Bullet selection for elk

[Schiess16]

New to the form and thankful for the information ive already aquired while reading through the many threads.

I have been going down a 6 month rabit hole with a CVA Paramount I purchased in anticipation of drawing a what would be considered "once in a lifetime" elk tag. I threw the powerbelt ELR bullets in the garbage and have picked up multiple custom bullets and a sizing die. After accuracy testing and running ballistics I have settled on 2 bullets. The fury startip 29 in 275 grain and the arrowhead XLD 300 grain. I love the higher BC of the arrowhead and see an obvious decrease in required wind hold with this bullet but have never really seen and in feild reports on this bullet. I have seen tests and reviews on the fury however and they seem great.

Does anyone have any real life experiance with either of these on elk at longer distance and if so how did it perform?

Thank you in advance

 

[ENCORE50A]

No experience on elk, but a lot of experience shooting both bullets you mentioned from my custom.
The Fury bullets are excellent hunting bullets, but not a long range bullet.
The XLD's are excellent long range bullets, especially with the higher BC. Yes, better in the wind.
I've harvested whitetail with both.

 

[ElDiablo]

A little more info would be helpful. Is this a rut hunt, or a October/November hunt? What type of country? What range do you anticipate shots to be?

As I’ve said many times, after killing lots of elk with a muzzy - 300 gr is my min weight for elk. So, I’d not consider a 275.

 

[Schiess16]

A little more info would be helpful. Is this a rut hunt, or a October/November hunt? What type of country? What range do you anticipate shots to be?

As I’ve said many times, after killing lots of elk with a muzzy - 300 gr is my min weight for elk. So, I’d not consider a 275.

Its a september rut hunt. Mixture of open sage and aspen country. The guide has requested be capable to 400-500 yards. I feel extremly comfortable in my abilitys out to that range. I agree with the 300 grain minimum

 

[ElDiablo]

It’s a september rut hunt. Mixture of open sage and aspen country. The guide has requested be capable to 400-500 yards. I feel extremly comfortable in my abilitys out to that range. I agree with the 300 grain minimum

Congrats on the tag! Interesting. A rut hunt and the guide wants you to be ready to shoot 500 yards. Sounds like you need a guide that can actually call elk. Then you’d have shots inside 100 yards.

No experience with either of those to answer your question. But since 300 is a min, I wouldn’t consider the 275. The XLD is probably fine but I like an even heavier bullet if you can get it to shoot. Did you consider the 325/350 XLD or a 327 Black Max? Better choices in my opinion. Elk can be tough.

 

[ENCORE50A]

............................. Did you consider the 325/350 XLD..................................

EXCELLENT choice. I'd go with the 350gr over the 325. The 350gr XLD has won 2 of 3 long range matches to 1,000yds, with only 120grs VOLUME of BH209, the maximum charge allowed in competitive shooting.
I took a large whitetail last fall with one of the 350's with a quartering shot. Complete pass through, but it picked him up and sent him over backwards, DRT.
I'd hunt any game in North America with the Arrowhead 350gr XLD.

 

[Bushfire]

Holy moly 500 yards? I've hunted a lot of different places and types of environments and never yet had a place where you can't get closer than that. The point of muzzleloaders is that they ain't modern rifles anyhow.

Good luck on the trip my friend, please share the results when you get your bull.

 

[snapbang]

Its a september rut hunt. Mixture of open sage and aspen country. The guide has requested be capable to 400-500 yards. I feel extremly comfortable in my abilitys out to that range. I agree with the 300 grain minimum

Few hunters can shoot 500 yards and hit an elk. Very few. Including me. Ive been shooting groundhogs at various ranges for 30 years and Ive killed many a long way out.

Id find a new guide. Bushfire is right, get closer.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

New to the form and thankful for the information ive already aquired while reading through the many threads.

I have been going down a 6 month rabit hole with a CVA Paramount I purchased in anticipation of drawing a what would be considered "once in a lifetime" elk tag. I threw the powerbelt ELR bullets in the garbage and have picked up multiple custom bullets and a sizing die. After accuracy testing and running ballistics I have settled on 2 bullets. The fury startip 29 in 275 grain and the arrowhead XLD 300 grain. I love the higher BC of the arrowhead and see an obvious decrease in required wind hold with this bullet but have never really seen and in feild reports on this bullet. I have seen tests and reviews on the fury however and they seem great.

