any muzzleloding elk hunters there

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I use a 440 gr Hydrocon behind 130 grs of FFG out of a Knight rolling block rifle. This shoots about 2" at 100 yards and will generally give full penetration on an elk.

We do can not use Sabots in Colorado and I find Power Belts to be horrible bullets in general. The Hydrocon is an all lead bullet and many rifles won't shoot them but the Knight sure will.

Unfortunately Knight is out of business and they made the Hydrocon so I 'll only have them as long as my stash of 500 or so lasts.


Powerbelts work OK but some rifles won't shoot them.
 
My Black Diamond shoots the Power Belts well and have performed well on deer but I have heard that they do not hold up well with elk.
I am looking for some solid experience on this claim one way or the other.
 
No sabots in Idaho either. Must be a solid lead bullet. Also no 209s, no weatherproof priming of any sort, and an exposed hammer is required. I don't know where you're going to hunt, but check out the regs. The times, they are a-changin', so that you have to actually use a somewhat "primitive" rifle to hunt in a special season.

BTW Knight has been acquired and the new owner intends to keep the company going pretty much as-is, but in Tennessee.

http://www.knightrifles.com/home.php
 
Colorado went through that Buckskinner phase a few yrs ago and have since allowed the inlines and 209's to be used again. No sabots or optics though.
 
Idaho has some "short-range weapon" tags where you can use an in-line, or a slug gun, handgun, and I'm not sure what else.

The muzzleloader season here is either-sex, and during the rut, when skilled callers can bring elk in to very close ranges -- just up the hill from Boise. For that season, the weapons are limited to those that don't provide modern performance and ease of use.

That's what I mean: check the regs. Every state is different, and there can even be variation within a state.
 
Elk loads

I've never had the time and funds at the same time.I've been shooting Maxi-balls since early 80's,bought a 385 minnie[lee] and learned something.
I know I have a GM 1-28 barrel - I know a maxi-ball works 75-100gr ffg - I know that MINNIE BALLS are for SLOW TWIST barrels [learned hard way]hollow base puts balance fwd.
Times are changing,and Sabots,pellets,209's, in lines;are being banned from muzzleloading hunts.
To be on the safe side...I've added a Lyman spark model in .54 cal w 1-32 twist barrel for slugs; Maxi-balls and Great plains hunter[have maxi mold]
 
A patched round ball over 90gr of FF seems to kill elk pretty dead if you shoot them in the boiler room.
I shot my 1st elk with a .54 maxi ball from a TC Renegade but after shooting that load same through a deer lengthwise and digging the maxiball out of the tree she stood in front of, I decided that hauling all that iron around is just not necessary.
HTH
 
Colorado went through that Buckskinner phase a few yrs ago and have since allowed the inlines and 209's to be used again. No sabots or optics though.
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Right, but you CAN use conical bullets like Powerbelts. You also CAN use fiber optic "irons". Can you use pelletized powder in Colo? I forgot.
 
I shoot a 1:24 twist Investarms Hawken Hunter Carbine as sold by Cabelas. It's got a 20" barrel, modern adjustable sights, a recoil pad, montecarlo stock, blacked out furniture, a hawken for the modern hunter. It likes 240 grain .44 cal sabots, but for lead, and I kinda prefer 'em, it shoots a 385 grain Hornady Great Plains minie quite well. I don't elk hunt with it, in fact, I haven't hunted with it at all in all these years. It's just a pain to have to load up for a hunt when I can grab my Contender and just drop in a .30-30. :D But, I expect that minie would work on an elk. Only thing I've ever killed with it is paper.

I say shoot what's accurate and legal. If that's round ball, so be it.

I also cast a 360 grain Lee improved minie which shoots quite well. Need pure lead, not range scrap, though. If the lead is too hard, minies won't work as designed.

Rifle twist rate has a lot to do with what your gun will shoot. You'll just have to experiment. There is no substitute for range time and practice.
 
MC Gunner, can you post a pic of that rifle - sounds interesting. Is it in original form from Cabela's? I sold an InvestArms Hawken awhile back, but it was a regular Hawken. Is that blacked-out *wood* furniture or synthetic material?
 
MC Gunner, can you post a pic of that rifle - sounds interesting. Is it in original form from Cabela's? I sold an InvestArms Hawken awhile back, but it was a regular Hawken. Is that blacked-out *wood* furniture or synthetic material?
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The wood is walnut, checkered, has a recoil pad, not a butt plate, and has a 20" barrel,. Buddy ordered the standard Hawken when I ordered my Carbine some 15 or 20 years ago, back in the 90s. His had a patch box, mine doesn't. His was rifled 1:48 and would stabilize patched round ball. Mine is 1:24 and requires either heavy Minie or saboted 240 .44 JHP. By blacked out furniture, I mean the fore end cap, the trigger guard, etc. It has no shiny brass. The only modification I've done is put a conversion replaces the nipple for small rifle magnum primers. Helps with the Pyrodex. Number 11 caps don't ignite consistently.

I think the sights might be different, fully adjustable, and you'll notice it has a chrome bore. Also, mine's a left hander and last I looked they don't offer it in left hand anymore.

http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/product/0006380210011a.shtml


I think the only pic I have of it is a muzzle shot. Let me look.


attachment.php
 
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