I am not going to try to talk you out of Powerbelts. I say, if they interest you, then try them. Form your own opinion, good or bad. I never hunted with Powerbelts, but have shot a lot of them. I always found them accurate and easy to load.. on the range! I too feel they would be a lethal deer projectile. I mean, if I can flatten a white tail with a roundball, why not a powerbelt. Do I think there are better bullets.. yes I do. I think the XTP, Speer Deep Curl, Lehigh, Parker, Barnes, Thors, Nosler, are all better bullets. Can I base that on hunting experience.. nope. Like I said.. I normally kill them with a roundball or a conical bullet.

And since I mentioned conical bullets, IMO from experience.. its hard to beat big lead conical bullets when dropping deer. But I have little doubt a well placed, moderate speed Powerbelt should kill a deer. Just my opinion. But my Optima shoots the 245 grain powerbelts with amazing accuracy. I think with 80 grains of powder, I could really lay a world of hurt on a deer. But I also understand, like you.. I might have a tracking job ahead of me.