Best muzzle loader bullet for elk?

[riverrun]

Thanks Mfowl! Glad this bullet worked for you also. After my experience I don't think I'd use a different bullet! 300gr. 45 cal. Hornady xtp mag bullet, 100gr. 777 powder, #11 cci mag cap.

[Sabotloader]

For hunting....  Lehigh .458x305 gr.  CF - 45-70 bullet...



And the new bullet that Lehigh just started making.  This bullet is really a step forward



.452x265 CF-HP

[Kzoobronco51]

Has anyone tried the power belt aerolite 300 grain with 110 grains of powder in their CVA Optima NW?  Thats what Im thinking of using.  Just wondering as I just purchased the gun.  Thanks

[kellama2001]

tagging

[Chukarhead]

As stated above...if you're looking at Barnes and Lehigh and don't trust a bullet designed to fragment, then go with the Barnes.

I have both in my kit, and the Lehighs kill paper just as well as the Barnes.  Thing is, I've yet to stick one down the muzzle for hunting.  We switched from solid lead to Barnes as soon as it was legal in Washington to do so.  The Barnes 295/300gr have killed a lot of deer and elk for my group, we've never lost one (knock on wood), and the shots have been pass-through on all deer and some elk with a massive wound channel, or, most commonly for elk, recovered fully expanded (see USMC74 photo) and tangled in the far-side hide.  We shoot them over a 110-125gr load of FFF T7.

Kzoobronco-- avoid Power Belts for elk.  There are lots of great bullets out there.  Power Belts ain't one of them.

[MountainDevil54]

Has anyone tried the power belt aerolite 300 grain with 110 grains of powder in their CVA Optima NW?  Thats what Im thinking of using.  Just wondering as I just purchased the gun.  Thanks

Close, 100gr Blackhorn209 - 300gr Aerolite

t=5s

[JL]

We shoot them over a 110-125gr load of FFF T7.

Do you find any effect on grouping as you get closer to 125? Thanks!

[roentgenranger]

I'm a bit late on this one.  I've harvested two animals with the Bloodlines.  A 4x4 blacktail at 95 yards with the 300gr over 150gr T7 out of a TC Black Diamond XR.  He went 20 yards and down.  Complete pass through.  The other was just under two weeks ago.  A decent sized cow at 115 yards with the 350gr over 150gr of T7 out of a Knight .52 Disc Extreme.  60 yards and piled up.  Complete pass through and four of the six petals were recovered.  She was slightly (read barely) quartering away and the shot was a bit high and a hair behind the shoulder.  It exited in front of the far shoulder.  For those concerned with fracturing and/or weight loss, the petals weigh about 10gr each.  With the 350's, you've still got about a 290gr chunk of brass trucking through the vitals...

In my limited experience, I'm sold.  My other option would be the 300gr Barnes Socom TTSX, but I haven't shot anything with them yet.

Happy Hunting!

[Chukarhead]

We shoot them over a 110-125gr load of FFF T7.

Do you find any effect on grouping as you get closer to 125? Thanks!

Good grief, I'm REALLY late to this one!

I'm not a precision shooter.  I tend to practice with 80gr powder under 240gr pistol bullets.  When it's time to confirm, I rarely shoot more than four or five hunting loads (expense, recoil).  I really haven't done an incremental study of group sizes/powder charges, but at 120 grains, I'm usually between 3" and 5" groups at 100 yards off an improvised bench, which is plenty accurate for me.

[JimmyHoffa]

For hunting....  Lehigh .458x305 gr.  CF - 45-70 bullet...



And the new bullet that Lehigh just started making.  This bullet is really a step forward



.452x265 CF-HP

I got a couple boxes of these after this post and have been pretty happy with them.  I haven't tried to get the same velocities as sabotloader, mine are around 1720 at the muzzle (90 grs FFg).  The performance has been really great--I can shoot through about 5 water jugs, the first two blowing up into shreds, and the main bullet plowing through the remaining three.

[Machias]

Check out the "No Excuse" bullets.  They shoot sweeeeet!!!