how far elk will go with a RB depends .
Even if you place the shot right on the money so it takes out the hart and both lungs , if it’s a bull and he is cranked up , your going to be surprised at how far they can make it . Has 0 to do with the 50 cal ball but the animal itself . I have personally seen bulls make it hundreds of yards with no lungs and no hart even after repeated hits to the shoulder with a 300 WB magnum . I personally back in my center fire days , had a small4x5 bull take 5 rounds. It was in the Rutt and up on the hells canyon rim . My first shot was a 170 yards broad side and up hill . He standing with a group of cows . He dropped like a rock . But got up . I hit him again . He staggered forward . Got his footing. Looked down hill at my partner and I and headed right for us like he had never been hit . I fired 3 more times head on square to the chest . The last round plowed him in at around 35 yards .
I began to reload and was looking down when I heard David say DAM hes getting up!!!
David dint have a rifle on that day as he had taken a nice 6X6 the day before and thus just has his 1911 . I remember yelling , Im out , im out and hearing dave start popping off with the 45 . When I looked up the Bull was heading up hill . I tried to drop the cross hairs on him but he had already made the top of the rim .
LMAO I remember looking at dave and both of us at the same time saying HOLLY SH@#!!!! took us a good 15 minutes just to get to where we saw him disappear. We found him anther 100 yards further down the ridge line and he still tried to get up when I walked up to him . He took two rounds 3 inchs apart through the right shoulder and exiting just forward of the left . 3 rounds to the chest in a 2 inch group just above the hart . The hole was literally big enough you could put your fist in it ..
When I started muzzle loading , I had a 50 . But my first bull , a 6X6 was at 25 yards . He wasn’t with cows but had came in quite . Shot was just behind the left shoulder right through the hart . He dropped near instantly . On average though with the 50 , as long as they were not all fired up , both cows and bulls would act much the same in that they would spin and trout off some . Normally as long as you don’t jump up and try to run after them , they go a 30-50 yards and stop to check their back trail . that’s close to where you find them . I have had a couple go farther in the 100-150 yard range when shot close . But they also were in a herd . That seems to carry them as even mortally wounded they try to stay in the herd . Know that a large bull often wont . He will a lot of times split off and follow along one side or another . If that happens don’t rush it . Either listen or quickly get to a spot where you can see the herd path . What that lead cow . She is the boss not the bull . Done go after the herd , just stay back , watch and listen .
Cows for the most part don’t go far . They just don’t have the energy bull so 30-50 yards with a 50 cal and you will do fine as long as you place your shot .
As I said my wife uses a 50 and for the most part the cows and spikes she takes don’t normally get more then 100 yards with a proper RB shot . don’t try and plow through the shoulder like with a center fire . Shootem just like you would with a bow. IE broad side angling slightly away so that the ball goes up through the hart and lungs . If you get to far forward with a cow and hit the shoulder , normaly there isn’t much worry . But with a bull , their shoulders and muscle up there are much heavier but at very close range that shot will work with a 50 as well . Just not as desirable IMO as going behind the shoulder .
I use a 54 cal and frankly I see little difference in the outcome on cows when using a RB . I have taken a couple with a 62 cal and there is a big difference. At close range they are pretty much done . Not much different then a good close shot on a deer .
Never have taken a bull with a 62 and I have never owned a 58 so can say .
But a word of advice . You hit a big bull that’s in Rutt , be real careful when you walk up on him even if he drops right in his tracks . just as you would walking up on a big angus bull out in a field . Some times its no different then walking up on a deer . But other times ,,, well you have seen the cartoon of the crane trying to swallow the frog and the frog has his hand around the cranes neck, squeezing for all he’s got even though his head is down the cranes throat.. The caption reads never give up !!! .
Well now that the deed isn’t done tell its done so make sure your guns loaded when you walk up there .
