I've hunted elk and whitetail with Freedom Arms 475 Linebaugh, limiting my shot to 35 yards. This really isn't much of a limitation because I was hunting in extremely thick woods. I got no shots, and the Model 83 was sold. I have access to a T/C 454 Casull with 7.5-inch barrel, 2X scope, and "hunting" bipod. Since I consider this combination to really be a short rifle, I want to extend my limit to 135-165 yards.

Using 300-grain Saeco (#058, 454 SWC-GC) bullet that leaves the barrel at 1400-1550 ft/sec, how high is the confidence level that this bullet will penetrate "through-and-through" on elk - including one shoulder - at 135 yards? At 165 yards?

I doubt very much that it would be a Through & Through even at 50 yards. I say this because my son shot a 5x5 bull at 65 yards with a 30-06 this year with a 165 grain bullet at 2900 FPS. The Elk was hit in the chest and the bullet was recovered. It was inside the skin on the exit side of the Elk and it didn't hit the off side shoulder.

Fyimo I may well be right, but let me offer this snippet of evidence for the other side. Years ago I decided to hunt elk in the deep north slope woods with a 44 magnum. After a considerable amount of research I ordered a Lee mold for a 310 grain wide flat nosed bullet. Figuring it didn't really need to expand, I heat treated the bullets ending up with a very hard tough product. Reloads at little over 1000 ft/sec (as I recall) kicked like crazy in a Super Blackhawk but shot into trim 2.5 inch groups at 50 yards. I moved east before elk season so those loads never got the final test. I did learn however, quite by accident, that the would shoot through 10 inch juniper trees with no trouble at all. I'm confident the'd do the same to an elk. I also suspect that 454 would do the same any longer ranges.

Ed

Yeah, but he's talking 135 to 165 yards and that's significant in terms of velocity and energy. I'm not saying he couldn't kill and Elk I'm talking about a through and through shot at those distances.

Well...first let me say that I am in no way advocating long range elk shooting with a handgun. In addition, I have never even fired a single round through a 454 so my ignorance on the subject is fairly profound. I am treating this strictly as an academic exercise. My sole bit of evidence is the ease with which the above mentioned 44 magnum perforated trees. (For the tree huggers in the audience, please be aware that on the Oregon high desert junipers are reviled as weeds.)

The OP mentioned a muzzle velocity of around 1500 ft/sec for the Casull and I was at about 1100 in my 44 magnum. If one accepts the results of an on line ballistics calculator and assumes a ballistic coefficient of around 0.200 for both bullets (my crude estimate) the 454's velocity and energy at about 200 yards would approximate the 44's at 50.

Ed

I'm uncertain you are correct that the hard cast 454/300/1500 will perform as I want - hope - it will. I wish I knew more about the interesting Linebaugh penetration test protocol. Apparently, he is able to achieve remarkable penetration, similar to what you obtained. I have no idea what range the shots were taken among the many test rifles and handguns he used.