Does anyone have any real life experiance with either of these on elk at longer distance and if so how did it perform?

Thank you in advance

What state will you be elk hunting?

 

[ElDiablo]

What state will you be elk hunting?

My guess would be Utah

 

[MrTom]

I think the big issue for any bullet is whether it will have sufficient energy left to kill an elk ethically when poking out to 400-500 yards.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I think the big issue for any bullet is whether it will have sufficient energy left to kill an elk ethically when poking out to 400-500 yards.

A 350gr XLD with 120grs VOLUME of BH209 has more than enough energy at 500yds.

 

[Tony gilbert]

Few hunters can shoot 500 yards and hit an elk. Very few. Including me. Ive been shooting groundhogs at various ranges for 30 years and Ive killed many a long way out.

Id find a new guide. Bushfire is right, get closer.

Yeah I don't think I could hit it that far away....

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

I wouldn't take a shot that far your bullet will be so slow it won't expand plus you will need a scope worth more than the gun that's a long poke for a muzzy. I hope you can hold a 6in group at that range ,good luck with your tag. I hope you get the shot and bag one.
.

 

[ElDiablo]

The bullets terminal performance (or lack of it) is going to depend on its design and impact speed. There are certainly bullets that would have plenty of velocity to expand well at 400-500+ yards given enough speed.

It is critical though to know the bullet’s min expansion velocity and to run the bullet through a ballistic calculator program to project what it is likely to do at longer range.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I wouldn't take a shot that far your bullet will be so slow it won't expand plus you will need a scope worth more than the gun that's a long poke for a muzzy. I hope you can hold a 6in group at that range ,good luck with your tag. I hope you get the shot and bag one.
.

You're in the long range forum. 500yds isn't really long range anymore, not when we're shooting twice that far. Review the chart I posted above. At 500yds there more than enough energy for game and that's only using 120grs VOLUME of BH209.
Stick around and learn LONG RANGE.

 

[MrTom]

A 350gr XLD with 120grs VOLUME of BH209 has more than enough energy at 500yds.

View attachment 35947

I know your load would be sufficient to take elk at 500 yards with energy to spare, but please keep in mind the average elk hunter is NOT going to be toting a gun designed for long distance target work in the mountains, much less the foothills. And the average hunting gun is not going to handle loads such as what your custom build will handle.

 

[bronko220002]

While the bullet is capable the other 2 questions remain. Is the shooter capable? And, is the rifle capable?
Even if yes to both I agree with most of the other gentlemen here. If its a rut hunt there's no reason to shoot that far if you have a competent guide. You should be able to get a shot inside 100 yards no problem if the guide is worth his salt.

 

[ElDiablo]

I know your load would be sufficient to take elk at 500 yards with energy to spare, but please keep in mind the average elk hunter is NOT going to be toting a gun designed for long distance target work in the mountains, much less the foothills. And the average hunting gun is not going to handle loads such as what your custom build will handle.

Amen! Very few “LONG RANGE” muzzleloaders are suitable for carrying around in the mountains!

Reality check: although there are a handful of people target shooting to 1000 yards, for the remaining 99% of muzzy hunters, 300+ is still long range.

 

[ENCORE50A]

Amen! Very few “LONG RANGE” muzzleloaders are suitable for carrying around in the mountains!

Reality check: although there are a handful of people target shooting to 1000 yards, for the remaining 99% of muzzy hunters, 300+ is still long range.

Reality check: There are more people shooting to 500yds than you can imagine. EVERY muzzleloader can be a "LONG RANGE" muzzleloader. However, most hunters never try.

Its a september rut hunt. Mixture of open sage and aspen country. The guide has requested be capable to 400-500 yards. I feel extremly comfortable in my abilitys out to that range. I agree with the 300 grain minimum

The OP was asking about bullets but, it appears he practices "LONG RANGE", as he's already stated the above. Because some can't or won't, doesn't mean that others are not highly capable and confident. And yes, people that are NOT shooting 1,000yds.

I know your load would be sufficient to take elk at 500 yards with energy to spare, but please keep in mind the average elk hunter is NOT going to be toting a gun designed for long distance target work in the mountains, much less the foothills. And the average hunting gun is not going to handle loads such as what your custom build will handle.

Please read the post and chart again, THE CHARGE IS 120GRS VOLUME OF BH209. Not a custom rifle charge. Most all modern inline rifles are easily capable of 120grs VOLUME of BH.