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Author Topic: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.  (Read 5795 times)

Offline DUCKDUDE

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Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« on: August 03, 2020, 10:41:09 PM »
I know we have been talking about Lead Bullets but what is everyone's thoughts on BEST ELK BULLET PERIOD! I shoot a knight bighorn and have always shot the 295g HP Power belts and have killed elk in the past but i want to change because i know there are way better bullets. And Go!!!

Online HntnFsh

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2020, 06:13:56 AM »
I'm pretty sure Sabotloader will say the Lehighs are the best. I think they are the same or really close to the Knight Bloodlines. Ive tried them, but probably havent put enough effort into them. They are extremely hard to load and I cant get consistent groupings with them. Some day I may put more effort into them because I love the concept.

Ive been shooting Barnes 300 grain expander MZ bullets and have harvested about 10 elk with them. Excellent bullet Great performance and expansion. I have collected a few that look exactly like the one in my avitar. I got that out of my Dayton muzzy bull.but also extremely hard to seat even with experimenting with different sabots. Tried the TEZs and didnt find them any easier to load.

I was able to pick up 2 boxes of speer deep curls. They had a great reputation for a muzzy elk bullet. I will be trying them out soon.
 
« Last Edit: August 04, 2020, 06:55:14 AM by HntnFsh »

Offline Rainstorm Hunter

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2020, 06:26:43 AM »
I have been impressed with the barnes bullets. Started running them in my knight bighorn a couple years ago as it loves to shoot good groups with them. Perfect mushroom and performance on every animal I have shot with them. Have even switched over to them in my 7mm for rifle hunting as well with equally great results.

Offline jdb

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2020, 06:41:49 AM »
I shot a bull a couple years ago with a t/c shockwave. It did it’s job. I won’t be changing until I see a reason
nuke the gray whales for jesus!

Offline JimmyHoffa

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2020, 07:04:35 AM »
I'm pretty sure Sabotloader will say the Lehighs are the best. I think they are the same or really close to the Knight Bloodlines. Ive tried them, but probably havent put enough effort into them. They are extremely hard to load and I cant get consistent groupings with them. Some day I may put more effort into them because I love the concept.

Ive been shooting Barnes 300 grain expander MZ bullets and have harvested about 10 elk with them. Excellent bullet Great performance and expansion. I have collected a few that look exactly like the one in my avitar. I got that out of my Dayton muzzy bull.but also extremely hard to seat even with experimenting with different sabots. Tried the TEZs and didnt find them any easier to load.

I was able to pick up 2 boxes of speer deep curls. They had a great reputation for a muzzy elk bullet. I will be trying them out soon.
I'm thinking the bloodlines got discontinued.  (Maybe it was just the ones I wanted or the carriers.)  I liked them but had to switch to the Lehigh after not finding any more Lehigh.  I have a mountaineer and it likes either.  They were a little tough to load as you say, so I switched to the crush rib sabots and then they were pretty easy until about shot 7 or 8.

Offline kselkhunter

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2020, 07:59:38 AM »
I like the 290gr Barnes T-EZ and the 300gr Swift A-Frame (opens down to 850fps)

Offline WSU

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2020, 08:42:48 AM »
Barnes.

Offline MountainDevil54

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2020, 10:18:44 AM »
Thor/Barnes or just flat out big heavy conicals. I prefer round balls, but sadly colorado now requires a 54 for elk and moose.

Offline haftard

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2020, 11:17:34 AM »
Any of the sold coper bullets are great. I shot the bloodline bullets and they do there job. Imo a copper or brass slug way out performs lead in a muzzle loader. The hornadys sst in 300g are a great option also.

Offline WSU

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2020, 11:19:59 AM »
Any of the sold coper bullets are great. I shot the bloodline bullets and they do there job. Imo a copper or brass slug way out performs lead in a muzzle loader. The hornadys sst in 300g are a great option also.

I agree. Having shot lead for years, I don’t think there is any comparison.

Offline DUCKDUDE

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2020, 08:59:57 PM »
Cool I think i will pick up some Barnes this weekend and try them out.  What load are you guys using with the 300g Expander.  I like shooting Triple seven FFFG.

