Muley Hunter

What are your sidelocks?

bronko22000

My slowest twist is a 1:48 down to 1:28. They 1:48 are mediocure PRB shooters at best. But put the right conical in with the right charge and they are very accurate.

Muley Hunter

One thing i've discovered about shallow groove 1-48 twist barrels. You can't push the PRB too hard. I read it can skip over the rifling if you do. I'm not sure that's what is happening. I do know I can't get good groups if I load too much powder.

My Renegade with the stock barrel likes 75-80 gr of BP 2F, If I go any higher with the powder the groups fall apart. I can push the deep groove GM barrel as much as my shoulder can handle, and it still groups ok.

With all that said. Have you tried lighter loads?

Will a 75 gr PRB load kill an elk? I don't know, but i'm going to find out this fall. I was going to try the maxi ball, but the recoil is no fun, and it started to get to me about not being in the spirit of traditional hunting. It was fun messing with it though. If you think a sore shoulder /cheek is fun.

MountainDevil54

Yes it will kill'r

builder459

Old timer "spirit" should never play into using a projectile that will give the quickest most humane kill. use whatever you think is best. IMHO the conical is the only choice.. Ray

Muley Hunter

Ray...........I think the PRB is fine for the range my eyesight works.

Keep in mind my tags this year are for cow elk and does.

Just gathering some meat. No reason to take anything but a safe shot.

I'll admit I did get caught up in a heavy conical, but I don't really need it.

builder459

Another option with the conical is to drop the charge to .65 or 70 gr.cayugad has done some solid poplar shooting with those light loads and penetration was amazing.i shoot a .460 in the lil wolverine with .75 gr pyrodex and wouldn't hesitate to take animals out to 150 yds.as i said shoot whatever you like, but the spirit of the sport shouldn't play into it.what really counts, is the quick demise of the animal my friend.. Ray

Muley Hunter

Don't you think 75 gr in a .54 will give me a humane kill out to 70yds?

Keep in mind I use Swiss which is very close in power to T7.

I'm looking at a ball I recovered today. The backstop is what looked like 1" plywood. At the 100yd target it blew through that and buried in the dirt pretty deep. A nice mushroomed ball that looks like it retained most of it weight.

I think at 70yds or less it will pass through what i'm hunting for, and expand like round balls do. I'm comfortable with the load to do it's job.

builder459

I think you avitar should say "Mule" and not muley lol..shoot away with the RB old timer and have fun.. nuff said Ray

Muley Hunter

I could never shoot a Mule.