Anyone ever kill an Elk with a 50cal roundball?

[C-Money]

I am thinking about Muzzel loading for elk next year. I have killed a muley with my cap lock using 85gr of black powder and a patched roundball. Just wondering if there is any stories using this combo on elk. Thanks!

[lewy]

There is so much newer and better technology since the round ball that I wouldnt use them.....

[Elkrunner]

My dad's friend did about 12 years ago in Utah.  A nice 3X3 bull.

[CP]

I think most roundball elk hunters use .54 or larger.  I know Slenk has taken elk with a round ball.  There are probably others on this forum that have as well.

[Gobble]

Yep , with a CVA Hawken I built from a kit

[C-Money]

Gobble, What size powder charge did you use. Did you use Black powder or pyrodex? Did the elk go very far? Thanks!

[Gobble]

Black powder. 90 gr if I remember right and no it dropped within 20-30 yrds. Dropped a cow elk with my .54 cal shooting 385 gr hornadys bullets and she dropped right  in her tracks, severed her spine. I even retrieved the bullet between the hide and meat on the other side. Completly mushroomed. 

[C-Money]

Cool! Good info, thanks!

[WAPITIHUNTER]

I was hunting the Mossyrock several years ago and talked to a couple muzzle hunters. They had just killed a cow elk and were in the process of packing it out and we started talking about the kill. His buddy had shot it in the shoulder with a round ball. He claimed that it had flattened out like a pancake on the shoulder blade. He found it and put a kill shot on it with a conical.

I am pretty sure they were using .54 cal. I have never hunted with a muzzle loader just relating what I was told.

[OneHorn]

i have killed a nice 5x5 bull, a spike, a cow, and missed a few spikes. my brother has killed a big 7x7 bull, spike and a cow also. It id fun a hell to hunt them with muzzle loaders

[Slenk]

.50 works, .54 hell of a lot better, and .62 is better yet.
.50 & .54 round balls like to flatten out if you hit in the shoulder blade, .62 goes right on through. Has been my experience anyway. I shoot for the heart lung area with round balls. Hornady Great Plains bullets in .50 or .54 will break a shoulder on Elk.
Flintlocks and Patched Round Ball, hell of a lot of fun.
Slenk

[TopOfTheFoodChain]

Nope, but I'd use a 54 if I was going to.

[gadwall]

A roundball works just fine for elk but the guys I know use 54's and 58's.  I know that the outfit making the Dead Center bullets(www.prbullet.com) has some that are made for longer twists in roundball guns.

[Dansk]

A roundball works just fine for elk but the guys I know use 54's and 58's.  I know that the outfit making the Dead Center bullets(www.prbullet.com) has some that are made for longer twists in roundball guns.

Precision Rifle bullets are the real deal.  I use the deadcenters in my 54.

IMO- Any projectile will work if you have good shot placement and keep to your effective range- even patch/ball loads. 

[blacktail luv]

Why would anyone want to shoot a roundball with the awesome bullets we have today.  I shot a couple deer with them back in the day and quickly learned why they are obsolete now.  Not impressed.  Good for plinkin' not for huntin'.