Offline Dan-o

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2020, 10:12:38 PM »
Any of the sold coper bullets are great. I shot the bloodline bullets and they do there job. Imo a copper or brass slug way out performs lead in a muzzle loader. The hornadys sst in 300g are a great option also.

What makes you say copper bullets outperform lead?

I don't want to argue, but I'm interested in your perspective/experience.

I shoot a Harvester hard cast lead, and they are brutally effective on elk.    Most amazing wound channels I've ever seen.

But I am open to learning.

Thanks.
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Offline callturner

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2020, 10:29:00 PM »
I too shoot the Harvester lead bullets in my Bighorn. In a black crush rib sabot over 90 gr of Pyrodex select! :yeah:

Offline MountainDevil54

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #13 on: August 06, 2020, 12:42:49 AM »
lead bullets often get a bad reputation by folks using powerbelts and pushing a tiny light weight bullet way past its limits. Big heavy, non hollow point lead slugs often do just as fine as copper bullets.

Its hunting, hunters are suckers for the next biggest, best thing.

Offline callturner

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #14 on: August 06, 2020, 06:57:43 AM »
Yup, you got that right. I like big lead bullets that go thru both sides and leave 2 blood trails.

Offline JimmyHoffa

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #15 on: August 06, 2020, 07:14:58 AM »
lead bullets often get a bad reputation by folks using powerbelts and pushing a tiny light weight bullet way past its limits. Big heavy, non hollow point lead slugs often do just as fine as copper bullets.

Its hunting, hunters are suckers for the next biggest, best thing.
If I didn't want lead in meat, I'd use lead over copper.

Offline WSU

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #16 on: August 06, 2020, 07:52:41 AM »
Lead in my experience leaves a half inch hole without much damage.  Copper has left a bigger wound channel and kills quicker.  A few years ago my dad shot a bull through one lung, the heart, and liver.  There was a half inch hole through all three and it took about 5 minutes to fall over.  A few years ago I shot a bull in the heart and the heart was shredded.  The bull took two steps and fell over in about one second.  That just two examples.  In my experience it isn’t marketing hype.

Offline Dan-o

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #17 on: August 06, 2020, 08:25:05 AM »
Lead in my experience leaves a half inch hole without much damage.  Copper has left a bigger wound channel and kills quicker.  A few years ago my dad shot a bull through one lung, the heart, and liver.  There was a half inch hole through all three and it took about 5 minutes to fall over.  A few years ago I shot a bull in the heart and the heart was shredded.  The bull took two steps and fell over in about one second.  That just two examples.  In my experience it isn’t marketing hype.

Interesting. 
Thanks for the reply.

We have markedly different experiences......  I suspect this might be a Ford/Chevy/Dodge thing.   :-)

I am convinced that the best bullet is the one that goes through the heart.

Be well!
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Offline MountainDevil54

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #18 on: August 06, 2020, 11:24:35 AM »
A lead conical will do more than a 1/2" diameter hole thats for sure.

This is the entrance hole on an elk with a .490" round ball, pushed by 70gr 3fg.


Same load as above but on a hog close to 200lbs.


Then with copper you run into the issue of not hitting the correct velocity on impact and then they dont open up at all, or only partially. Every bullet has its limits and concerns IMO. There is no fix all bullet made.

Offline Randysonia

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #19 on: August 06, 2020, 07:29:56 PM »
My favorite is the 300 grain Swift A-Frame, then the 300 grain Dead Center by precision bullet company in my 700 Remington 50 Cal. M/L. I think just about anything will do the job with a bullet placement in the lungs.

Offline haftard

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #20 on: August 07, 2020, 06:14:26 AM »

Then with copper you run into the issue of not hitting the correct velocity on impact and then they dont open up at all, or only partially. Every bullet has its limits and concerns IMO. There is no fix all bullet made.

Why are you worried about expansion when its a .50 cal hole,to begin with

Offline MountainDevil54

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #21 on: August 07, 2020, 08:00:42 AM »
because when they open, its a normally a hole thats twice the bullet diameter. A copper thor for example expands to just under 1" Plus you want that energy transfer. Non expanding bullets are illegal on big game in colorado, not sure about washington.

