A couple more Powerbelt tests

[frontier gander]

I was starting to go into powerbelt with draw and it was getting pretty bad for a while. I went scrounging through a box and scored Two 405g Powerbelt AT's! I set my sand bucket up at 58 yards the other day and i am going to head out now and wet the sand and take one shot at 58 and the other at 70 yards and see how they expand. Going to use 80g pyrodex P and my fathers .50 cabelas sporterised hawken. Hes got the nice heavier rifle and recoil pad.

[frontier gander]

Wish i would have weighed them before i shot them. Right now they weigh in at 28grams.





Check out the centers, Left is the 405g Aerotip @ 58 yards and the one on the right is from the 71 yard mark. The sand i shot into was some of the nastiest ive ever shot. Very course and mixed with wet/sloppy wet/dry sand.

[cayugad]

FG do you think a better more controlled expansion is achieved in sand VS the body of a game animal? I am thinking that in game, there is hard tissue, soft tissue, etc.. sand is sand.

[frontier gander]

Cayugad, Its hard to say. My 225g powerbelt i recoverd from my deer mushroomed like the 80g load i shot into a log. The wood holds the bullet together and doesnt allow it to expand. I prefer the sand so i can get better knowledge of how the bullet is actually performing.

The guy on Modernmuzzleloader shot that wild hog with 100g pellets and a 348g HP Powerbelt at i believe 30 yards and he said the recoverd bullet looked like my posted picture of a 295g HP with 90g PS.

So the sandtrap is actually pretty accurate. He was shooting the HP'S which often form thick pedals and a thin center so his bullet like my 295g HP lost a small bit of corner. The pedals actually just tear.


"Just got back from my hog hunt. Took my ( first time out with a muzzleloader) Wolf 50cal, 348gr HP Powerbelt bullet, 100gr of Pyrodex pellets, and Winchester 209 primer. Had a 30yrd shot and she dropped like a sack of flour. My shot (I was trying for the head ) hit her in the upper left shoulder near the jaw, so I hit alot of bone. I was able to find the bullet, and (frontier gander) it looked just like the bullet in the middle of your second set of photos you sent. The sow dressed out at round 225 so I'm pleased as heck. Probably will go with the aerotip platinum 225 gr. bullets for my Colorado deer hunt in Sept. Cheers."

Middle bullet is the 295g HP with 90g PS

[saxman1]

They look devistating FG

[spaniel]

They look good for the situation they were shot in, but I think it highlights some of the issues people have encountered with PBs. Imagine you tried to shoot a hotter load, or took a 20yd shot. While they are widely expanded and devastating now, it appears like a little more velocity or a little less range could cause them to begin disintegrating.

I like full expansion, but I like to see the base of the bullet hold together well. When I start seeing the bullet expanded all the way to the base, I know I'm nearing the point of bullet failure.

[corey012778]

my brother in law and nephew are planning on using 295hp with 2 pellets. this is scaring me a little for them. my nephew has not taken an deer yet and all he hunts with is a CVA wolf. I would hate for him to loose is first deer because the bullet failed. I can't get them to change to loose. "too much trouble" is all I hear. my brother in law hates for me just having a can setting around. does not like going to the range with me most of the time when I am shooting my ML's. which is all the time

[frontier gander]

Why not buy them a box of 30grain pellets then? Email them the link to our forum and we'll set them in the right direction. I've been using the 295's for years and i can tell you that 100g is to much.

[frontier gander]

Spaniel, You must take into account that the sand i was shooting into was some of the worse sand i have ever used! Rocks and sticks were abundant and the lead took a beating. I was also using 3f pyrodex rather than pyrodex select 2f.
Theres with 80 and 90g pyrodex select "2f" at the same distance. Right side is the 90g charge. The Two on the left are with 80g.


80g Pyrodex select,


I usually have a certain charge that i like to use with Powerbelts due to being recoil sensitive, that and the recoil while shooting off a bench rest VS shooting sticks/off hand is a huge difference and i like a comfortable load that handles will when touched off.
90g 3F had the rifle jumping out of the shooting sticks and that is not what i like!



80g pyrodex select with 295g Hollow Point @ 100 yards. This one was my first sighting in shot and went through a 2x4 and under my sand box into the dirt.