POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

ive been reading about a lot of people having problems with these bullets....coming apart.......no blood trail....cant find deer after shot.....no penatration.......well im on the other side of the coin.....ive shot 4 deer with them........i never recovered bullet ,always gone straight through.....plenty of blood.......deer always found........ ( i dont shoot at running targets) history.......gun... 50 cal lyman great plains hunter.....245gr. pb jacketed hp.......90gr. goex ffg.......50yd 5 shot group approx. 2'' off bench........cleaned after each shot....(as this would be how the bore would be on your first shot)........last thursday wanted to test penatration....nailed 4 pcs 2x8 together..fired shot went through all........next fired at 8 pcs nailed together went through 6 found bullet lodged in 7 th pc....the bullet had retained about 90% of its shape and weight.........i think that ill stay with what works best in my rifle.......just my $.02 worth

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

Hi DECKAPE:
If I were you, I wouldn't be changing anything either! Sounds like you're having great success both at the range and in the field.
I personally decided to not use PB.s after hearing some of the reports that you mentioned. Now that I bought a White UltraMag, I can't use 'em anyway, 'cause they slide right in and back out of the barrel.
I can't help but wonder if some problems are the result of guys driving them too hard. You're load of 90 gr Goex FFg is a nice load, and obviously has excellent penetration and expansion on deer.
... and that's my $.02 :)

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

We are talking about the best selling muzzleloader bullet in the world. Naturally, it won't please everyone. The leaded ones fragment rather easily on bone. The copper ones don't perform well with magnum, 3-pellet loads. That's whyPowerbelt came out with the Platinums. Whenever a million users purchase the same thing -- whether it's a household or business item, there's going to be some complaints. If other ML bullet companies sold the volume Powerbelt sells -- you would read those complaints.

It goes with the territory of being #1.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

Deckape... haze gray... underway... sound & security watch... memories...

ON POWERBELTS... I used to use them. Rifle shot well with them. I killed one little itty bitty doe, the 295gr Powerbelt blew through both shoulders, breaking both... little deer dropped straight down. Of course, she was a little deer, and only about 25 yards away.

I quit using Powerbelts because they're expensive, and I want the most bullet for my buck. I've gone through packaged Hornady XTPs and the T/C version, and I'used big old Hornady conicals... last season used sabots (.429 XTP wgreen sabot) and they worked okay. Only one of the five deer I shot dropped immediately, and that was because I deliberately shot her i in the shoulder, and so learned that a shoulder hit will drop 'em. I'm pretty well convinced now that the key to killing the deer quickly is hitting the deer in the right place, with bullet choice being a distant second.

I've shot 300gr XTP sabots at the range, my rifle seems to group best with these... I'm going to use that next season, on 100gr Pyrodex. Seems to be a potent enough setup... I've not killed anything with it, but paper ballistics seem to indicate it'll be better than lighter (240-250) gr XTPs. Anyone have real world experience using 300gr sabots, instead of lighter, for whitetail?

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

That is some impressive penetration you're getting with 90 grains of powder. It should do about anything you need done. I've never shot a deer with powerbelts but have shot a lot of them in the range. I always found them a good shooting projectile in many of my rifles..

I was shooting some 295 grain copper plated hollow points today with 90 grains of Goex 2f out of my Staghorn. They were very accurate although for some reason they were hard to load. It could have been the heat and humidity, or just something else. I normally shoot the 245 grain or the pure lead 348 grain powerbelts.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

I use the 348 gr. copper hollowpoints and 100 gr. of 777 for deer and have had great luck with them. I recovered my firstbullet last season, but it was on a quatering towards shot. I hit him in the right side base of the neck/shoulder. The bullet broke the shoulder, traveled the entire length of the body and stopped in the off side ham.Travel distance after the shot was O yards :D. Couldn't ask formuch better. I'll beplaying with the heavier 405 and 444 gr. powerbeltshere soon working up a hog load. Thisshould be interesting.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

My friends .50 cal Black Diamond XR with 3-9scoped with 2 /50 gr.pyrodex pellets will shoot 1.5 to 2 " groups at 100 yards. If he goes to 3 pellets they go everywhere. I think some people are driving them too fast for their rifles(brand). By the way he shoots the copper aero tip. Now if I can get him to hunt with it. This man has four muzzleloaders and doesnt go hunting with them. He barely shoots them at the range. Thats a shame.:(

