What weight bullet would those that know suggest? What would be your personal range limit?
210 to 220gr. Inside 100 yrds.
The original Remington 210 soft point is an excellent penetrator and expands slowly. Second bullet would be a handload using Hornady XTP HPs. 22-23 grains of H110 will run the same velocity as a factory 210.
Any one of the heavy 220-300 grain hardcast bullets with a large meplat would also work fine.
As to range...any range that you can consistently put a bullet in a piece of typing paper turned sideways from a "field position", not from the bench.
What kind of gun do you have??
Bob
8 1/2x11 is interesting. I usually think in terms of hitting a 9" paper plate.
Same thing....
If you take a piece of standard 8.5x11 piece of paper and stand it upright on your chest it covers all the vitals of a human target. Sit it over side ways..most big game animals...
Bob
A good hard cast bullet would be my choice and 50 yards and under or as far as you feel comfortable shooting at a animal the size of Elk.
I have one of the 6.5" guns and just sold a 7.5" Hunter and three 5/8" guns...all are excellent shooters.
If you look under the recent post about "new shoes" you'll see my 6.5".
Bob
Year before last, i finished off an elk at about 15yards with a 210grain gold dot out of a .41 magum, right behind the ear. It hit her so hard it bulged the eyeballs out, and looked like she was smoking a cigarette out of her mouth.
It was loaded up to the firewall.
My personally opinion is any of those bullets from 210 to 230 would pop one. Subject to where you put the bullet.
Few years ago found a nice cow elk hit way to far back with something like a .270. She had ran quite a ways being gut shot.
I've taken 2 elk with the 41 maggie, one with a 230 gr Keith slug & the other with a 250 gr LBT slug, neither went 5 yds before going down.
Dick
Dick...how fast were your cast bullets going... Did they completely pass through?
Bob
Bob, the first elk was with my long time load of 17 grs of 2400 & the 230 gr Keith slug, I've used that load for over 45 years on a lot of game. The shot was almost length ways but not quite & it did exit a large mature cow, she ran in a tight little circle for 4-5 seconds & dropped. Shot was about 45-50 yds I think. The second cow was even bigger, on her I used the 250 gr LBT & 9.2 grs of Unique, this load was doing about 1150 fps I think. The shot broke both front shoulders & she never took a single step. The shot was 74 yds (I think). Don't sell the 41 short, anyone who has used it much will tell you its an absolute winner on big game. My buddy used his for a one shot kill on a large bull moose.
Dick
Oh I'm a 101% believer in the .41 Magnum... And I did happen to see your post over on one of the Ruger Forums on the second elk hunt.
The 230 Keith bullet you use...is that the original style or the newer style with the much larger meplat like Rim Rock and Leadhead bullets cast?
Was shooting some 265 grain Keith bullets yesterday with 15.0 grains of 2400 from a 6" S&W and a 6.5" Blackhawk. Recoil was moderate.
Bob
Bob, mine is the original, I cast them from an old Saeco #411 mould that I've had for maybe 40 years, I've taken a lot of game with it. Superb at long range, easy on the back end & nasty out the front end!
Dick
I was just looking through my mould box as I am going to do some casting with a friend in Ct. my next trip down there in a few weeks... Found the Lee/Keith 255, a Lee/Keith 175 and the MiHec/220 that has pins for making a solid, HP and a Penta-Point.
There are also two round nose moulds, one I think is an original Lyman for the .401 Winchester SL that is 240 grains and then a brass mould I got somewhere that looks like a 300... Not sure what the RN bullets would be good for other than long range target shooting...or car doors.... They probably will work in the .405 Winchester, so we shall see.
Bob