RE: Tried new powder/bullet combination
That Barnes is a good bullet...The only thing you really gain with the Shockwaves is better aerodynamics for longer shots...Most deer are killed within 100 yards anyway, just set up so that's the longest shot you will have...
In all honesty, one range session with only one powder doesn't always get you dialed in with a particular combo...My Knight didn't like the sabots packaged with the Hornadys SST...But it loves the T/C sabot that came with them 2-3 years ago, so I bought several boxes of the T/Cs...The sabots can make a huge difference.
Frontier is right about the Shockwaves, a good hollow point is designed to open up quickly...While the SSTs will mushroom it's my opinion that the
polymer tip bullets will not expand as rapidly at most muzzle loader velocities...I "help" the SSTs expand by putting them through the shoulder blade, that way I don't need a blood trail...