A Christmas Story - Powerbelt Platinum .45cal/223gr Aerotip and a doe at 65 yards...

[Tahquamenon]

For Christmas Day, my cousin (who knows I love muzzleloading weapons) got me a package of .45cal/223gr AT Powerbelt Platinum's for Christmas. He had/has no idea what I prefer to shoot nor just how many ML's I even have. He does know I have a few .45 caliber ML's.

I have worked up target and hunting loading data for every ML I have. I keep both a rolodex and on data file all of my various loads for each ML.

Even though not being a Powerbelt anything fan, I thanked him very much for the thoughtful gift.

Into my truck went the 45cal/223gr Powerbelt Platinum's for the ride home after Christmas, where they fell out of the bag onto the floorboard pretty much forgotten...

This past weekend during Michigan's late doe season, I go hunting with an older .45cal F.I.E. Kentucky long barrel caplock.I quickly glanced at my rolodex in the .45 caliber index and loaded up five speed loaders with a felt wad, .015 ticking patch, .440 roundball and 70gr Swiss 3FG black powder (A hunting load that I would later find out was for my T/C Hawken .45 not the FIE .45 ).

I also brought along a filled flask of 3FG Swissand powder measure and some extra wads, patches an roundball (just in case) for my field hunting box which stays in the truck.

When loading everything in the truck, I noticed the 45cal/223gr Powerbelt Platinum's laying on the floorboard and remarked that I will remember to take them in the house when I get home. I was out for the entire day to hunt. So I packed a lunch and was in the field for the duration.

Well last Saturday AM 12/29/07 I was hunting and shot and missed the same doe twice at about 50 yards. [:@]
Oddly enough, she stood still after the first shot and I had enough time to not only reload, but to also shoot and miss for a second time. [:@][:@]

After missing the second time, I was ready to throw the rifle at this deer! [>:][>:][>:]

How could I have missed? I was aiming for the top of the heart? Sure, I've missed before, but not the same deer twice.

Well, the deer (after graciously giving me a second opportunity) slowly walked off into the deep swamp, obviously content that I was no danger to her.

More than a bit frustrated , I was determined to figure out just what the hell was going on with either me or the rifle or both...

So, I set up a makeshift targeting area at 50 yardswith a few beer cans, coffee cups and a water bottle. Thankfully I brought the flask full of powder so I could readily get the root of the problem.

After shooting three more times overthe window frameof the truck and still missing everything I was suspecting there was an issue with the load.

After digging around in my hunting box for more caps thinking of trying my T-Shirt for a patch, I again noticed the 45cal/223gr AT Powerbelt Platinum's laying on the floorboard.

At that time it occurred to me that I had been shooting the wrong load setup for this rifle...
(Colorful metafore or two!).


My FIE .45 shoots bottle caps at 50 yards with 65gr Swiss 3FG, a . 020 ticking patch, .440 roundball and a wad.

So there I am with enough .015 ticking patch to make a gun case for the FIE .45, which is about all it would be good for.

I was gas-cutting the wad and .015 patch leaving my ball to go wherever.

Then I thought what the hell, let's see if the 45cal/223gr Powerbelt Platinum's will shoot at least good enough to hunt with? Beats having to go all the way home (three hour drive which would basically write off the rest of the day for hunting).

Starting out with 65gr 3FG, the Powerbelts were at least hitting close to what I was aiming at. At 70gr I was hitting everything I was aiming at, where I was aiming.

Ahh at last, something that shoots!!!

After all of this fooling around, I had enough powder left for two speed loaders with the powerbelts and one loaded in the rifle.

At 5:00PM exactly I shot a doe at about 65 yards and was very impressed with the performance of the powerbelt platinum. Shot just in front of the leg slightly quartering and took the top end of the heart to pieces with a complete pass through. No fragmentation at all. Doe dropped right where she was standing. (For the purpose of the story, let's say it was the same doe that I missed earlier!)

The first thing I did on the way home to hang the deer, was to stop by my cousin's house, buy him a shot of VO and thank him again for his wonderful Christmas gift!

I will take the rest of the 45cal/223gr Powerbelt Platinum's along with another packageto the range and re-verify this load setup. Also will check the bullet with my other .45 calibers to see how they shoot.

For now, I am more than very pleased and impressed with the Powerbelt Platinum's in this caliber and weight and their performance with a .45 sidelock and my load configuration.



Tahquamenon

[LaneNebraska]

Great story! Thanks for sharing!!

Ahhh,... The joy of using powerbelts with the proper load..70g powder..nice and slow wins the race and brings home the doe

[Underclocked]

well... you'll shoot your eye out!!

[frontier gander]

those powerbelts really do perform great with lower charges. Now you got me wanting to buy a package of the platinums.

[buck_hunter_87]

i am gonna get me some platinums as well and leave them in my truck for that bad luck kinda day

[lemoyne]

Congratulations on the doe. Most bullets will do a good job if used at the speed they are designd for and thats the right load for PB's. Most of the blowups with PB's are from using over the 90 gr RS that is the recommended top limit. Would suggest checking to see how easy they move off the powder if you plan on using them much. Lee

[frontier gander]

No most of the problems on there that i see are with people using 150 grains

Did you by chance recover any of the skirts on the range?

[lemoyne]

frontier gander,The White ,The Knight and some older TC like the System One and Thunderhawk have a bit larger diameter barrels [I am just using the ones I have a lot of experance with as an example] and I dont trust them to keep a powerBelt or Sabortooth in place it is best to check each individual gun for that problem you dont want to find out the hard way that is moved half way down to the end of the barrel befor you shot. Lee

[steelhead777]

i love the 270grn platinum's over 90grs of 777 as far as accuracy out of my win. apex just haven't had the chance yetto test them on a whitetail.

[jaybe]

Great story Taq - and congrats on the doe.
I can see many people now driving around with a pack of Powerbelt Platinumssliding around on the floor of their truck - - (just in case).