Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Black Powder Elk Load?

In the not to distant future I'm planning on a muzzleloader elk hunt in Colorado. I shoot an Encore and an Omega now. What bullet do you suggest that will comply with Colorado regs and perform well in my rifles?

Powerbelts are the goto muzzle loader bullet here in Colorado.
My .50 like the .338 grain platinum PB's over 100gr of 777.

Forgot to mention my rifles at .50 cal

My T/C rifles shoot the 348 grain PB with 80-90 grains BH209 very well.

I use 295 gr Powerbelts, Aerotipped and 100grains of FFG black powder or 777. Never saw the need for the heavy weights in the PB.The 295's have killed elk for me fine. For those that say the PB's come apart, here is one I dug out of an elk under the hide on the far side last year with that load. Shot was about 80yards, maybe less.Retained weight was 295 gr. 100%, minus the skirt and tip.

If soemeone stuffs 150 gr of powder behind them they might come aprt. I don't see the need to do that either.

Colorado got rid of the 2x caliber for length rule. I plan on using flat nose conicals and 80 to 100 grains of powder from here on out. Shot a bear with a 410 grain conical and 85 grains of powder last fall, worked quite well. Previously the 370 maxiball did very good on elk for me. Also have some 460 grain flat nose bullets to try as well. Good luck on your hunt.

Never hunted elk with a muzzleloader, that said if I ever do and the states law allows inlines I will be loading 300 grain barnes expanders in front of 150 grains of pyrodex.

If the states don't allow it I would use my T/C Greyhawk with 100 grains of pyrodex and 300 grain Thor bullets at (.502")

Either way I'm good.

Slightly larger, but in 54 I run 565 grain no excuses. 100 of DuPont 2F. Shoots really well out to 200 yards with irons. And should pack a punch if I ever find and elk to shoot at.

I like the no excuses bullets. And would use em in smaller calibers too.

.54 Caliber 310 Grain Buffalo Ball-ets

I used T/C maxi bullets. I got the mold & poured them myself. My buddy uses a T/C Hawken with 100 grain of FF. I use a 54 T/C Renagrad with 120 grains of FF.

90 grains of Pyrodex under a 295 Powerbelt green, did fine on my only cow with my Encore PH barrel.
It also shoots 100 grains with the 348 Powerbelt well.
My first shot was high, it was my first elk, shattered the spine and she couldn't move. Snuck in to 15 yds and put one more in her, instant death.

ditto last post
295 grain powerbelts, 90 grain pyrodex, in a .50 cal Encore

That's too bad, but being the case, then I would opt for a .45 caliber rifle with an 18" twist and use 475-550 lead bullets for a rifle capable out to 300 yds. There are not many such rifles made commercially that I know of, but it is i not too hard to build one actually. Pedersoli Gibbs is the best of the mass-produced rifles. and then after that it becomes custom, or at least semicustom.

They didn't get rid of the 50 caliber requirement though. Funny that in their world a 45 cal heavy just isn't enough right.

Well, that's better. Of course a .45 is better for what I have in mind, but the .50 min requirement will pull in the max range a bit and slow folks down. It's not a lethality issue that should keep the .45s out, its all about distance. But whatever works.

I use 370 grain Maxi-balls on top of 120 grains/eq of Pyrodex select. Runs about 1600/1700fps out of my Knight Revolution rifle.

I would use my 58cal bigbore with a roundball big smack

The only two elk I have killed with a muzzle loader were shot with a Maxi-ball, and Maxi - hunter, 100 grains of FF, using a traditional MZ, with a peep sight.

i use the 348gr powerbelt with 100grs of powder in my 50 cal ml.

killed several elk with that combo, and have been well satisfied.

250Gr Thor through both shoulders