[KarbineKrazy]

So, I really want to get a muzzleloader and I can get a good deal on a nice used knight from a friend. No disrepect to traditionalist, but in oregon, rifle season is way to early and screwed up for a deer and Elk. The muzzleloader season is much better.
In Oregon, I have use primitive sights and musket caps(no 209 shotgun primers) and loose powder.

I am going with a .50 and was wondering what the best bullet would be for elk and deer within 100 yards. I was thinking maybe the hornady 385 grain plains bullet. I don't know what propellant to use though. What type of velocity and energy would we be looking at w/ 150 grains of pyrodex powder and a 350-400 grain bullet?

This is just my starting rifle, don't try crapping on me cause it's not a 'quality' muzzleloader. I have to start somewhere.

[arcticap]

There's Pyrodex P and RS granulations. Reduce P by 10% volume to equal RS loads, and reduce 777 by at least 15%, (maybe 20% for 777 fffg, and 777 kicks noticiably harder. You don't really need 150 grains of powder, my shoulder hurts just thinking about it. :D

Here's some data:

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/muzzleloading/granular/pdx-rifle-sabot.php

Look here for the link to 777 data:

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/muzzleloading/granular/pdx-rifle-sabot.php

[KarbineKrazy]

WOW! 1500 FPS with a 385 grn bullet. I'm sold!

[ldasr]

I have one of the first Knight 50 cal rifles made. It's so old that it can't be shot with mag loads that is 150g. I have killed many Deer with this gun out to 141yds. My best load is (2) 50g Pyrodex pellets a Barnes 250 MZ sabot and a Federal 209 primer. Every gun likes it's own load, it's almost personal. I kid you not. If I push this gun to it's max (120g) the pattern goes bad. I am an avid hunter and have always found accuracy is far moor important than velocity.

[motorcycle_dan]

accuracy over velocity.

A well placed .22 rim fire much better than a 8mm mag near miss.

That's the difference between a hunter that shoots, and a shooter that hunts.