.50 Caliber for Elk Hunting

[RugerHawg413]

For a perfect 120 elk rifle, why not a .54 instead?

Track of the Wolf

Muzzle Loading & Black Powder Guns Kits, Parts, Accoutrements, Rendezvous Gear & Primitive Americana.

www.trackofthewolf.com

or, for a lot less money...

Track of the Wolf

Muzzle Loading & Black Powder Guns Kits, Parts, Accoutrements, Rendezvous Gear & Primitive Americana.

www.trackofthewolf.com

PS. Not my guns. Just know they are out there.

Ok, wow!! Thank you so much for sending the links!

 

[Redman]

I have a T/C Impact that I have Leupold QD system on it. Leave the scope on for whitetail here ar home and remove the scope when I go to CO to hunt elk. Open sight I am good to 150yds. I use 90gr Black Horn 209 with a Thor 250gr bullet. Kills elk just fine but considering switching to the Thor 300gr.

 

[Dan O]

Track of the Wolf sells some very nice muzzleloaders. The one Brent posted built by George Nelson would be something worth passing down to your kids.

 

[Bushfire]

Put the bullet where it needs to be and you'll be fune

 

[tkhuntsman]

I do like a 54 for elk with a no excuses bullet it's pretty deadly. I have shot a couple with 50 cal. and it did just fine. All my muzzleloaders are Hawkens style I just like it better. My 54 has a fast twist 1-24 barrel and it's a good shooter out to about 150 with open sights the 50s are 1-48 and do well to about 100 with 150 grn Lee REAL bullets

 

[shannerdrake]

Just finished shooting iron sights, Federal Trophy Copper Bor Locks 270s and 84grn by weight BH209 earlier to tonight. I have an old Remington Genesis (same as Traditions Yukon) that has a modified breech plug for BH209. Iron sights are Western Precision by Williams.

Here is 100 and 150yds.



Here is 200 (just the black stickers, the red were added to increase visibility):

 

[tkhuntsman]

I shot this group the other day with a 54 caliber pedersoli Hawken. It was 3 shots at 100. 530 round ball, .018 thick patch lubed with Mink oil, over 95 grns. of 2fg black powder. I don't own an inline that can even match it. It's got a Lyman tang mounted peep and a lee/shaver globe front.
View attachment KIMG6405.JPG

 

[Firehawk54]

With the TC Impact, consider using a good conical bullet for elk. Something in the 300-450 grain range. Thors are a great option here, just get the sizing pack to know which version will work best in YOUR rifle. Sabots will work good too, if you stick to good bullets designed to penetrate and hold together. again 300 ish grains is a good place to be for them. I doubt your Impact will like shooting round balls as it has a 1:28 twist in the barrel. Maybe with really light charges and plinking around, but not for hunting.

 

[David658]

What kind of range distance do you think would be effective on elk? 100-150 yards max? Thx

With patched round ball? Nothing past 100 yards.

Give a try with shooting two patched round balls, one on top of the other. You will be surprised how close together they hit on the target. I would do that with a .50, I don't think a .50 is heavy enough. YMMV

David
NM

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

I’d like to someday do one a those Traditions Springfield or Enfield 58cal kits. I’m quite content with my now discontinued .54 Lyman. But that .58 caliber whack should equate to that much more DRT.