Heading to MT for elk, wanting to use my muzzy. CVA Accura MR 50cal, BH209 w CCI 209 primer . What I have grouping good right now out to 250y is 90g BH and a 300g Hornady FBP. The Hornady was the only bullet I could get to group consistently, Powerbelts were just okay and the federal BORlok were terrible even with different loads of powder. Any reason to change my load for elk?
Elk muzzy bullets
- Thread starter Dustin B.
- Start date
Fatrack
Well-known member
I've had great luck with the Ballistic Extremes from Parker Productions in Idaho with 110 gr. BH 209
p_ham
Well-known member
the Barnes 290gr. Tmz over 100gr of bh209 have been shooting very well for me. Does MT require bore size bullets? If so I have heard a lot of good things about the hornady you are using.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
I have a cow muzzy tag and it will be my first time using a muzzy on an elk. I've killed plenty of deer and antelope with 295 grain copper plated hollow point powerbelts, but a lot of guys on here say they suck on elk. I'm actually thinking of switching to the maxiballs I shoot out of my percussion cap rifle for my cow tag.
pre6422hornet
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I would think you are good to go. I have the 350gr FPB's all sighted in with my Omega and Blackhorn 209. Hopefully a Colorado cow elk gets to try and outrun mine in about 4 weeks!
Any elk in world won't survive a FPB properly placed.
Any elk in world won't survive a FPB properly placed.
Gut Shot
Well-known member
I know it's only one experience but...That hornady bullet is, IMO, crap for big game. I had to help track a smallish sized cow elk shot in the shoulder with one. The elk fell at the shot onto the shoulder she was shot in. Whilst the shooter was reloading she got up and walked off. There was a small pool of blood with copper jacket material in it. We never did find that elk and figured the bullet broke up on impact and just didn't penetrate. Not the first incident like that we've had using hornady bullets.
I have used a couple of different bullets from Powerbelts to Hornady to TCs, but recently started using Bloodlines by Leigh Defense and have been VERY impressed. I wrote up a little review several months ago. Link below.
https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?272344-Bloodline-Bullet-Review
https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?272344-Bloodline-Bullet-Review
Sask hunter
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The Barnes 250 I have used Plowright through deer
dan.kirkpatrick
Well-known member
I use the Hornady great plains conical myself
DIY HUNTER
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stick with what you are using if it is most accurate...
Yup! Ill never use anything in states where you can use whatever other than a Barnes in a muzzy! Loaded 300 gr Hornady in muzzy and they shot amazing ran out of Barnes was the reason for the switch and had screw up on shipping me Barnes before the opener so I read into the Hornady bullets and seem to have good reviews.I went out shot them and they were great. Opening day of the muzzy season I call a spike bull into 31 yards perfectly broadside for the wife she drills it right behind the shoulder! text book placement. Start following blood not a lot of blood and notice its only coming from one side and has air bubbles in it. After 200 yards I knew something wasn't good followed blood for 400 yards and it stopped. Never found that bull! looked the next day and looked for birds for 2 weeks as it was by my house. Nothing!
I did extensive testing on a ton of muzzy bullets years ago on penetration and there was nothing comparable to a barnes. Ill take a bullet that doesn't blow up and penetrate deep in a muzzy over anything else
Gut Shot
Well-known member
I love the Barnes Expander bullet too. I've had some impressive kills with it on deer. Some states don't allow sabots though. In that case I don't think you'd have to look any farther than the old TC Maxi-ball.
OutdoorAddict14
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- Dec 20, 2015
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I second this one, I too have had great luck with the 300 grain Parker B E. I also shoot 110 grains but in triple 7. Also, fyi, I had poor luck with powerbelts. I shot a cow elk a couple years ago, 70 yards behind the shoulder but we did not recover it. That's only one instance but it was enough for me to look at other bullets. I know others have had good success with them but I'm glad I switched to the Ballistic Extremes.
Dan O
Well-known member
Get a mold and cast your own Maxi Balls. They will get the job done.
Good Luck,
Dan
Good Luck,
Dan
I have tried many bullet combinations in my Knight Disc Extreme and in my Thompson Encore. The Knight doesn't seem to care what bullet it shoots, the 28" barrel sends it down range and it hits the target short or long range. The Encore is much more sensitive due to having a shorter barrel and I am always toying with loads for it. Powerbelts are Ok up to 100 yards but longer range and the bullets go everywhere. Saboted bullets are necessary to keep a decent group at 125 yards but they never are better than what the knight does. Then I discovered Barnes TMZ Bullets. I'm shooting 290 Gr in the Encore getting ready for My Nevada Muzzy Elk hunt in October (Finally drew with 14 points). The groups are almost as good as the Knight and I think I can get them to be as good as the Knight if I start using the bullet alignment tool that Barnes has. Does anyone have any experience with this alignment tool? Do they do any good? They are bullet and caliber specific.
I know everyone is wondering why I don't just shoot the Knight. It is one of the early in-lines that I converted to a 209 primer. It is a nightmare to clean You have to take the bolt apart. take the barrel out of the stock, break down the trigger, etc. etc. it takes an hour to clean. The Encore takes 3 minutes and I am still killing the animals I shoot at and I love shooting it but I pass up shots Due to lack of confidence in the shot. I would like to have enough confidence to shoot beyond 125 yards. Currently I will not take those shots. Sorry, I didn't mean for my first post on this site to be so long but I needed to write all of that to solicit ideas to bring my groups tighter down range.
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I know everyone is wondering why I don't just shoot the Knight. It is one of the early in-lines that I converted to a 209 primer. It is a nightmare to clean You have to take the bolt apart. take the barrel out of the stock, break down the trigger, etc. etc. it takes an hour to clean. The Encore takes 3 minutes and I am still killing the animals I shoot at and I love shooting it but I pass up shots Due to lack of confidence in the shot. I would like to have enough confidence to shoot beyond 125 yards. Currently I will not take those shots. Sorry, I didn't mean for my first post on this site to be so long but I needed to write all of that to solicit ideas to bring my groups tighter down range.
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10Dogs
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Hornady Great Plains bullets / 50 cal boresize bullets...no sabots.
385 grain lead hollow point prelubed over 90 grains of Blackhorn 209.
Had my fill of the 295 Power Belts going through (1) side and exploding in the chest cavity.
Yes....the deer were dead but no blood and usually some distance from impact area.
Elk would probably be a less favorable outcome. ( just my guess)
My TC Omega likes them alot.....it DOES NOT LIKE SABOTS
385 grain lead hollow point prelubed over 90 grains of Blackhorn 209.
Had my fill of the 295 Power Belts going through (1) side and exploding in the chest cavity.
Yes....the deer were dead but no blood and usually some distance from impact area.
Elk would probably be a less favorable outcome. ( just my guess)
My TC Omega likes them alot.....it DOES NOT LIKE SABOTS
sn.outdoors
Well-known member
I've killed a lot of stuff with the Barnes TMZ, and I've never had an issue with accuracy or terminal performance. That said, I wouldn't change your setup at all.
