Author Topic: Mike's Encore Meets Mr. Elk at 200 yards - - (Read 2454 times)

RandyWakeman · « **on:** February 08, 2004, 02:39:58 PM »

Now that's a dandy-- and terrific shooting as well. Encore 209 x 50, a 348 gr. Powerbelt in the right place with a great shot-- and, I'll let Mike F. tell the rest of the details as he wishes.

Congratulations!
:eek: :lol: :lol:

grouse · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2004, 03:16:05 PM »

Mike,
Nice Elk, really nice. Great shot also. :grin:

RCL · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2004, 03:16:55 PM »

Outstanding!

Congrats! :agree:

big6x6 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2004, 04:27:02 PM »

I can't BELIEVE anyone would post a picture of that little 'o thing.

SERIOUSLY, great bull!

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2004, 04:43:09 PM »

Mike mentioned:

Scored 352+ inches. I hit him @ 200 yards with a 348 grain powerbelt in front of 150 grains of pyrodex. Went down like he'd been hit by a truck!

MF · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2004, 05:36:27 AM »

Thanks for posting the pics Randy. Grouse had asked for people to post pics of some good bucks, etc. so this was in response to that. I got this bull on my first elk hunt. I hunted in Az unit 6a during the muzzleloader season with my new Encore 209x50 that I purchased after finding out that I had drawn a tag. I did research here at GBO as to which ml I wanted, what to shoot out of it, and how to shoot it. Well, all of your input resulted in my taking the bull in the pics above. As Randy stated, I shot him with a 348 grain powerbelt aerotip @ 200 yards(I couldn't get closer because of a cliff but felt comfortable with the shot). The bullet broke a shoulder, rib, went through the aorta, lung, and rested up on the offside rib. Thanks again for all your input. Mike

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2004, 06:43:12 AM »

Mike,

I realize you mentioned that you ranged him at 200 yards from another thread, and were using 150 gr. Pyrodex pellets.

Was the 348 PB an Aerotip or the standard HP. What was the recovered grain weight percentage?

MF · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2004, 08:02:48 AM »

Randy,
I was shooting the aerotips. I first weighed the bullet @ 276 grains but then noticed more "foreign material" caked in it so after a thorough cleaning it weighed 265 grains for a 76% weight retention. Mike

simonkenton · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2004, 08:45:25 AM »

Great shot! What a big pretty animal.
Damn I wish we could hunt them here in North Carolina.

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2004, 12:50:34 PM »

Quote from: MF

cleaning it weighed 265 grains for a 76% weight retention. Mike

That is excellent-- more mass left after its ride than many "popular" bullets have to begin with. Did you measure the OD / expansion?

I've alway felt that the 348 / 405 class Powerbelts are much better bullets than the 245 / 295 examples. Yet, the 245 / 295 are the most popular. The problem comes in with the same size, same depth hollow point on the 245 as they have on the 405-- for example. There have been too many reports of fragmentation with loaded up 245s on deer at close range, and it isn't hard to see why.

Many would say if a .30 caliber cf bullet expanded 50% that would be reasonable performance. Still, you are only at .45 caliber-- and a Powerbelt (or other bore sized conical) gives a 1/2 hole just for starters. The "better" conicals, according to many, are in the 444 gr. + class, with not hollow point at all. Being pure lead, expansion with a big meplat is little issue.

This talks the meplat talk a bit: http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/meplats.htm

MF · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2004, 01:52:11 PM »

O/D was .77 for one cross section and if you went 90 degrees it was .965. The base was still intact. Mike

simonkenton · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2004, 09:09:29 AM »

At what range were you zeroed in with that load?
How high did you have to hold for 200 yards?

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2004, 09:34:10 AM »

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=20231

simonkenton · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2004, 10:00:45 AM »

Two inches low at 150, and ten inches low at 200. Pretty good.
Praise God for the rangefinder!
Say what model rangefinder do you have and how much did it cost?

Thanks for the link Randy.

MF · « **Reply #14 on:** February 10, 2004, 10:25:52 AM »

I used my buddies older Bushnell, not sure of model or price. I have since purchased a Bushnell Legend. Mike

Buckskins & Black Powder · « **Reply #15 on:** October 06, 2008, 10:02:05 AM »

A Powerbelt drops an elk with 150gr powder? Hmmmm i guess these powerbelt bullets can work with that much powder when you are shooting the distance the magnum load was meant for.

bphunter · « **Reply #16 on:** October 08, 2008, 03:35:33 PM »

Dude, this thread is over 4 years old! I wonder why the pictures have dissappeared?

kyelkhunter3006 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 08, 2008, 04:03:53 PM »

Yeah, I was wondering why you were reading so far back.......

Buckskins & Black Powder · « **Reply #18 on:** October 08, 2008, 04:25:20 PM »

why do we read history books? LOL

kyelkhunter3006 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 09, 2008, 07:37:51 AM »

That is true..........