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

i use the 295 gr. powebelts in my hawkins .50cal.they shoot real good. 348 shoot good and aRE probably a better bullet for deer but i like the 295.as for being expensive, no way. i shoot roundballs at range for fun. 2 weeks before season, i use powerbelts.it takes me about 5 or6 to sight gun in. thats all. rest are used for a nice buck. i dont shoot into a stump each day. i keep gun loaded and in garage so there is no temp change and i leave gun in the truck bed on way into my home. gone as long as 5 weeks and no problem with powder.hunting for 35 years with muzz and using maxi-balls. now, POWERBELTS. P.S,i use 80 grs of 2f with my powerbelt 295.no kick, no flinch, bullet will not EXPLODE,no recoil. trust ole sproul, recoil has caused many of buck to laugh at us over years.seen it, done it, lived it.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

I saw the effects PB's had on elk last fall.....I shot mine with 120 grains of loose powder & 348 AT. At 90 yards & almost broad side my bullet never hit the other side....I picked up small pieces all over inside the chest cavity upon dressing the animal.

Elk #2 (same load) my buddy shot 4 minutes after mine. Quatering toward him & 40 paces away.....Hits the elk drops him in his tracks.....upon quatering the animal we recovered dust.... yeah dust thats what was left of the bullet.

I loved this load for elk....We were shooting encores. These guns loved this load, had a little bite at the bench but very accurate nonetheless.

I really hope this new bullet they have out will hold together better. I should draw agin next season & will be giving them a try if they fly as good as the others.

Idon't think anybody should have trouble with these bullets with deer size game....I can't say they were a complete failure because we recovered all the animals & I don't think 120 grains is to much for a 348 grain slug that is advertised for 150 grains......Just my 2 cents worth....Jason

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

Alot of people have been reporting fragmentation, though not dust, but like you they also recovered their game. Most report that the animal dropped in its tracks. One thing I have noticed is that those who use lighter charges often get pass throughs (with deer and the 295's). By light I mean 80-90 2f or equivalent.

I, for one, was (at one time) a vocal opponent to highly charged PB's. Still it seems that the highly charged PB is more likely to discharge ALL of its energy where the lighter charged PB's tend to pass through. I am convinced that a pass through, especially one with the expansion of a pure lead hollowpoint,is plenty sufficient to drop deer or elk in its tracks. So even with the success of such highly charged projectiles, I still find myself more comfortable with a lighter charge.

Even so, who can argue with success? Contragulations on your two elk last season.

I see that you also have been eating your wheaties! A little bite?

Happy Hunting, Phil

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

I guess if the bullet doesnt pass through then it has transferred all of its energy on the animal which i find is a good thing. Alot of people like pass throughs for extra blood trailing, but that bullet that passes through still has energy to expell and is wasted. If the bullets are blowing up but they drop animals in their tracks or dont go far, then who can complain about that. Its doing its job.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

You don't say what powder you are using. If you are using 777, then you were using the equivalent of 138 grains black powder (adding 15%). That is a stout charge in anyones book. I use 90-95 grains 777 for elk with 405 gr PB'sand feel very comfortable that this charge is plenty for elk. I have pretty much decided that since it has more than enough power for elk, and since we have to use open sights (in Colorado), there is no reason to use more powder. I have a personal limit of 100 yards with these restrictions anyway. And as Sproul says, flinching is one of the biggest reasons elk are missed (and wounded). And I have at least partially bought in to the theory that PB's do better at less powder charges.

Here is an interstings site to explore. It is about knockdown and I use it to compare big slow moving bullets. Foot lbs of energy just don't cut it with big bullets, and that is because they are relatively slow moving and the foot lbs math squares the speed. That makes small, very fast bullets look better on paper. However, millions of buffalo died with big slow moving bullets. Take the 45-70 for example. 45 caliber with 70 grains of black powder. Here is the link: http://www.loadammo.com/Topics/July02.htm

I am curious about the new bullets. At least they are no more expensive than the original. However, the biggest bullets that I have seen advertised in platinum are 328 gr. Just a personal bias, but I like bigger bullets for elk.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

Big game deserves a big bullet, and not a hollow point or some fancy poly point that make the bullet expand...........you need penetration, not expansion on elk sized game.[/align]
As far as powerbelts go, if they shoot good and load easily into your gun, use them.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

