Muzzleloader bullet for elk?

[tbrady]

Shot an elk last week at around 75 yards with a Hornady 250gr SST bullet.  The bullet left about a nickle size hole on either side just behind the shoulder.  There was zero blood except for where the elk dropped about 50 yards away, and even where it laid there were only a few drops on the ground.

The accuracy of this bullet is amazing, can consistently group about 1.5 moa at 200 yards but I'd like to have something that expands at least some.  Or maybe I am asking for too much? 

[Sneaky]

just had this exact experience on a whitetail buck. Ran 80+ yards after a perfect shot with a federal 270gr bor-lock. same size entry and exit with very little bloodshot or bruising around the wounds. Insane accuracy but left with questions about lethality on larger critters like elk. For science, the shot was behind the front shoulder perfect inside 20yds with two triple 7 pellets (100gr equivalent) .50cal rifle.

[M_ray]

I’ve had good expansion on Elk out to 200yards with the 250grn Thompson Center shockwave.

[brew]

I saw 2 BT does killed and I shot a coyote last season with those Hornady sst 250 grains and 110 grains of blackhorn loose powder.  Devastating wounds on all 3.  I've yet to pull the trigger on an elk with that load but from what I've seen so far they performed

[dilleytech]

Sounds like a standard muzzle loader experience. They rarely bleed much and they are not traveling fast enough to leave much of a hole. Barnes tmz .290 coppers work great. They expand beautifully but no they don’t leave huge holes or cause much bleeding.

[Mtnwalker]

I’ve had good expansion on Elk out to 200yards with the 250grn Thompson Center shockwave.

Same bullet different color tip

[M_ray]

I’ve had good expansion on Elk out to 200yards with the 250grn Thompson Center shockwave.

Same bullet different color tip

I’ve always wondered if they were the same cause they look so similar, does Hornady male them for TC?

[brew]

wife shot a BT a week ago and this is what we found.  250 gr hornady sst.  wish i would have taken the pics of in the woods...major blood on the limbs of the trees it went through.  deer made it 40 yards.  deer was hard quartering away at the shot.  bullet caught the back of the near lung, blew out the far lung and came out forward the off shoulder

[northwesthunter84]

I shoot the same bullet at 2000 FPS out of my slug gun, only had one deer run and it was a paint can blood trail for 25 yards. All 5 other deer never moved, all lung shots cause I like meat. I found 100 250gr deep curls, going to test those in my new CVA on top of 77 grains of BH 209. Should be right around 2K FPS.

[Limhangerslayer]

I’ve shot 8 elk with Barnes expander mz’s and Barnes TMZ’s.  Nothing went very far.  This is the exit of this years bull.  155 yard pass through and he went 40-50 yards and died.  Either bullet is hard to beat.  All 250 grain bullets.