Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Muzzleloader Hunting => Topic started by: smokey on February 13, 2010, 10:23:07 PM

Title: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: smokey on February 13, 2010, 10:23:07 PM: Hello everyone,

This is my first post on this forum and I'm glad to have found a muzzleloading forum just for washington state hunters.
I purchased a new CVA Elkhorn last spring and tried several different bullets and loads. I put a set of Williams peep sights on it and found it to be very accurate with 90 gr 2f and 240 gr xtp's with crush rib sabots. I lucked out and got a broadside shot at 75 yds at a nice sized whitetail doe during late season. This load dropped her in her tracks and passed all the way through. I sure am happy with this gun and load and am really looking forward to next season.
Those of you that have this gun, or any of you that are working up a load for next fall, what load seems to shoot well for you? Also, what load do you like for elk?

Thanks, and have fun out there!
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: dawhunt on February 14, 2010, 06:27:15 AM: I belief the power belt bullets are deigned to swell on ingition and contact the rifleing,I've used power belts for yrs when the law changed i switched to 300 gr. sst's.

Bob
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: smokey on February 14, 2010, 09:52:41 PM: Bob,
I used to use powerbelts also, in my tc hawken. They did very well in that gun. My son used those hornady 300 gr SST's last fall and they worked great. He had a 25 yd shot and dropped his young buck where it stood. That was his first deer and that was the best part of the whole season for me. I will try the 300 gr SST and the 300 gr xtp and see which groups best. How much powder do you use in your elk load?

Jeff
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: dawhunt on February 15, 2010, 06:51:28 AM: Quote from: smokey on February 14, 2010, 09:52:41 PM
Bob,
I used to use powerbelts also, in my tc hawken. They did very well in that gun. My son used those hornady 300 gr SST's last fall and they worked great. He had a 25 yd shot and dropped his young buck where it stood. That was his first deer and that was the best part of the whole season for me. I will try the 300 gr SST and the 300 gr xtp and see which groups best. How much powder do you use in your elk load?

Jeff

I'm using 95 gr's of 777 in my bighorn .

Bob
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: hillbilli on February 17, 2010, 07:15:04 PM: have shot mostly whitetails, but the 240xtp does fine for deer, as have the plain lead hp 'cheap shot' 240gr, the 300 xtp would probably be fine for elk, and of course there are several other 300's that would be ok. I'v etaken several deer with the hydracon 300, but i dont thing you can find them anymore..oh, and always 100gr, pyro or 777
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: whacker1 on February 17, 2010, 07:43:23 PM: I used the 275 grain Barnes MZ Expander in my .54 on my first deer with the muzzleloader.

I bought some 325 grain in the same brand and style. I want to see if I can put together tighter groups with these. But love the expansion and retained weight of the 100 percent copper.
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: smokey on February 21, 2010, 07:02:18 AM: whacker1,

Those Barnes all copper bullets really seam like they would hold together and penetrate well. They are definitely on my list of bullets to try. Seems like they would be great for elk.

Jeff
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: Pathfinder101 on February 21, 2010, 12:40:57 PM: I don't really have anything to add, just want to watch this thread because there's good info here... :)
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on February 21, 2010, 01:44:24 PM: i have the same gun as you as well as the blackdiamond xr both 50cals the barnes tmz is what me my uncle and cousin we had nothing but good things to say about them. we all shoot diffrent powder loads and they did very good and before the switch to copper bullets we all used dead centers for years and they were great as well. they help us take allot of deer.
Title: Re: elkhorn pro magnum made meat!
Post by: whacker1 on February 21, 2010, 05:47:31 PM: here is the picture of the Barnes performance from this year. I posted it on the thread from my deer taken in early December.