I shoot a T/C Encore and recently tried the PowerBelts bullets. I am shooting the 295 grain Aero tips with 100 grains of pellets. Groups are about 2" at 100 yards.

I am thinking about switching to the 245 grain Aero tips for a little flatter shooting bullet. However, I really like the knockdown power of the 295 grain.

What do you guys think? Which would you use and why?

Thanks for your input . . . Rob

I use 100 grain pellets, with hornady 240 gr's. At 100 an inch...very happy, as to knock down power I have shot 3 deer with this setup, all but the first one dropped on the spot, he made it a whole 75 yards.

Personally, I shoot the 348gr aerotips out of my Knight - as the bigger bullets give me better accuracy and PLENTY of knockdown power. Off of the bench, these cut 1" holes for me at 100yds using either loose Triple 7 or CleanShot.(BTW, a switch to loose powder might tighten your group up some...as it allows you more "tweaking" room to get your charge "just right&quot

I really don't think you will do better with the smaller bullets - even though bullet velocity will go up, knockdown Oomph (and probably accuracy as well) will go down......not a good trade-off. What you have going with the 295s will carry you out consistantly to 150yds, which is pretty much where I draw the line on Muzzleloading anyway.


"Every moving thing that liveth, I give unto you as meat" (Gen 9:3)

Trust God..........but keep your powder dry!

I have a .54 and use 325 grain barnes sabots currently. I live in the east and have never even shot a deer over 100 yards so I would rather use a heavy bullet that has more knockdown energy. It will probably still shoot to 125 yards ok with 100 grains of tripple 7.

Thanks for the feed back guys. You pretty much confirmed what I thought and figured out today. I shot this morning (295 grain PB with 2 pellets) and at 50 yards I was about 3" high with about a 1.5" group. At 100 yards I took 5 shots and all fell 1.5" to 2" high with a nice 2" group. The final target was at 190 yards. Again I had a decent group of about 3", but the bullet was dropping 12" to 14". All this is consistent with the ballistics which come in each PowerBelt package. I agree with Mark whiz, I would not shoot beyond 150 yards. At that distance, I am getting about a 3" drop which will still kill the game.

It's funny you mentioned the loose poweder as we talked about that today. I may weigh out several loads and see if my groups tighted a bit.

Thanks again for your input!

. . . Rob

Rob in VT
I hope you dont realy mean" weigh some out"??
DO YOU?? YOU MEASURE BLACK POWDER BY VLOUME. Not the same as loading centerfire. MAN YOU ARE CLOSE TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT!!!!!!!

Actually I did mean "weigh". I am well aware that black powder is measured by volumn not weight. I measure the first load (by volumn)and then place it on the scale. Once I know how much it weighs, I weigh out each load so they are as close to the same weight as possible. This is the process I use to do before the pellets came out.

. . . Rob

[Deleted by Admins]

Rob in VT, there is absolutely nothing wrong with weighing out charges the way you do, but when I first began muzzleloading, I tested weighed charges vs volume measured charges for accuracy, and found that there was absolutely no difference in grouping ability between the two methods. Testing was done in both .45 and .50 caliber slow-twist rifles at 100 yards range, firing both round balls and Maxi Balls.

Keep yore powder dry!!