Bull Elk with Traditional ML

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I just read an article in Safari magazine about a guy hunting bison with .54 cal round balls in a flintlock. He max'd out the powder, using 120 gr of fffg and says he gets over 2000 ft/sec muzzle velocity, enough for buff at 60 yds, elk at 75.

So just who is this 'expert'? What does he base his numbers on? I'm willing to be my possibles that there have been a number of elk killed cleanly by those who know their rifles, at ranges exceding the 'limit' of 60 yards, and with PRB as well.
One of the things that I find disturbing in these articles is that the writers try to equate modern rifles (or inlines) with traditional muzzleloaders.....it's like comparing apples to oranges, IMHO.
I haven't taken elk with my muzzleloader, but I did take a cow bison with my .54 cal Hawken back in 2000 (IIRC)....I used a T/C maxiball because all the 'experts' said that it would have more 'oomph' and 'kill better'. To make a long story short, it took 3 shots to bring her down for keeps, although she was dead with the first shot. She gave no reaction to being hit with the first shot (I thought I had missed), but it was a perfect double lung shot, and she was bleeding out into her lungs. I shot her to more times, and the only reaction I got was to see her hump move up a bit. She finally got the staggers and took a few steps and fell. I felt bad that she didn't go down quickly, until my guide told me he has seen similar situations with more 'adequate' rounds (.45-70, .338 Winchester, ect).
Those of us who are old enough to remember when compound bows first came out remember the claims of 'they kill better because the arrow moves faster"......what B.S.!!! Arrows kill by hemmorrage, not hydrostatic shock.
If you feel more comfortable using a conical, that's fine....but remember this: your round ball will shoot flatter than the conical, and bullet placement is ALWAYS the key! I'm not saying that your elk will flip on it's back and lay there kicking with all four feet in the air, but you will have a dead elk......and how many tracking jobs for elk have we seen when they've been adequately hit with 'modern' cartridges such as the .270, 30-06, and .300 magnums?
I'm of the opinion that your PRB would be fine for elk...just remember that your hunting elk with a primative weapon and keep your actions equivelent to your skills, and you'll make meat.