I drew a tag this year for a ML deer so I decided to take advantage of an early elk hunt in the same area. After hunting for 4 days I got lucky on the last day. I got this cow with a Paper Patched 500 S&W bullet. The shot crushed her shoulder and I found the bullet in the flank.





On to my deer hunt.
This deer tag this year about killed me. I have put in countless hours scouting and hunting with little to show. On opening day I had three good bucks pushed out of the country by elk hunters. Then I went on a 7 day dry spell where I didn't see a buck I wanted to shoot, and I walked 38 miles. I headed up last night for the last couple days of the hunt. This Morning I headed into an area I have had some luck in before. I stopped to glass and saw a small bunch of deer. I saw that one was a branch antlered buck. With literally only hours left to hunt I decided to take him if I had the chance. I watched them go over a ridge and I took off as fast as I could. When I got there he was 117 yards. My sight was set and I put the Hot Rod on the shooting sticks. I knew that my sight was set for 100 so I was going to hold a pinch high. I don't normally like to do this but I felt like I didn't have time to set the sight for the shot. So I held for a high shoulder shot since the lungs were blocked by brush. As the rifle cracked the smoke blocked my sight but I heard a solid WHOP!!! I put the binoculars up and saw the deer running away, minus the buck. I reloaded and headed for the spot I last saw him. I got there and I didn't need the follow up shot. The buck was DOA. The bullet hit the shoulder and crushed it. What was left of the bullet was under the hide in the neck. It was the fastest kill shot I have ever had with a muzzleloader. The Rifle was my 45 cal fast twist Hot Rod Hawken. The load was a 409 gr paper patched RCBS 11mm rifle bullet. I used 80 gr of Pyrodex P and an over powder wad.
This combination will shoot sub 2" groups at 100 yards. If I do my part I have shot sub 1" groups with it. This was my fist animal with a 45 cal. It was great to be able to get an animal with this rifle. Ron

Nice animals, both of them!

Congratulations!

Mark

Nice shooting lots of tasty meat for the freezer.

I one day hope to get a chance to hunt for Elk I have taken several deer with my MK85 .54cal BP rifle.
I would also like to try a .45cal BP rifle with a cast bullet like they use to shoot in the White Rifles (slip fit) with a heavy enough 45cal bullet do you think I would be under-gunned for an ELK?

I know my 45 with a 409 gr bullet would be plenty for elk. The only problem is Idaho has a minimum caliber of 50 for elk. Ron

Ron,
Which .500 S&W bullet do you use and can you elaborate on you paper patching methodology?

ledvm, If you google "idahoron" you will see my tutorial on paper patching. I use the Lee C-501-440-RF. I pour them a pinch harder than pure and wrap them with two wraps of 9# onion skin paper. I then size them to .501 and they are ready to go. My paper patch loads all shoot sub 2: groups at 100 yards and if I do my part they will shoot sub 1" at 100 yards. Ron

Wow what a great ML season you had! Congrats..

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Ron:
ledvm, If you google "idahoron" you will see my tutorial on paper patching. I use the Lee C-501-440-RF. I pour them a pinch harder than pure and wrap them with two wraps of 9# onion skin paper. I then size them to .501 and they are ready to go. My paper patch loads all shoot sub 2: groups at 100 yards and if I do my part they will shoot sub 1" at 100 yards. Ron

Hi Ron,
If you did not want to cast your own...is there a commercial bullet available to use in a .50 with the paper patching method?

I built a rifle like yours but struggle for good shooting bullets in every ML I have ever had.

The No Excuses bullets are good bullets. If I were going to paper patch them I would have them size the bullets to .495 and wrap with two wraps of 9# onion skin. Ron