I'm kind of on the fence about Powerbelts. Originally I really liked them as the 295 grain hollow point I've shot was really accurate in my guns. I really liked them when target shooting. I was shooting 100 grains of Pyrodex. Two 50 grain pellets. The first year using them I shot a big 8 point buck from around 139 yards. He ran maybe 20-25 yards and fell. Right in the edge of the woods. I got there as I didn't wait after shooting and he was still moving and couldn't get up. I shot him again in the spine from the 20 yards or so. When skinning him the one where I had shot close did a tremendous amount of damage but seemed to slightly fragment. The one I shot the first time from the 139 yards I had hit him in the lungs and it had mushroomed pretty well like it was supposed to. However, it didn't come out the other side. It was poking the skin out on the other side but didn't come through.

I didn't find any blood trail until I got to the deer.

This year I lost 1 deer and got 2.
The first one I got was a small doe. I hit it right through the lungs and got a pass through on this one. The shot was around 100 yards or so. She ran about 15 or so yards and fell. I didn't find a blood trail on this one either but saw her fall in the middle of the field.

Then I shot a spike from about 100 yards. This is the one I lost. When I shot he fell over kicking so I know I hit him. Next thing I knew he jumped up and ran off. I didn't find any blood the first hour or so I looked. I finally had a buddy join me to help look and he found a couple small spots on some tree's about 40 yards from where I had knocked him down. We didn't find any where he fell over. We think that from where it was on the tree's I hit him high. We never could find him and searched for hours and found very little blood.

The other one I got was a decent sized 6 point buck. I shot him from around 20 yards in the shoulder where the leg connects and through the lungs. This bullet must have mushroomed going in as it had a huge entrance hole. I'd never seen this. It was probably a 2 or 2.5" entrance hole. It stopped right on the other side too and didn't come through. Just poked the skin out a little. The deer ran about 100 yards or so maybe even 150. I didn't count to closely so just guessing. I found a really good blood trail with this one. It was big spots every foot or two. I just followed the blood trail and found him at the end of it.

So all in all I've had decent luck with most of them but other than that one with the huge entrance hole I've not gotten a great blood trail. I've also lost one of the 4 I've shot with my muzzle loader although maybe the shot was a little high.

I really like how accurate they are but I'm seriously considering trying a new bullet for this next year. The one I lost and couldn't find had me upset as I don't like having wounded one only to have it run off and suffer.

I'm not sure what I will try. I want to at least see if they are accurate. I also like not having to deal with sabots so that's a plus for the power belts. I'm thinking of trying the Federal Fusions as I really like their rifle bullets so am wondering if their muzzle loader ones are any good. I've not seen any reviews of them.

That being said I've got a friend I hunt with that also uses Powerbelts and likes them. Then I've got others that use Shockwaves with luck also. Then a couple that use Hornady SST's and love them. That's another one I've thought about trying.