Elk with 45/300/1300?

[Naphtali]

What is a reasonable range limitation for taking an elk with a .452-inch bullet weighing 300 grains leaving the barrel at 1300 feet per second?

[Bigslug]

I'd keep it to 150 or less, based mostly on trajectory issues. Should be able to zero at about 125 and stay within an 8" vertical space (4" up and 4" down) for that distance. Past 150, it starts to drop like a brick.

[quilbilly]

Given my experience with muzzleloaders and sabots using 44 and 45 cal. cast lead boolits, you can probably stretch that range out to 200 yards. At 200 yards, your boolit is still going about 1000 fps. It will do if you can shoot accurately that far.

[C. Latch]

I think you'll run out of ability to nail the trajectory long before you run out of ability to punch through the elk with a 300-grain bullet.

Starting a 300 at 1300 and plugging some guesstimates (BC, altitude, etc) into a ballistics calculator (that incidentally put the bullet at 1002' FPS at 200 yards when started at 1300, just as suggested above), it's showing that with a 125-yard zero, you're over 4" high at 70 yards, which is as high as I'd ever want my gun sighted, and then you're 10" low at 170 and over 20" low at 200.

If the critter is moving and you don't have a partner hitting him with a rangefinder every couple of seconds before you shoot, that's 10"+ of bullet drop difference over the course of 30 yards. Add in a bit of variation in velocity and the inherent less-than-benchrest accuracy of the typical .45 colt rifle and 200 yards is a stretch, IMO. Not saying it can't be done, but I'd personally call 200 my extreme outer limit with that setup, and 2/3 of that distance would be a much more reasonable figure.

[OverMax]

How good are your B/P shooting skills?
Lots of Kentucky windage and knowledge of weather conditions required to make such B/P distant shots.

Comfortable shot: 125 yards Max hook-up on a big Bull.

[quilbilly]

Practice, practice, practice. If you have a place you can shoot regularly at 200 yards (I don't), save your milk jugs and set them out at various ranges between 100 and 200. Better yet, let someone else do it at mystery ranges out to 200 while your back is turned and see how long it takes to hit them. No range finders allowed. Plan several sessions on different days. Hope your shoulder can take the punishment but it should be a lot of fun.

[DougGuy]

Since most 45 Colt Ruger and other capable (not Colt, not Italian SAA clones) handguns will easily launch the 300gr boolit at 1300, this same exact load would make 1500 from a levergun would that be about right?

The difference in 1300 and 1500 would mean the difference in 75 yards out to 135 or 150, maybe even more. It won't take that boolit long at 1300 to drop below supersonic and then stability falls off rather quickly. You would be better off starting at 1500 if you can.

[fecmech]

launch the 300gr boolit at 1300, this same exact load would make 1500 from a levergun would that be about right?

IME using lever guns in .357 with the slower powders(2400/296/h110) velocity increases are more on the order of 350-400 fps over handguns. A 300 gr bullet@1700 fps would definitely get your attention!

[Groo]

Groo here
As long as your boolet is hard cast,and hits at or over 800fps, I doubt there is much in North America that can stop a broad side shot.........
The extra speed just gives you a some what flatter arc and allows the through shot to happen father away.