RE: Traditional & tight groups??
1st...I would like to point out the obvious...We have no elk (well we have transplanted a few in the mountains)...in NC...and I have never hunted elk....But...
I have hunted with flintlocks since the mid 70s and did a ton of research before building my own flintlock back in the 80s....
When the NMLRA came out with their first record book, the record grizzly bear was killed with a .54 caliber Hawken-style rifle and 120 grains of FF black powder behind a .530 caliber round ball.....The range was about 100 yards and the flattened ball went through the lungs and was found under the hide on the off side...So a .54 caliber ball (about 220-230 grains in weight) is "enough"....
A good Hawken-styled rifle with 100-120 grains of FF powder behind a good conical will take out an elk...
The biggest advantage inlines give you is that because of their style it is easier to mount a scope (since you can't use a scope this shouldn't matter)...
Make sure to do your research and buy a rifle that has the proper twist rate and depth for conicals...As a rule of thumb...Most inlines are rifled one complete turn in 28 inches (1-28) this has been found to be a good twist for stabilizing the 250-300 grain saboted pistol bullets used in these guns....A good conical twist for a .50 caliber is 1-48 and a good round ball twist is 1-66...Also, a true round ball barrel is usually cut rifled .012-.015 deep and for conicals and sabots the rifling is usually button-rifled, about .006 deep....Hope this helps....