Sharp Shooter

Do any of you use hollow point conicals on Elk? How do you think the 425gr HP HB Hornady Great Plains Conical would do on elk? I don't think I wan't a hollow point for elk. What do you guys think?

elk_chaser1

I think bullet penetration is key when it comes to sucessfully taking an animal as large as and elk, especially a big bull. Elk are extremely tough animals and I want a ML bullet to get in the "boiler room" and do as much damage as possible. A HP bullet may not do that. Personally, I shoot a No Excuses Conical, 460gr. over 90 gr. of Goex 3F in my Omega. Great accuracy and terminal performance. I have taken several elk and deer with this combo.

lemoyne

I think it boils down to what you like and the way you use it.
Personally I used a 54 cal round ball and a 54 sabot with a widner 300 gr Soft Point 50 cal bullet shot them in the back edge of the shoulder past through both lungs and both were down in about 50 yd. I pick my shots and have never had a problem with deer elk or bear. I have often wondered why people feel the need for these super heavy bullets when a nice combination of weight,velocity and shot placement. I plan to try a 50 cal next time around. Lee

Sharp Shooter

I just don't know if that Hornady will stay together and get to the boiler room. It is a risky thing to try. I might just use the 435gr Buffalo Bullets with a round nose on elkso the Trajectory stays close. Do you think the Hornady GP would also be good on antelpe? Would the 425gr that I plan to use on deer work or would it be best to go with the 390gr on antelope?

Pglasgow

A couple of my friends, whose opinion I respect, swear by .50 cal Hornady 385 hollowpoints and 90 grain 3f BP. Enough so . . .that I am considering the 385'smyself. They take broadside double lung only and say they get pass throughs.

With deer, I have never recovered a .50 cal 385 gr. hollowpoint. All were pass throughs, all double lung. If you are going to limit yourself to double lung, the hollowpointcould be the best choice in that if it does pass through, you'd get a bigger wound channel. This is whymy friends like 'em.

Good luck.

Phil

Roskoe

The 425 gr. Great Plains is a great elk bullet. So is the Buffalo Bullet conical - also a hollowpoint. I know a guy who has a whole collection of these bullets - all recovered from elk - in a cigar box. They all appear to have mushroomed significantly without coming apart.

Sharp Shooter

The 460gr Buffalo Bullet is round nose. I decided to just go with a projectile that has no tip or base. The good old roundball. If I get an elk tag next year I might get a 58cal GM rifle barrel for elk hunting every year.

BS

The BB 460s shoots quite well in my .54........never been a fan of hollow points on big game. I always tough if the bullet was recovered, you need more powder or a different bullet. [or get closer]

Big round balls, under 75yds will do some serious damage also. I like bullets and balls to be 400 grain +.......and of course, 550 grains is better!

Sharp Shooter

You don't need 400gr of conical to kill something. Many mountain men who had 50cal and 53cal rifles used them for elk and moose and did just fine. The mountain men who had the bigger calibers also took game with no problem (only thier game was killed faster and was deader). All the mountain men killed elk and moose and bison with 50/53/54/58/62/69/ caliber roundballs just fine.

BS

.65 cal will shoot a 400 grain ball.........that is a very good place to start........the .69 in a rifle would be perfect round ball big game gun.