Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders XTP for elk

My mk-85 shoots the .429 300gr xtp's real well over 100gr of pyrodex. Hopefully get a chance at a cow elk in NM in December. Think this bullet is up to the task or should I look at a No Excuse or different sabot?

if the XTP shoots well in your gun use it , it'll hammer elk.

According to Hodgdon you will be getting between 1600fps to 1650fps with 100gr of Pyrodex and a 300gr bullet.
http://ns.hodgdon.com/PDF/muzzleloading_manual_2008.pdf?CHECKBOX_1=on

Thats around 1700fpe at the muzzle. Pretty similar to a 454 Casull. If you want to stay around 1000fpe the load is good till 150y+ if the claimed .245BC is close. The BC sounds a bit high to me at that speed but it should be good to 100y+ without a problem. The 300gr DeepCurl is a better bullet but i would imagine the XTP will be just fine at that speed.

ordered some 460gr no excuses today. Heck with the sabot deal. I know that big bullet will do work!

Those XTPs are a hammer on deer, no doubt, and what I'll probably carry during our paltry week-long ML season in my Strike. If ever I hunt elk, I'll likely pack a Barnes T-Ez or maybe one of the bonded Swifts. That said, it's hard to argue with a 460gr anything!

Best of luck on your hunt.

i'll be loaded with the 300 xtp's next week when out muzzleloader season comes in for deer. Shots will be close and I have no doubt they will hammer a deer or hog. I just wanted to optimize my chances of a clean kill on an elk. Hopefully the 460's shoot well in my rifle. I love big heavy lead slugs in my 45/70 and 45 colts.

I have two elk with the .45 cal 300 XTP, both one shot pass through with expansion. As long as you aren't looking to have it shoot past 150-200 yards you will be fine.

I shot the no excuses yesterday over 90gr of black mz with no11 cci mag. I was impressed. See if a deer cooperates this weekend and see what it does to one.

Which version? There are two different 300 grain .45 cal XTP handgun bullets, one someone lightly jacketed for the .45 colt, one with a much heavier jacket for the .454 and .460. You can tell them apart because one has a single cannelure, the other has two.

Tom

I am going after cow elk with my 10.5" Super Blackhawk this weekend. 240 XTP at 1600 fps. No worries. I used the same xtp with a sabot in my muzzleloader at that velocity some years ago, no problems.

old 460 no excuse handled business on this doe at 96yds. Nice pass through with not much meat damage. What I expected. Should have plenty of penetration for an elk

I've had XTPs go 18" through hogs. They are the thickest thing I've shot, but I'd say that's pretty fair penetation. Should do for elk