Offline mallardaddict

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #22 on: August 16, 2020, 09:32:40 PM »
I’ve had great luck with the Nosler 300gr Ballistic Tips

Offline Sabotloader

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #23 on: August 18, 2020, 05:23:56 PM »
I know we have been talking about Lead Bullets but what is everyone's thoughts on BEST ELK BULLET PERIOD! I shoot a knight bighorn and have always shot the 295g HP Power belts and have killed elk in the past but i want to change because i know there are way better bullets. And Go!!!



These are my favorites - their 'Terminal Ballistics' are great



Keep shooting muzzleloaders - They are a blast!!

Offline haftard

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #24 on: August 18, 2020, 07:06:50 PM »
Any of the sold coper bullets are great. I shot the bloodline bullets and they do there job. Imo a copper or brass slug way out performs lead in a muzzle loader. The hornadys sst in 300g are a great option also.

What makes you say copper bullets outperform lead?

I don't want to argue, but I'm interested in your perspective/experience.

I shoot a Harvester hard cast lead, and they are brutally effective on elk.    Most amazing wound channels I've ever seen.

But I am open to learning.

Thanks.


So the theory on the copper vs lead is that a 300g copper slug vs 300g lead slug and 300g coper plated slug is the the copper slug will have a higher bc then the lead or plated bullet. Higher bc means a more accurate and efficient bullet.

And to touch on expansion and energy transfer. Imo a copper bullet has a more consistent mushrooming effect vs the lead. I feel with the copper bullets they are fully exspanded sooner and hold together better.

Now i shoot a brass bullet. It opens up and,peddles like some of the self defence rounds. (Its hard to explain without hand motions) but thing of the wond channle from a lead or copper bullet being the size of a orange. These brass bullets have a wond channle starts at 50cal and blows up to the size of a watermellon. The peddles going into the heart, low in the lugs, high in the lungs and a slug that pushes threw the middle.

Yes lead will kill it just as dead but i feel with the brass i have a better chance of a bad shot accualy being a good shot if you know what i mean.


Online wadu1

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #25 on: August 18, 2020, 07:14:23 PM »
I like the 9.3x62mm Mauser 285 Grain Soft Point for my 9.3X62
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Offline Sabotloader

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Re: Ok BEST bullet in general for elk.
« Reply #26 on: August 19, 2020, 08:08:32 AM »
Any of the sold coper bullets are great. I shot the bloodline bullets and they do there job. Imo a copper or brass slug way out performs lead in a muzzle loader. The hornadys sst in 300g are a great option also.

What makes you say copper bullets outperform lead?

I don't want to argue, but I'm interested in your perspective/experience.

I shoot a Harvester hard cast lead, and they are brutally effective on elk.    Most amazing wound channels I've ever seen.

But I am open to learning.

Thanks.


So the theory on the copper vs lead is that a 300g copper slug vs 300g lead slug and 300g coper plated slug is the the copper slug will have a higher bc then the lead or plated bullet. Higher bc means a more accurate and efficient bullet.

And to touch on expansion and energy transfer. Imo a copper bullet has a more consistent mushrooming effect vs the lead. I feel with the copper bullets they are fully exspanded sooner and hold together better.

Now i shoot a brass bullet. It opens up and,peddles like some of the self defence rounds. (Its hard to explain without hand motions) but thing of the wond channle from a lead or copper bullet being the size of a orange. These brass bullets have a wond channle starts at 50cal and blows up to the size of a watermellon. The peddles going into the heart, low in the lugs, high in the lungs and a slug that pushes threw the middle.

Yes lead will kill it just as dead but i feel with the brass i have a better chance of a bad shot accualy being a good shot if you know what i mean.

The brass Lehigh or Knight Lehigh is truly a devastating bullet. The controlled fracturing works just like you describe.  Same for the newer Lehigh solid copper bullets.






Keep shooting muzzleloaders - They are a blast!!

 


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