245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

Let's hear your opinion's on this subject. I have my scope sighted in perfectly (or close) for the 245 Gr. Aerotip powerbelts. Now I have gotten some of the new 270 Gr. Aerotip Platinum powerbelts. How much adjustment should there be in sighting them in?

1. Little
2. Somewhat
3. Totally Different

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

I

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

I think they are both junk, low penetration and it is easy to deform this bullets. So any dent in loading throws off the accuracy. The nylon bowl at the bottom of the round does not always fall off after firing causing further accuracy problems.
They has the very best advertising campaign going but if you try any Shockwave you will never go back.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

i love 'em. i use the 245's in my rifle also. ive taken 2 shots at deer over 140 yards away and both bullets passed through the rib cages and dropped them. If you switch to 270's there will be very very little difference in drop. If any.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

There should be a ballistics chart in the backage. I'd check that. I think it gives trajectories out too 250 yds for 100 gr. and 150gr. charges. I have found with a 295 grain powerbelt theres about a 3" drop with 100 gr. and about a 1.5"-2" drop with 150gr.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

Indy - take a close look at that chart, and you'll note that Powerbelts are poor performers relative to their weight and relative to their cost - especially the 245gr version. They do expand, but don't penetrate all that well. Don't misunderstand: you put them in the right place and they'll do - like any other bullet - but they won't do any better, and cost waaaay too much. I've got half a dozen left from four years ago; used one (295gr) as a reload this morning, when I needed a 2nd shot. Unfortunately deer moved as I squeezed, and I hit gut. Mess. Deer took a long time to die - my fault, bad shot, and I WAS OUT OF RELOADS - I finally snuck up and stabbed her. I'll carry more loads in field next time. Anyhow, back to the Powerbelt... at only fifty yards, it didn't make it through paunch of medium-sized doe (but to be fair, I found it in the offside ham... it broke femur).

Contrast this with the other deer shot this morning - CheapShot at about same distant when through buck's front shoulder (angling down) broke bones shredded heart and buried itself in the dirt. Deer ran a few yards - with no heart, one front shoulder - and died.

In conclusion: none of the failures this morning were anyone's fault but mine; but now I've seen first-hand what I'd only heard before, that Powerbelts are lacking when it comes to penetration. Not a very good value for their high $ cost. They'll do - I'd hunt with them - but they don't do any better than sabots. IMHO.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

maybe its the amount of powder thats being used? i used 120 grains pyrodex rs in my rifle with those shots slightly over 140 yards. My dad used 90 grains pyrodex with a 295gn powerbelt,hit the buck in the shoulder/collar bone area, buck went 30-35 yards and was dead. My brother shot a doe from 92 yards, it was a high hit that hit her towards the spine area and we figured she was dead and just rolling around, luckily he reloaded and was ready when she popped her back into place and shoot up and started to run off. A shot to the shoulder dropped her in mid stride. And the doe that i hit with my ML'er was using 90 grains pyrodex RS and a 385 grain great plains bullet, first shot was 90 yards, again, the shot was a little high but put her down, my second shot was an easy 25 yarder, That bullet went throught one shoulder and barely made a scape on her other shoulder. Now that was a 385 grain slug and it didnt even come close to passing thought both shoulders at 25 yards. I still like the powerbelts the best, i had pure hell reloading a second shot with that great plains bullet. And if you ever buy a pack of the sabor tooth bullets " powerbelt wanna be's" you'll be kicking yourself for not paying the $4 extra for the powerbelts. Those bullets are horrible. $13 for 20 hollow point 245gn powerbelts isnt bad, especially when they are performing for you.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

I hear you, FG. And to be fair... that PB this morning had to go through punch and then ham, and stopped against bone. If I'd hit where I wanted to hit - just behind front shoulder - I've little doubt that PB would have blown through ribcage, and deer would have died post hast - and if I'd made the same bad hit with Cheapshot sabot, it still would have been ugly (but probably would have blown hole in the offside). Similar shots I've made with sabots went through. In sum... I don't think PB are bad bullets, I think they're overpriced & hype, so I'm not inclined to buy them. I've killed two deer with them; all the rest with 240gr sabots. I use 90gr Pyrodex RS, regardless of bullet.

