AJ

Unless they have changed them recently, they say that they are not designed for big game and there is no way I would use them for elk. Deer, you might get away with them. Deer are not hard to kill. Elk are big critters. Use a good strong constructed bullet that will drive deep. Not a hollow point paper punching bullet.

Here it is straight from DOW Big Game Brochure 3. MUZZLELOADING RIFLES & SMOOTHBORE MUSKETS a. In-line muzzleloaders are legal. b. Must be single-barrel that fires a single round-ball or conical projectile the length of which does not exceed twice the diameter. c. To hunt deer, pronghorn or bear, they must be min. of .40 caliber. d. To hunt elk or moose, they must be min. of .50 caliber. e. From .40 caliber to .50 caliber, bullets must weigh min. 170 grains. f. If greater than .50 caliber, bullets must weigh min. 210 grains. g. Shotshell primers are legal. h. Pelletized powder systems prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. i. Cannot be loaded from the breech in muzzleloading seasons. j. Only open or iron sights allowed in muzzleloading seasons. Fiber optics and fluorescent paint incorporated into or on open or iron sights are legal. Scopes or any sighting device using artificial light, batteries and electronic gear are prohibited during muzzleloading seasons. k. Sabots are prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. Cloth patches are not sabots. l. Smokeless powder prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. Black powder and black powder substitutes are legal. m. Only legal muzzleloaders allowed in muzzleloading seasons. n. NEW FOR 2008: Electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated into or attached to muzzleloader during muzzleloading seasons. IT’S AGAINST THE LAW TO: 1. Have a loaded (in the chamber) rifle or shotgun in or on any motor vehicle. Muzzleloading rifles are considered unloaded if percussion cap or shotshell primer is removed, or if powder is removed from flashpan. NEW FOR 2008: It is illegal for anyone to have a loaded electronic-ignition muzzleloader in or on a motor vehicle unless the chamber is unloaded or the battery is disconnected and removed from its compartment. 2. Carry firearms (except handguns) on an OHV during deer, elk, pronghorn antelope and bear seasons unless they are unloaded in the chamber and magazine. Firearms (except handguns) and bows carried on an OHV must be fully enclosed in a hard or soft case. Scabbards or cases with open ends or sides are prohibited. This does not apply to landowners or their agents who carry a firearm on an OHV to take depredating wildlife on property they own or lease.

Here it is straight from DOW's Big Game Brochure 3. MUZZLELOADING RIFLES & SMOOTHBORE MUSKETS a. In-line muzzleloaders are legal. b. Must be single-barrel that fires a single round-ball or conical projectile the length of which does not exceed twice the diameter. c. To hunt deer, pronghorn or bear, they must be min. of .40 caliber. d. To hunt elk or moose, they must be min. of .50 caliber. e. From .40 caliber to .50 caliber, bullets must weigh min. 170 grains. f. If greater than .50 caliber, bullets must weigh min. 210 grains. g. Shotshell primers are legal. h. Pelletized powder systems prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. i. Cannot be loaded from the breech in muzzleloading seasons. j. Only open or iron sights allowed in muzzleloading seasons. Fiber optics and fluorescent paint incorporated into or on open or iron sights are legal. Scopes or any sighting device using artificial light, batteries and electronic gear are prohibited during muzzleloading seasons. k. Sabots are prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. Cloth patches are not sabots. l. Smokeless powder prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. Black powder and black powder substitutes are legal. m. Only legal muzzleloaders allowed in muzzleloading seasons. n. NEW FOR 2008: Electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated into or attached to muzzleloader during muzzleloading seasons. IT’S AGAINST THE LAW TO: 1. Have a loaded (in the chamber) rifle or shotgun in or on any motor vehicle. Muzzleloading rifles are considered unloaded if percussion cap or shotshell primer is removed, or if powder is removed from flashpan. NEW FOR 2008: It is illegal for anyone to have a loaded electronic-ignition muzzleloader in or on a motor vehicle unless the chamber is unloaded or the battery is disconnected and removed from its compartment. 2. Carry firearms (except handguns) on an OHV during deer, elk, pronghorn antelope and bear seasons unless they are unloaded in the chamber and magazine. Firearms (except handguns) and bows carried on an OHV must be fully enclosed in a hard or soft case. Scabbards or cases with open ends or sides are prohibited. This does not apply to landowners or their agents who carry a firearm on an OHV to take depredating wildlife on property they own or lease. Attention Muzzleloaders NEW FOR 2008: Electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated into or attached to muzzleloader during muzzleloading seasons. Initially, the electronic ignition muzzleloader was considered legal during muzzleloading season, however, the Wildlife Commission ruled in January 2008 that it is not legal during the muzzleloading season. It is illegal for anyone, except if authorized, to have a loaded electronic-ignition muzzleloader in or on a motor vehicle unless the chamber is unloaded or the battery is disconnected and removed from its compartment.

