Grizz said:
OK now we are getting somewhere. Thanks Busta, I never knew there was a relationship between the bullet and the type of charge used. I figured the pellets were just a conveniance thing. Now I can rearrange my thinking to get where I want to go. I guess I will go ahead and get some Shock Waves or similar to finish up my box of pellets. I will have to hunt up some different conicals and loose powder to tune her up that way. Anyone have an opinion of the Great Plains bullet in a Knight?
Grizz,
If you are wanting to go Elk hunting in Colorado, get some 460 Bullshop or No Excuses in .503", 80 grains to 90 grains 777 loose powder. Kills Elk DEAD. You can actually run 100 or 110 grains of powder if your rifle and SHOULDER likes it. :shock: Not really that bad, but 80 grains of powder will kill them if you use a good bullet and put it where it needs to go. The Colorado rules for Muzzleloader Season states that for Elk you need (not exact wording, but you will get the idea) .50 caliber or larger, single barrel, iron sights (fiber optics and peeps ok, no scopes), loose Black Powder or BP Substitute, bullets can be no longer than twice the diameter (.50 cal = .500" x 2 = 1.00"), 209 primers are legal.
The .503" cal 460 grain No Excuses/Bullshops come in real close to .970" in length. Another good shooting bullet is the 350 gr Hornady FPB, and by all reports this past year, they performed excellent on Elk and Deer. The FPB's will either need the tip removed or cut flush at the top of the bullet to come in under the 1.00" length rule for Colorado.
I personally wouldn't waste my money on the Great Plains, too much hollow point and hollow base in all lead makes for an explosive bullet when they hit something hard like Elk bone. You want penetration when it comes to shooting Elk, their bone mass is probably at leeast 4 to 5 times that of even a large Whitetail.
I have a torture test, I put bullets through before I even consider hunting with them, I'll post a few for you to ponder. This may, or may not have any real world effect on what an actual bullet will do on bone and tissue, but it does show me the integrity of the bullet when stressed to the limit. Sorry I don't have a pic of the 460 in Photobucket. I just need to take a pic of it an post it, but I have a pic of a 430 grain White conical that looks almost identical I will post. I will try to dig up the 460 and take a pic, I am sure it is in my junk somewheres.
385 grain Great Plains, FAILED.
348 grain PowerBelt, FAILED.
350 grain Hornady FPB, PASSED.
White 430 grain Super Slug, PASSED easily. This is the same kind of bullet that killed the elk in my avatar, with a mere 80 grains 777 FFFG. The 460 gr No Excuses/Bullshop look very much like this one, only a little better.
Some 300 gr SST's for comparison, PASSED.
Hornady .452" 300 grain XTP/MAG, PASSED.