loads are similar. If you can't smell the elk you're too far away.

Yeah, precisely the reason I haven't put in for an elk muzzleloader tag in a few years. Colorado went stupid when they said that the PRB can't kill elk in .50 and now require a conical. So now I only use my ML for deer as a PRB is exponentially more accurate than a conical out of my ML. If i go for elk, i use the '06.

It makes me laugh when states and people think elk get tougher as the years go by. The .50 PRB has been harvesting big game on NA for 100's of years, and all of the sudden, poof.....elk have armor plating.

But who knows, maybe I will use the damn conicals this year and draw an elk tag.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I agree. Colorado can be so stupid about certain things. The .50 PRB has been killing elk for centuries.

You'll be fine with that conical. Get as close as you can and put a hole through both lungs. Then enjoy the meat.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

I don't think it's a matter of "which is best" but more of which groups best. If you intend on shooting out to 200yds, stick to a projectile that works well with your ML. I've taken a moose with my whitetail load (which was my whitetail/moose load that season), 77gr weighed of Blackhorn 209 with a 250gr Hornady SST. He did about 5 steps and pilled up nicely.

 

[LaSportsman]

Didn't get a shot this year on my muzzle hunt but did lot of research on this question. Lot of complaints on the Powerbelts. If sabots are legal, Barnes 290 gr TMZ or TEZ. Load easy and was very consistent in my CVA Accura V2. I shot TEZ and TMZ on range out to 150 and difference was minimal. TEZ loads slightly easier but may lose a little accuracy but I didn't have an issue.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I'm going to make a change this year. I decided to try the NoExcuses 420gr lead conical with a lighter load of Goex for a cow. I'll keep my range under 50yds. That way the light powder load will still have 1200fpe at 50yds. Plenty for a cow elk.

 

[LaSportsman]

And make sure you try Blackhorn 209. Easy to work with and not cheap but about the same as pellets and more accurate.

 

[PAelkhunter]

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I shoot the extreme elite hp outta my 54 with 1:66 twist with no issues whatsoever.

 

[jbogg]

Another vote for Barnes T-EZ. I shoot the 250 grain bullet with two 50 grn White Hot Pellets. I haven’t shot Elk, but have had great results on some huge 300 spots plus pound hogs. Super accurate as well. First three shots are usually touching at 100 yds off a bench.

 

[AmericanLongrifle]

I don't know where everyone is from. Here in CO, no pelletized powder, no electronic ignition and no optics for us......which I am ok with as I feel that muzzleloader season should be a primitive season. Anymore it seems that ML season is becoming more and more like a regular rifle season.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

And make sure you try Blackhorn 209. Easy to work with and not cheap but about the same as pellets and more accurate.

Easy to use, more accurate than pellets, easier to clean, can shoot more than 3 times without having to use a jackhammer to ram the projo down the barrel, you can "forget" to clean your smokepole for a week without any damage, etc, to only name a few...

BH209 is freaking awesome!

 

[hogcarpy]

I drew a late season New Mexico muzzleloader tag last year. I got lucky and found a load that worked very well on the first try. 250 gr Barnes TMZ with a max load of BH209. Using measure by weight, not volume, I got 2.5” groups at 200 yards.

 

[SteelWool]

Federal Bore-loc 270 grain in Colorado.

 

[PeteTheBeat]

I shoot Thor