We have lots of lions, but I have not heard of any black versions. There are occasional sightings of the Jaguar, but with the drug runners and the illegals, the border is too busy for them. They like solutude.

PDR, Be sure to read the regs for Colorado before you start lead development. Sabots are not legal in Colorado for ML season. Neither are scopes. Personally, I would work up the load with the scope and once the load is found to be acceptable, start practicing with it and open sights. Since you are limited to conicals, your bullets will be >350 grains. Do not use the 245 gr Powerbelts. There are stories after stories of guys trying tihs deer load on elk with dismal results. For P-belts they recommend the 348 or better yet the 405 gr. Precision Rifle has a Colorado conical that is designed for big critters. I am a big fan of their bullets and wold not hesitate to try them. Hornady has a new conical out called the FPB that is a .50 caliber conical weighing in at 350 gr. In order to be legal in Colorado, the plastic tip has to be removed. It will then be a hollow point bullet. I have read mixed reviews about these bullets. Y.M.M.V.

It's very good stuff. I have bought a jug of it and, while its expensive, its the best "legal" powder I can use in muzzleloader season. I still prefer smokeless powder in my Savage, but its not legal. Anyhoo, BH208 offers great speed, accuracy, and very little fouling. Finally, there is a powder that will allow the shooter to just reload and shoot, over and over without the nasty build up of corrosive fouling. It's basically a hollow - extruded powder that is closer to smokeless than the granuals of other BP substitutes. It is a tad harder to ignite than the other powders. It is designed to take the flame and heat of the standard 209 primer to make it go bang. The reduced power "muzzleloading 209" primers do not provide adequate ignition. There have been some talk about breechplug design and this powder. Read the info on their website. I will be using BH209 in October when I go after my elk. I have a large container of Pyrodex and a few pounds of Triple7 in my box and I now need to find a way to get rid of the stuff. I have a new favorite powder. If I had a new muzzleloader that was not fired yet, it would never see the Pyrodex or Triple 7.

That all depends. If the bullet diameter is the same, the ballistic coefficient (BC) is lower meaning it will retain less velocity and energy down range compared to a bullet with higher BC. Comparing a .40 caliber 200 gr bullet to a .45 caliber 250 gr bullet, yes the 200 gr bullet can win. Here is a bullet drop chart that compares many bullets. It shows that bullet shape is as important as bullet weight. The accuracy part of your question the gun likes what the gun likes. Just because the bullet flies faster does not mean its more accurate.

