35 Whelen
Member
Sure, I completely agree that a properly loaded .44spl can easily take a deer if the shooter does his part. However, a bull elk is a much larger critter than any deer. They are particularly large up here.
Can someone take a Bull elk with a .44spl.....probably.
Should someone try to take an elk with one, probably not.
300gr bullets may not be necessary either but it was fun to develop the load. They were real thumpers
Also in Handloader #236 Pearce relates:
A number of years ago, I planted two 250- grain cast bullets (from Lyman
mould 429421) through the lungs of a bull elk at over 100 yards. They were driven 1,200 fps from a Colt New Frontier with a 7-1/2" inch barrel. Both bullets exited the offside, and the bull ran 20 or 30 feet before going down.
Someone better tell Mr. Pearce before he does it again!
Point is, if the .44 Magnum loads to which I referred will work for elk, (and I don't think anyone has ever questioned that)then so will a .44 Special running a similar bullet at a similar velocity.
35W