RE: pics of powerbelts VS pine log
As dense as a piece of green wood is, I think a bullet has more of a chance of overexpanding and fregmentingin a medium with a higher liquid percentage. Like flesh or water soaked phone books. And there is definitely a trend toward faster impact velocities causing more expansion and less penetration than bullets impacting at more modest speeds. A couple of years back, one of our local city officials shot a big bull elk in the shoulder at 25 yards with a 348 gr. Powerbelt HP. His load was 150 grains of Pyrodex RS. Elk went down, but got back up and ran off, never to be seen again. I would bet his bullet exploded in the shoulder and failed to penetrate the vitals. The use of a 100 grain charge - or possibly an Aerotip Powerbelt -very likely wouldhave changed the outcome of this very disappointing experience.