1. Yep, you need to get on the cardio bandwagon ASAP. Strength training is nice but the only time it will help is once you have one down. Elk country is tough stuff. Plan on walking 5-10 miles per day, in high altitude, up some steep ridges. Eliptical trainers, biking, running, and long hikes up and down big hills will help. Also you have to do the training for over 20 minutes to get much benefit from it. Get your heart rate up and leave it there as long as possible. Maximum Heart Rate Your maximum heart rate (HR max) is the theoretical number of beats per minute that your heart is capable of producing. This is found by subtracting your age from 220, e.g. if you're 40 years old, 220 - 40 = 180 HR max. This is simply an estimation, not an absolute limit. To measure aerobic exercise intensity, percentage of HR max(%HR max) is often used. If you want to exercise at 60% of your HR max, your heart rate should be, using the example above, around 108 beats per minute. Your heart rate is your guide for cardiovascular exercise intensity. Target 60% - 80% of your HR max for your training. I like to work on cardio 4 - 6 times per week. You have to work for 20 minutes before you start to burn fat with cardio. If you lift weights first you are pre-working the muscles and when you start your cardio, you will be in the fat burning stage at the start. 2. Get a good pack. If you are successful, you will have to get the critter out of the woods and back to camp. If you have horses, its a lot easier. But there are places that the horses can not go. Look at good packs from Eberlestock, Badlands, etc. 3. Get some good maps. Once you know the unit you will be hunting, get the BLM and Forest Service maps for that area. They will show you the property boundaries and give a good overview of the land. Once you know what area inside the unit you will hunt, get some good 12,000:1 topo maps to find the spots you want to hunt. Unlike deer, elk don't stick to one small spot. They are nomads and will walk miles just to feed. They go where they want. You have to find them. Good maps will help. If it looks like an easier way to get into the elk will not be there. Look for the nastiest, steepest, bowls and you will be closer to elk. 4. There are a bunch of books on elk hunting. Everyone has their own method. If the area is dry, look for water. Elk need water. Is your hunt during the rut, get some cow calls. Just llike turkey hunting, you rarely gobble at the Tom, you sound like a lovesick hen. You should sound more like a lost cow than challenge the bull.

So you pushed your problems on a fellow hunter? You are a classy sportsman sdmickle.

The best time to buy is when its the cheapest or when you need some. The stuff will last years when properly stored. You may see a slight decrease in velocity over the years but, it will work just fine. I bought a bunch when Wallyworld put it on clearance a few years ago. I blended it all together in a big container then seperated it in smaller containers again. This way the lot will be similar from beginning to end. Having said that, BH209 is my powder of choice now. It appears to be a smokeless powder with some stuff added to make it smoke. It is much better than T7, Pyrodex, Shockey's stuff, etc. No fouling, higher velocity, great accuracy. Its expensive but well worth it. I have 5+ pounds of Pyrodex in my cabinet but I will be using BH209 for my elk hunt in October.

One thing you are not looking at is the one piece stock on the Omega. That is a plus. It is stiffer than the two piece stocks, can be bedded and have a floated barrel. Big + for me. Two piece stocks are a big - in my eyes. The design of the Encore means you have to pull the firing pin and clean it when shooting stinky powder. It gets blowback of corrosive gasses and will rust quickly. I found this the hard way. I have been an Encore owner for 10 years, so I have first hand experience. As a handgun, I like the Encore, as a muzzleloader, it's not my favorite. I have a bull elk tag for muzzleloader season this October in New Mexico, my TC will stay in the safe. My Knight will be accompanying me on the hunt. My Remington 700 ML will be its backup in camp. In case something happens to the Knight.

I use a rod guide that goes in the action for my bolt guns, I use guides that fit in the chamber for my TC and NEF barrels, and I use a muzzle guide for my pump guns. I also use Accupro Cleaning Jags. I made some ram rod guides out of delrin for my muzzleloaders. I always use them while cleaning and in the field when loading.

Well, the M-14 is out unless you have a class-III license. It is selective to full auto, so its definately out of your price range. You can do a civilian version which is the M1A, you can still get them new from Springfield. The M1918 BAR is also fully auto, so that excludes it also. The 1903 Springfield can be done fairly easily as can the 98 Mauser and the Enfields. The M1 Garand can be found easily enough and can be done in your price range. The SVT-40 is available and a quick search of gunbroker shows them going for almost $1000. Not necessarily because they are a great rifle, but harder to get. Pretty much the same with the Gewehr 43. As to info on each gun, the internet is your friend. Check out Wikipedia. It lists a lot of info.

