Bull Elk with Traditional ML

[MtnMike2]

I just read an article in Safari magazine about a guy hunting bison with .54 cal round balls in a flintlock. He max'd out the powder, using 120 gr of fffg and says he gets over 2000 ft/sec muzzle velocity, enough for buff at 60 yds, elk at 75.

I have been thinking about a traditional muzzle loader hunt for elk in fall 2010. I have a couple of points that should get me a good area in Colorado. My .54 cal Grt Plains rifle recommends max of 120 gr ffg or 100 gr fffg. I was thinking of buying the alternate faster twist barrel (1:32) to shoot conicals. The conicals would provide more weight for better penetration. If I want to try to be more historically correct, I suppose I could shoot mini-ball type conical.

I know I could stick to the PRBs, but I'd have to be very close in order to be sure of a kill. The conicals would provide a little more distance and give me more confidence. What do you all think? Anyone with experience on a big bull elk?

Mike

[Adam Helmer]

Mike,

Roundballs are traditional; Lewis & Clark used RB in their trek 1804-1806.

Maxis have more muzzle energy and are better game loads according to Sam Fadala in his book. A .54 caliber ball has a lot going for it.

Adam

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I just read an article in Safari magazine about a guy hunting bison with .54 cal round balls in a flintlock. He max'd out the powder, using 120 gr of fffg and says he gets over 2000 ft/sec muzzle velocity, enough for buff at 60 yds, elk at 75.

So just who is this 'expert'? What does he base his numbers on? I'm willing to be my possibles that there have been a number of elk killed cleanly by those who know their rifles, at ranges exceding the 'limit' of 60 yards, and with PRB as well.
One of the things that I find disturbing in these articles is that the writers try to equate modern rifles (or inlines) with traditional muzzleloaders.....it's like comparing apples to oranges, IMHO.
I haven't taken elk with my muzzleloader, but I did take a cow bison with my .54 cal Hawken back in 2000 (IIRC)....I used a T/C maxiball because all the 'experts' said that it would have more 'oomph' and 'kill better'. To make a long story short, it took 3 shots to bring her down for keeps, although she was dead with the first shot. She gave no reaction to being hit with the first shot (I thought I had missed), but it was a perfect double lung shot, and she was bleeding out into her lungs. I shot her to more times, and the only reaction I got was to see her hump move up a bit. She finally got the staggers and took a few steps and fell. I felt bad that she didn't go down quickly, until my guide told me he has seen similar situations with more 'adequate' rounds (.45-70, .338 Winchester, ect).
Those of us who are old enough to remember when compound bows first came out remember the claims of 'they kill better because the arrow moves faster"......what B.S.!!! Arrows kill by hemmorrage, not hydrostatic shock.
If you feel more comfortable using a conical, that's fine....but remember this: your round ball will shoot flatter than the conical, and bullet placement is ALWAYS the key! I'm not saying that your elk will flip on it's back and lay there kicking with all four feet in the air, but you will have a dead elk......and how many tracking jobs for elk have we seen when they've been adequately hit with 'modern' cartridges such as the .270, 30-06, and .300 magnums?
I'm of the opinion that your PRB would be fine for elk...just remember that your hunting elk with a primative weapon and keep your actions equivelent to your skills, and you'll make meat.

[MtnMike2]

Thanks for the replies. I'll review Fadala's book, Adam, and will seriously consider using PRBs for elk. Just don't want to blow it if I get a chance at a big one.

16 G: I used a 45-70 on a buff hunt a few yrs back. Took me 3 shots even tho the first was double lung. They have such big lungs that it takes them a long while to fill with blood. I had to wait for it to be clear of others in case the bullet went all the way thru. Second shot was a little back but not gut. Third was right in the heart area. I'm not proud that it took me that many shots to bring him down but that's how it happened - they are tough animals.

Mike

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Mike;
It's also my impression that the original use of conicals wasn't for their extra energy down range, but rather for their ease of reloading on the battle field....the extra energy was just a by product of their extra weight/mass.
You might want to do your own test, using wet news print or some other test media, to see just how much penetration you get with one projectile vs another....you have the time, and you might be surprised!

[roundball]

Originally Posted by MtnMike2

Just don't want to blow it if I get a chance at a big one.

I can see you're not thinking this thing through...this is the perfect opportunity to buy yourself another caliber...


But seriously, speaking only for myself...if I had the choice from several calibers I've slowly accumulated over the years ( .40/.45/.50/.54/.58/.62 ) and was planning a trip like yours for Elk, not knowing what distances I might be faced with...without hesitation I'd first reach for the .58cal, .62cal next.
Serious "whompability" at distance with a flatter trajectory than a big heavy conical....just my .02 cents

[MtnMike2]

Thanks for the good replies. I will experiment and will probably stick with PRBs unless the experiments show a really big advantage for conicals. I would love to purchase a new .58 cal ML. We'll see... meanwhile I want to get good with the .54 I've got. Not only shooting well but also need to practice rapid reloads before hunting season.

Mike

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I was thinking of buying the alternate faster twist barrel (1:32) to shoot conicals.

Just a thought here....could you buy a barrel with a faster twist, could you buy a barrel with a bigger bore, such as a .58?

[Larryjk]

MtnMike2, I shoot a .54 Half Stock Hawken with 1-60 twist, a PRB rifle. It doesn't shoot most sabot wrapped bullets well; badlly at best. I tried some TC Maxi-Ball 430 grain bullets with 100 grains of FFg. They shot accurately, but somewhat painfully. (hooked steel buttplate). They were right on line, but 14 inches low at 100 yards. They would do very well on elk as long as you remembered the drop equation. The PRB for the 54 caliber is only 230 grains. If I were going after elk with that rifle I would definitely use the TC 430 gr. Maxi-Ball and close to 100 grains of FFg or equivalent.