Sufficient energy to drop an elk

B

BillyBoB

Active Member
Messages
904
Question.....
I've got my inline muzzleloader dialed in with a Nikon inline muzzy 3 x 9 x 40 bdc 300 scope.
I feel confident shooting out to 250 yards. Haven?t tried out to 330 yards which is the furthest distance on my scope bullet drop compensation. Don?t plan on shooting that far anyways. I have a buck deer and cow elk tag. What is sufficient ft Ibs of energy to harvest a cow elk?
My muzzle velocity is 1680 FPS respectively (tested with chronograph) with 1567 ft Ibs of energy
At 250 yards it's 1223 FPS with 830 ft Ibs of energy
At 300 yards it's 1155 FPS with 740 ft Ibs of energy
At 330 yards it 1121 FPS with 697 ft Ibs of energy
Shooting a CVA Accura V2 with 100 grains of 777 and a Barnes TMZ 250 grain sabot.

Is this energy enough to drop a cow elk?






"Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So
we must and we will."
Theadore Roosevelt
 
I would say your good at 250. If your gun will safely shoot BH209 you could up your velocity and feel a little better at longer ranges. My back up gun is a CVA wolf launches 300 Parker BEs at 1850 FPS with bh209 (that's through a chronograph).

My custom build is a lot faster and is what I typically use.
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-15-18 AT 01:16PM (MST)[p]I would feel comfortable out to 150 yards on an elk with that load. Beyond that I would not feel that comfortable with those numbers. Should be good to go out to 250 on a deer.

I would worry the bullet might not open up at the longer distances/lower velocities, but I don't know what that particular bullet needs to open


txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
Txhunter....I was thinking along the same lines.
150 for elk and 250 for deer

I have a cow elk control tag and a muzzy buck deer tag.
Never gone after an elk with a muzzleloader before.
I look forward to it




"Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So
we must and we will."
Theadore Roosevelt
 
Barnes TMZ is designed to open at 1050 fps.

I would prefer to shoot the heavier 290 for elk vs the 250 he is using. It ould fight wind better and more energy on target.
 
I'm a huge fan of huge conicals. I shoot 460 grain no excuses at 1375 FPS. This still gives me just shy of 1000 ft/ lbs of energy at 300 yards. I shot a big bull at 286 yards in the shoulder and found my bullet just under the hide on the opposite side. My buddy shot his big bull at 210 yards with the same bullet facing him. We found his bullet lodged in his pelvis where it attaches to his spine. And last year I shot another mature bull quartering hard at me at 135 yards. Shot him just in front of his shoulder and found my bullet just under the hide of the far side rear flank. It might be a flying beer can but it hits hard.
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-22-18 AT 01:59PM (MST)[p]>I'm a huge fan of huge
>conicals. I shoot 460
>grain no excuses at 1375
>FPS. This still gives
>me just shy of 1000
>ft/ lbs of energy at
>300 yards. I shot
>a big bull at 286
>yards in the shoulder and
>found my bullet just under
>the hide on the opposite
>side. My buddy shot
>his big bull at 210
>yards with the same bullet
>facing him. We found
>his bullet lodged in his
>pelvis where it attaches to
>his spine. And last
>year I shot another mature
>bull quartering hard at me
>at 135 yards. Shot
>him just in front of
>his shoulder and found my
>bullet just under the hide
>of the far side rear
>flank.
>It might be a flying
>beer can but it hits
>hard.

How hard do those things kick? I started to try those this year or the 420?s, but I've read they didn't shoot well w QLA on the TC?s which is what I have. So I've opted to go w Hornady FPB but I'm not really happy with the accuracy of the whole thing! I've got standard open factory fiber optic sights which I know is prolly the main reason. But finding a peep sight combination that will fit has been no small feat and I gave up with that idea for now. I can get about 7 or 8 inch groups w 5 shots at 100 yds.
 
A .50 cal SWC bullet weighing 460 gr will have a BC of about .200 at 1375 fps @ muzzle you are down to 850 ft-lbs of energy at 300 yards. Just over 1000 at 200 yards. Even a very generous BC of .220 is under 900 ft-lbs at 300 yards.
 
Boy was I racked over the coals for even discussing long-range elk shooting with a muzzleloader on Traditions Muzzleloading Forum. Anyone interested it is under, "firearms", "general muzzleloading", "shooting long range for elk". It is a mortal sin to shoot elk at 200 yards or longer. I am shooting a 400 grain lead bullet at about 1450 fps. and can group 4 1/2 inch groups with a lead sled. My last trip at the range I shot a 8 inch, 6 shot group with a support on the front without the lead sled. With extensive practice, a range finder, and some knowledge about the wind 200 yards is more doable than most who get their muzzleloader out the week before, shoot to make sure it is on, and try to shoot an elk at 100 yards. Lets even say 80 or 90 yards.
 

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