I struck gold this time. I drew muzzleloader bull in the western Gila as well as muley buck in first rifle in same unit.

Hi guys, Thanks for the kind words. Yep, I have moved on. I stop by every month or so to see whats up. I now hang out on some western hunting sites and raptor forums. Feel free to e-mail or PM me if you need info. There are many guys here that can give you good info though. AJ

It all depends on what you want to do with it. I don't use mine for hunting, or will attach the game cart to the rear grab bar to pull out something. But I ride the desert, high speed, whoops, berms, sand, and occasionally dunes. I went for a sport quad. I have not seen a lot that will hang with the Yamaha Raptor 700 for that kind of riding. For slow stuff, rock crawling, mud, dragging, plowing, utility quads shine. The bigger ones are huge and weigh a lot but are available with multi passenger seating, power steering, and some impressive power. Arctic Cat has a new 950 out this year and it will give sport quads a run for their money until they get into turns. The top end big utility quads like the Yamaha's Grizzly 700 with power steering, Kawasaki's BF 750, Popo Sportsman 800 EFI, Arcitc Cat Thunder Cat, Can-Am Outlander 800, and Suzuki King Quad 750, all have electronic fuel injection. This is a great thing. It has better efficiency (fuel economy) , better throttle response, and handles altitude changes much better than a carb. If you decide to take the quad on an elk hunt and want to ride 8k-10k feet, the carburated quad will loose power as it will be way too lean. The EFI will adjust automatically. Pick up January's issue of Dirt Wheels magazine. It has a 2008 buyers guide and lists most of the 2008 quads. Don't rely on what quad wins the most races. Those quads are not even close to stock. Competitive quads run about $20K.

The New Mexico DGF website is supposed to be up and accepting applications this week. Draw deadlines are: February 6 - oryx draw permits, bear WMA, population management hunts, and turkey draw permits April 9 - pronghorn, deer, elk, ibex, bighorn sheep, and javelina Good luck to those that apply. The rains and mild winter are giving a decent outlook for critters.

Looking the way you boys do, you should hide.

Hey John, Nope, I have not been around much. I pretty much lost interest. Until I draw a tag for a big critter, here, I won't even buy a hunting license. My interests have changed from guns to bikes. I spend my time on this set of toys: For the street: And for the dirt:

ince I drew nothing in New Mexico, I am going to try to get a left over tag for 1st rifle season. I have a buddy in Denver I have not seen in a few years so we may hit the woods in October.

Yep, 0/5 for me. Oh well, lots of riding time.

Typically, the warranty does not cover cosmetics. The camo finishes on guns may look cool, but that's it. They are not durable and will wear off. This place dips generic camo.

Yes Sir there is a bolt rifle chambered for that cartridge. It is sold under the Remington name. It was sold under Charles Daly a few years ago. Its the imported Mini Mauser action made in Yugoslavia, or whatever its called these days. Remington 799 Another is the CZ 527 Carbine.

I have not really been much in the hunting or shooting mood since I moved to the desert. Hopefully if I draw a few critters it will get me interested, but until then, I needed something to keep me busy. I have been looking at ATVs as there is a lot of room to play with them here. I thought about a 4x4 for hunting, but they are boring. I can still do a lot of the things I want with a sport quad and go a lot faster and quicker. I started pricing the big bores and decided on the Yamaha Raptor 700 Special Edition II. This thing will flat out haul tail!!!! When I got it home and took it to the garage I got on it a bit and it gets your attention I rode it a little this evening and I am starting to get the hang of riding a sport bike. When this thing is cranked out wide open the top speed is almost 80 mph. I have not had it up that fast yet. I have backed off just over 50 mph or so.

Hoss is very close. They will fit barrels to H&R 1871 but not Harrington and Richardson guns. Yes they are different. The NEF and H&R 1871 guns are ok to get new barrels. Call H&R and give them the serial number. They will be able to tell you if you can get barrels.