ORIGINAL: Pglasgow
ORIGINAL: MLKeith
All the talk about a great first shot is fine for deer; but I hunt elk by myself and do not want them walking to the bottom of a ravine before they fall down. I want a second shot available fast as they are tough and I have had heart shot cows walk off for almost ten minutes before they dropped. I had one cow with a double lung shot and a second one made when she was running at about 100 yards that took out the liver walk and run over a half mile before I finally managed to head shoot her. She saw me and had the adrenaline pumping apparently. That is why I am presently using Black Mag'3. I have such severe crud rings with 777 that I refuse to use the stuff. That second shot was within 30 second or less of the first shot which would be impossible with 777 in my rifle.
Sure hope that doesn't happen to me. I'm gonna be shooting with 3f Black Powder for elk so my first shot needs to do its work and work well. What was the projectile and charge you were using that day?
Happy Hunting, Phil
The first shot was 90gr. Black Mag'3 and a Hornady 300gr. SST. The follow up shot was a 295gr. copper clad aerotip Powerbelt. Both bullets were complete pass through and the holes on the exit side were about the same size as a fifty cent piece. I am going to try some heavier bullets this year as I got drawn for antlerless elk again and there are now more bullets to chose from. I may try the deadcenter 390gr. bullets and maybe the 348 powerbelt as a follow-up as they load a lot easier as a second shot. I think I will still stick with the Black Mag'3 unless my trials show me something better. I bought some Goex Pinnacle to try also. If no bone is hit the 300gr. bullets are probably as effective as heavier ones as long as they go completely through.