Knight Ultralite Elk Load

Bigbull

FNG
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
43
Location
Sutherlin, Oregon
So I went ahead and purchased a Knight Ultralite 50 cal muzzleloader for my elk hunt this fall, and I need to develop a load. I will be hunting in an open sight state, so I will probably be limited to a maximum shot distance of about 150 yards.

I have developed a deer load with a muzzleloader before but never elk......so I am currently unsure of the best place to get started developing an elk load.

If anybody has any suggestions on where to start with developing an elk load for this Knight Ultralite 50 cal., I would love to hear them.

Thanks,
 

KyleR1985

WKR
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
382
I'd get yourself some 460 grain no excuses bullets, Hogdon Triple 7 powder, 1/8" lubricated felt wads, start at 100gr of powder. Shoot 3 shot groups, and drop your powder charge by 5 grains each group. When you hit the size group you're comfortable with, bingo.

For me it ended up being 75 grains of FFFG. That 460gr bullet was traveling average speed 1360fps. I was able to put together several 3" groups at 100 yards with open sights.

You'll spend as much time getting your sights dialed in as you will a load.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2012
Messages
1,264
Location
Northern Idaho
So I went ahead and purchased a Knight Ultralite 50 cal muzzleloader for my elk hunt this fall, and I need to develop a load. I will be hunting in an open sight state, so I will probably be limited to a maximum shot distance of about 150 yards.

I have developed a deer load with a muzzleloader before but never elk......so I am currently unsure of the best place to get started developing an elk load.

If anybody has any suggestions on where to start with developing an elk load for this Knight Ultralite 50 cal., I would love to hear them.

Thanks,


During our rifle season, which I still use my ULite, the bullet I use is a Lehigh Defense .452x265CF in a MMP HPH-24 sabot.

OOP's you are in Oregon so you can not use a sabot. So I would go along with KyleR suggestion except I would go with the .503x460MTNex from BullShop.

460grBullShop.jpg


bullshopBullets.jpg
 
OP
B

Bigbull

FNG
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
43
Location
Sutherlin, Oregon
I'd get yourself some 460 grain no excuses bullets, Hogdon Triple 7 powder, 1/8" lubricated felt wads, start at 100gr of powder. Shoot 3 shot groups, and drop your powder charge by 5 grains each group. When you hit the size group you're comfortable with, bingo.

For me it ended up being 75 grains of FFFG. That 460gr bullet was traveling average speed 1360fps. I was able to put together several 3" groups at 100 yards with open sights.

You'll spend as much time getting your sights dialed in as you will a load.


Do you think that’s enough powder or energy for an elk at 150 yards?
 

KyleR1985

WKR
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
382
Do you think that’s enough powder or energy for an elk at 150 yards?

The BC is a guess. But this should get you real close. Decide for yourself.

also, listen to sabotloader, his information helped me a lot to get on the right track dialing my gun in.
 

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Joined
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The BC is a guess. But this should get you real close. Decide for yourself.

also, listen to sabotloader, his information helped me a lot to get on the right track dialing my gun in.


For that weight bullet and being a lead bullet that is more than enough. I will tell you I was shooting T7-3f - 90 gr. Vol with mine but it really is to much because of the possibility of increasing the lead fouling in the bore.

90460-MTNEx.jpg


Either load will provide more than enough energy for a 150 yard shot and beyond!
 

FrontierGander

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Messages
260
Location
CO
:D :D My longest elk shot was 148 with a 230gr patched round ball. If that 460gr conical can't do the job, pack up and go home.

This years elk medacine due to projectile restriction update.

395gr plains bullet,
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
12
Location
PNW
I ended up, after testing dozens of bullet/powder combos, using this exact load in my ultralite. 2-3" groups with open sights all day long.
For me it ended up being 75 grains of FFFG. That 460gr bullet was traveling average speed 1360fps. I was able to put together several 3" groups at 100 yards with open sights.

You'll spend as much time getting your sights dialed in as you will a load.
 

Yarak

WKR
Joined
May 24, 2020
Messages
425
My Mountaineer likes the 300 grain Harvester Scorpion being pushed by 110 grains of Blackhorn 209
 

ole hunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 25, 2014
Messages
197
Location
eastern Oregon
My Knight Ultra Lite load for Oregon elk muz tag
90 gr of 3f trip7
Hornady FPB 350 gr bullet must remove polymer tip of bullet to be legal
 

KyleR1985

WKR
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
382
This thread gets me fired up to go shoot the knight. Besides the pain I encountered on the day of shooting to get on paper, and then figure out which powder charge worked best, it's a lot of fun shooting open sights.
 

iowawhitetailnut

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 16, 2019
Messages
272
This is an old thread but I am hoping to get some updated current recommendations. Always shot saboted loads thru my muzzies but looking to switch to full bore for future Colorado elk hunt. I use a Knight Ultralite 50cal, can somebody give me a best recommendation for this particular rifle using blackhorn powder? I have read good things about the Bullshop .503X460MTNex as well as Thor 300gr. Any help with specifics including specific wads, bullets, grains of powder, etc are much appreciated.
 
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