Powerbelt skirt tightness test!!!

[AmericanPioneer]

I had read alot of peoples comments on the issue with the skirts on the powerbelt bullets staying intact to the targets and finding them in game. I didnt have anything to do the other night while watching tv, so I got out a pack of copper plated aerotips and a pack of the plain lead hollowpoints both for fifty caliber. I proceeded to try to twist off the skirt or remove it with my thumb nail. I have to say that out of the 12 plated ones that only around 5 came off with the same amount of effort. When it came to the all lead these seem to take a little more persistance than the copper ones. I found that almost none of them were really equal in effort when removing the skirt. I know that I am definitely going to put some bore butter or something else on the stems before I try shooting any groups with them again. I thought I would just share some of my "boredom" testing with you guys.

[Pglasgow]

I've never hunted with them but have found them behind my targets, say 60 yards out. I've saved all that I found and plan to try them as a substitute for a felt wad under flat based conicals (like the Buffalo 410)and see how they work. Hoping to get velocity distributions more narrow. If they work well for that purpose, I might just make some form some Harvester .50/.475 sabots that are taking up space round here.

Happy Hunting, Phil

[lemoyne]

Looking at what you all have written and I was sitting here thinking has anyone tried taking off the plastic skirt and replacing it with felt wads like on the base of breakaway sabots? Lee

[skamaniac]

ORIGINAL: Pglasgow

I've never hunted with them but have found them behind my targets, say 60 yards out. I've saved all that I found and plan to try them as a substitute for a felt wad under flat based conicals (like the Buffalo 410)and see how they work. Hoping to get velocity distributions more narrow. If they work well for that purpose, I might just make some form some Harvester .50/.475 sabots that are taking up space round here.

Happy Hunting, Phil

Phil.......have you thought about using magnum MMP magnum sub-bases? They work very well behind sabots when using magnum powder loads, helps to keep your groups tighter. Actually i thought about using fiber or card wads behind sabots, half the price!!

[Pglasgow]

ORIGINAL: skamaniac

Phil.......have you thought about using magnum MMP magnum sub-bases? They work very well behind sabots when using magnum powder loads, helps to keep your groups tighter. Actually i thought about using fiber or card wads behind sabots, half the price!!

Yeah, I agree skamaniac. But I was thinking maybe the subbase wouldn't work quite right on the flat based bullets. I've heard alot of great things about them behind hollow-based bullets.

Right now, I'm having trouble finding the felt wads. Folks seem to be out, probably will remain so until closer tohunting season. I bought the harvesters from Cabelas for about $5.00/50 and it seems the lubricated wads are about the same price and the dry wads half the price.

Call me cheap. But if I find any of the plastics at the range, I don't mind testing them at the range, just to see how it works and whether they can be reused in range sessions without adversely affecting accuracy. When hunting, of course, I want the best in my rifle and I'm willing to pay for it.

Happy Hunting, Phil

[Pglasgow]

ORIGINAL: lemoyne

Looking at what you all have written and I was sitting here thinking has anyone tried taking off the plastic skirt and replacing it with felt wads like on the base of breakaway sabots? Lee

The PB's are smaller than bore, so they "need" the skirt, I think. I have considered glueing a felt wad to the used skirts I've collected and using them as a gas seal for flat-based conicals.

Happy Hunting, Phil

[Triple Se7en]

ORIGINAL: AmericanPioneer

I had read alot of peoples comments on the issue with the skirts on the powerbelt bullets staying intact to the targets and finding them in game.

With all Powerbelts, remove them from the package -- twist & turn each one a few times. Then slide each base on & off a few times. Then take the base off & oil around the stem with water soluble oil like Ballistol - using a damp Q-tip. Then put the plastic base back on the bullet & twist, turn & remove & reinstall it one last time.

Now do the same with the other 14 or 19 bullets in the package -- then put them away till range or hunting time occurs. Shouldn't have to do something like that to a bullet that expensive. But that's how close the tolerances are with Powerbelts & their bases -- versus that of other bullets & plastic sabots that allow you to be plus one-thousands oversize.

If your Powerbelt base is one-thusands oversize, it may stick to the bullet for a prolonged ride downrange. There's no way Powerbelt Inc can hire a troubleshooter at the factory to use a micrometer on every skirt. That's an impossible & very expensive task. So the best remedy is to issue some preventative medicine to them -- right after you purchase them.