I will be going black powder hunting for elk in Colorado next fall and I have had more conflicting information on what bullet size to use on my elk hunt. I have had people tell me the powerbelt 295 is big enough and some tell me to go to the 405 gr powerbelt. What bullet have you used on elk hunts and what grain.
What part of colorado are you hunting? What muzzleloader?
The reason i ask is due to different terrain the elk are in and if you plan on doing shoulder shots, which i advise you not to do, you'll want a good blood trail. But for elk i'd use either the 350 grain TC maxi hunter or the 385 grain great plains bullets. Both are excellent bullets. 90-100 grains of powder will be more than enough. Just get a good solid Lung shot and you'll find an elk down when the smoke clears.
I've never hunted elk with a muzzleloader, but when it comes to elk I would hunt with the biggest conical that the rifle could shoot accurate. If you can shoot the 405 grain then that would be what I would use. Some of the guys from that State I am sure can give you a lot more up to date informaton. Good luck.
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
I will be going black powder hunting for elk in Colorado next fall and I have had more conflicting information on what bullet size to use on my elk hunt. I have had people tell me the powerbelt 295 is big enough and some tell me to go to the 405 gr powerbelt. What bullet have you used on elk hunts and what grain.
OKelkhunter,
I would use as big a bullet as the riflewill shoot accurately. I like the 405 PB and have considered using it myself. There is also a 444 PB.Not to mention no-excuses and Bullshops cast bullets in 460, 495 and 500 weights which have plenty of heft and are legal in Colorado.
If it were me I would shoot one of the big conicals in the 400-600grn range if these were accurate in your gun. On the other hand the biggest bull elk I shot was with the 300grn sst. I know they say that the 348grn powerbelt is the most popular bullet for elk in Colorado. If it is accurate in your gun the 348 or 405 would work good.
I would definately stay above oraround 350. I had been using the 405 powerbelt, but last year used the 338 platinum powerbelt. Haven't killed any game with them yet though. If my Omega shoot them accurately, I would be using the NE 460.
One note of caution. Bullets that are more than twice as long as they are in diameter are not legal in Colorado. In a 50 caliber, it you get much over the 460 I think you would be possibly going over that requirement.
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Venor ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
I have only been drawn for cow elk but I have shot them with 300gr. bullets and had full pass through with the elk still up and moving for some distance. If I get drawn this year I am going with NE heavier bullets if I can get the Omega to shoot them. If not I may have to resort to the NEF or maybe my new White if I ever get it. Elk are big and tough especially if they see you and get the adrenaline up.
Per my measure - of the .504 bullets pictured below, any of the bullets including and to the left of the 500 grain N373 would be Colorado legal. Of those four, I would choose between the N373 or the NEx 460.
If not I may have to resort to the NEF or maybe my new White if I ever get it.
congratulations on the new White rifle. What model and caliber did you get? By the way, once you start shooting them big conicals your other rifles are going to get lonely...
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
bullet size for elk hunt
Hmmm, kickbacks... 
