All Around Bullet

[Hunterman]

I'm looking for a good all around bullet. One that is good for elk and deer. Not too heavy that will blow a deer in half ( figure of speach) and not too lite that will bounce off an elk..My powder charge will be between 80 and 100 grains, depending what my rifle likes, ( and don't hurt me. I'm a wussy  )

Hunterman(Tony)

[whacker1]

What caliber?

what gun?  inline or traditional?

[bobcat]

It's hard to decide now that we have so many choices, with jacketed bullets now being legal. I am going to try the 348 grain Powerbelts. I like Powerbelts for their ease of loading, but previously I tried the all lead powerbelts and in my experience they didn't hold together well enough for elk. But I'm thinking the jacketed version will be better. There are lots of other good choices. I don't like to go lighter than 300 grains, and 375 or so is about the heaviest I am interested in using, due to the recoil.

[Hunterman]

OOpps sorry.. I'm shooting a .50 cal, CVA Elkhorn in-line..

Dang Bobcat, I think I went a little too lite yesterday at Cabela's.. I picked up some 295gr. powerbelt aerotip copper.

Hunterman(Tony)

[bobcat]

Yeah, I think 295's are on the light side for elk, but I've heard of lots of people using that bullet on elk and most of them seem to be satisfied with their performance. I guess you'll just have to find an elk this year and do a bullet test to really know for sure how they perform.

[Hunterman]

Hmmmm, some ballistic research  Ya think I could get that by Becky???

Hunterman(Tony)

[whacker1]

I would look at the Barnes MZ Expander 100% copper.  I was extremely impressed by that particular bullet with a deer I shot this year.  I am shooting a .54 inline and 275 grain bullet.  I wanted the 325, but they were backordered when I started pursuing the change from lead to copper.  

The .50 comes in several size to include balistic tip and hollow point (expander).  but .300 is the largest that I noticed on their web-site for the .50 cal

This link shows the 1 bullet I recovered from the deer.  I don't think you could ask for much better expansion.  
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,39667.0.html

[bobcat]

With a Barnes you'd definitely be ok to go with a lighter weight than you normally would. With them being all copper, there's no way they're going to come apart. I'd probably try Barnes bullets but I don't think they make them in 54 caliber, and that's what I'm shooting right now, since I got rid of my Black Diamond .50 that I had last year.

[whacker1]

With a Barnes you'd definitely be ok to go with a lighter weight than you normally would. With them being all copper, there's no way they're going to come apart. I'd probably try Barnes bullets but I don't think they make them in 54 caliber, and that's what I'm shooting right now, since I got rid of my Black Diamond .50 that I had last year.

Bobcat - I am shooting the .54 - They make a 275 grain and 325 grain in the .54 Expander

see the bottom of the chart at the cabelas link below:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0037633216146a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=barnes&Ntk=Products&QueryText=barnes&sort=all&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

With Barnes you need to make sure that you get the loading jig to fit on the end of your ramrod, so as not to damage the hollow point.   I doubt you will be dissappointed.  I bought some 325 grain that I want to sight in this year to see if it flys any better.  It should as it is just a longer bullet.

[hillbilli]

greetings all, i'm new here. military move to Whidbey island. I'm new to the northwest, so i'm sure i'll have penty of Questions for youall. The only elk i've killed were with bow, but i've butchered numerous Sambar stag (300-600lb dressed) shot with muzzleloaders(all .50's), and i've killed quite a few deer with the muzz. The Powerbelts all did the job, but penetration for the same weight sabot was always more. the powerbelts are pretty soft, and on broadside shots did well. i've been using mostly 300gr xtp for whitetails or even 240gr lead hp, but for elk, i'll probably uses these barnes copper 300gr hp. they open well enough and quick enough for deer- and penetrate enough for about anything. for an all around bullet that would be my decision.
  I am having to switch to the black diamond- as washington wont allow my savage, so we'll see how well it likes those.   

[Dirty Mike]

300 grn sst use it for deer and elk but might switch to barnez 290 grn

[duramax]

 I shot my elk this year with the power belt aero tip .348 grain with 100 grains loose triple 7. She dropped 1st shot at 120 yards. They load and shoot great and was having good groups up to 100 yards out of my knight bighorn.

[carpsniperg2]

i have hand a few muzzleloaders if you are o.k. with lead checkout the dead center bullets i used the tipped 340 for years and took many deer with them fantastic bullet never thought i would switch. but since copper bullets are legal now i used the Barnes tmz 290 they are the tipped one awesome bullets like most Barnes bullets. they shot well almost the same as my dead centers. i shot my buck with them this year and my cousin shot his with the same bullet. i shoot 125 loose pyro rs he shoots 100 grains with pellets. worked well with both guns i shoot 2 muzzle loaders the same as you the cva elk horn and my black diamond xr. both 50 cal i have played with the xr allot shot from 80-150 grains with the dead centers all shot well but 125g shot the best. i would look into both these bullets. i have shot power belts-t/c's-great plains- and many many others these are 2 that i trust and would recommend them to you and anyone.

[dawhunt]

Awwhile back there was some talk about the hornady 300 sst easy load not woprking well for elk ? it looks just like the Barnes 300 sabot.
Question is has anyone been lucky enough to shoot an elk with one and how did it work,it shoots awesome out of my bighorn and i can't see why it wouldn't work for elk.
bob

[Kowsrule30]

I've knocked down 4 elk with 295 Power Belts.... spike-big bull.... Just make the shot count.... Meaning no shoulder hit... I ht the big bull in the shoulder quartering toward @ 52 yds.... Killed him within 100 yds but the bullet was totally destroyed and about 3 1/2" long after pulling it out of his heart.... IMHO they are a little light for elk but do the job just fine... I think the copper coated one's will preform A LOT better.... Only one way to find out... Switching to them this year... 

[jdb]

ive always had good luck with the 370 grain maxi ball. Ive shot several elk and one deer with this bullet and all have either passed completly through or been found under the hide on the far side. I shoot 85 grains of loose pyrodex out of an t/c hawkin. with a felt wad between the powder and bullet this load will cut a clover leaf at 75 yards.

[buckhorn2]

We have shot quite a few bulls with the 50 black diamond and use 3 50 grain triple seven pellets with 348 power belts they have worked good for us.

[Whitelightning]

I really like the 495gr Noexcuse lead conical and one my bro makes a 510gr Bluestreak conical. Knocks down DRT

[fishcrazy]

I still like my PRB bullets. (precision rifle bullets) I picked them at Sportsmans Whorehouse. They make several models. I shoot the pure lead saboted ones. They are like 300 grn .45 cal. I think they have the blue sabot.

I killed 2 bulls with them. They worked and shot fine for me.

With the new rule allowing us to shoot the copper jacketed stuff I'm going to change next year. I have shot some of the new Hornady 300 grn SST and really like how they group. I was a little nervous about changing right before season with a special permit tag. I have read enough about them from this season that I think next year I'm going to be slinging them. Read some place that they offer them in 400 grn or something big like that. I might see if I can find them just to play around with. I think 300 grn is plenty for elk. They shoot really flat also. Shoot what shoots good for you. Accuracy is more important than weight and the extra recoil could make you pull shots.

Kris