I find them to be wonderful varmit bullets the 245 shoot tight groups out of my Omega and blowup on contact they blow a hole in a coyote you have to see to believe[150 gr APP FF] my hunting buddie likes them in his savage for coyote to if I remember correctly he shoots 5744 and I think he said just under 40 gr. Lee

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

The reason we decided to shoot the heavy loads, was the meadows are very large in Colorado. I shot the heck out of these loads last year.....Over shooting sticks at an elk silloutte I could kill it every time at 150 yards with iron sights.....thus I felt comfortable to 125 yards on game. I didn't want to try to figure hold over at game, thus the extra charge.;)
Like I said before, I hope the manufacture has answered these problems, because they shoot great out of our guns.;)

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

i use 87 gr.speer in my 250-3000 sav for deer. most of time ,no exit hole and most of deer drop in their tracks.cant find much of bullet.my dad taught me this from surviving in the depression.he said the 87 gr bullet would drop deer in their tracks and 100 gr would not.just because bullet blows up is not all BAD,but i agree, the new powerbelt should be the ticket for elk.as for deer in a flintlock,.50 cal at 80 grs or so. i am staying with the regular one,hollow point.if i was shooting in-line at those high speeds, i would use new bullet.my shots are under 100 yards, i dont need recoil and its deadly with a maxi-ball 370 and now, my favorite, the POWERBELT.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

I would never hunt with a lead Powerbelt. I've witnessed a half-dozen dead deer with impressive holes in them from the 245 grcopper aerotipPowerbelt at deer camps. My favorite Powerbelt is the 348 copper HP. Best success with copper Powerbelts is keeping the powder charge at 100 grains or less & aiming for the heart/lungs.

I'm not promoting this bullet. Haven't purchased them in 3-4 years. Give me 300 gr. XTP, Shockwave, Elite Extremeor 375 gr. Buffalo S.S.B any day.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

my .50 cal hawkins seems to group the 295 gr powerbelt better than the 348 BUT, i think your right, the 348 is better choice for deer but i am stuck on 295,i like it.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

The ultimate twist for the Powerbelt 295 is your Hawkens 1-48" twist. So I can see why you like it so much. I have a sidelock 1-48". I touch target holes using the 295s. Being I only use two sand bags for the muzzle & my elbow on a table when sighting-in, I think that's pretty darn good. I discontinued Powerbelts because I shoot three jugs of powder per year. Just too expensive of a bullet.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

My charge consisted of 120 grains of pyrodex select, with a CCI primer...348 AT powerbelt.
The problem I have with such a rapid expansion is.....what if your elk turns or moves during the shot.....if you hit the front shoulder at 100 yards are you going to have enough to collapse both lungs???:eek:Or will you only get one lung & have an elk run over the next two mountains? I think deep penatration is the key.....Its been proven time & agin that bullets should mushroom, stay together, deliver shock. Not blow up on impact.
As far as hunting whitetails.....I have seen countless killed with various front loaders. The early years they were roundballs & conicalswith 80 grains. Now its sabots & powerbelts with heavy charges......I have found even 200 +lb deer can't stop any of these bullets consistantly. Most pass through, unless you shoot out both shoulders. For deer size game just pick what ever your gun shoots well....I am sure it will kill deer just fine.

I wouldn't hesitate to use any powerbelt on deer. I believe a deer shot in the shoulder won't stop enough bullet to protect the far side lung.;)

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

yes, i could see that getting real expensive. i only use them for deer hunting here in pa. sadly, way the state is going here,i dont think i will be using them for too long. DCNR deer eradication program is in full swing now.they do shoot real good and i like idea i dont have to use bore butter at 5 below zero.i like bore butter for my patchs and lube but in winter, its nasty.

RE: POWERBELT BULLETS PROBLEMS??????
 

most of the shots i had ona big buck were neck area.i would say that over 70% in 40 years have been from neck up to head.this is because the biggest buck dont go in the open much and head for cover.most shots were at 30 yards or less,some 10 yards.not 1 over 80 yards that i can remember wayback.on the ones that were looking back at me, i shoot for neck. i missed a few but not many.even with my 250-3000 sav with 87 gr. i never shoot a quartering shot. its neck or broadside.