Considering performance... $4/box of 20 for CheapShots is a killer deal, esp. compared to Powerbelts at what, three times that cost? Now that I've used these plain lead Cheapshots - and seen good results on paper and on game - I've gotta tell everyone!

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

unfortunately, in my Omega, I have not found ANY full bore conicals that will shoot well. It shoots sabots well and powerbelts ok, but conicals generally will be 3-5 inch groups at 25 yards.

As to the original question, you can not answer that question consistently. In one gun, #1 will be the right answer, in another gun, #2 or #3 may be the "right" answer. Each gun likes/dislikes bullets differently. For example shooting the 338 grain platinum powerbelts vs.348 grain aerotip copper powerbelts. Both with 110 grain pyrodex: the 348's actually shoot HIGHER than the 338's at 100 yards. And the difference IN MY GUN was substantial as far as the point of impact.

Nother words, there is no correct answer until you shoot YOUR gun.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

Can't say for sure. But this I can tell you. I have shot 245 BB ballet, 270 BB Ballet, and 295 PB without changing the sights one iota. All were shot with the same 70 grain charge. While each wasa littledifferent in point of impact, the trajectories of all were acceptable for point blank shooting inside 100 yards.

You'll have to shoot to know for sure. Try a 3 shot group and see if you need or want to adjust the sights any. Let us know what you find out.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

Ive shot 2 deer with 245 grain powerbelts, Aerotips with 2-50 grain pyro pellets,, I get excellent accuracy with them. One deer was at 10 yards the other at 85 yards.

Killed both deer instantly! Good thing? maybe not. on closer examination I only found entrance holes on both deer, big ones, bullets hit nothing but ribs!

Figured when gutting id find them inside the deer,, never sound either of them... found bits and pieces of them but never found a large chunk of bullet. Both deer were 130-140# does,, I seriously question what would happen if I were too try and put one through the shoulder of a 200#+ buck...

Definitely changing my ammo for next year with out question,, I want an exit hole and I want something that will smash through a shoulder bone without completely falling apart!

Ive got a box of sst's that will be next years ammo!

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

Man, some of you guys on this forum have total **** for luck lol. Maybe whitetails are built stronger than mule deer? 4 years straight using powerbelts and have never wounded a deer or had any powerbelt failures. Every deer shot this year with a powerbelt were pass throughs. Just amazes me when i read all the issues that people have with bullets/guns. Actually i take that back, i found part of a powerbelt in 1 of my deer, the lil green tip from the aerotip powerbelts lol

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

Probably because unlike some posters - okay, unlike me, I'll speak for myself - you're consistently putting the bullet in the right place.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

frontier As I said in a past post after testing 12 + slugs the power belt bullets were the only slugs to blow apart on impact. Now to some hunters that use them, they think that that is a good thing.Last week at the range a guy told a similar story about shooting a buck during our earlier season. Behind the ribs, one hole, bullet fragments every where, deer went 20 yards. He loves the bullet. His buddy said "that what there suppose to do". "That why we like them."
For me I want to have a bullet that mushrooms and takes out both shoulders and exits.Shoot straight.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

:eek:couldnt you just upthe powder charge for more power?

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

actually I believe that powerbelts do better with lower powder charges. It is the high velocities/impacts that cause the break up. At lower charges, they are more likely to hold together.

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

Although I cannot comment on the original question regarding sighting in the different gr PB I must agree with Swampthing and Catus Magnus regarding penetration and performance of the 245 PB. My friend swears by them because he can dump 90 gr of RS in his black diamond and buy a package of powerbelts and he's ready to roll. He's been fortunate that he's a good shot because any bullet would have killed his deer. Two deer we butchered last year and one so far this fall have been hit broadside in the vitals without any pass through. These shot are all under 50 yards. The bullet disintegrates completely leaving bits of lead all over the place. He's under the impression that this is optimal performance (schrapnel & soft tissue injury), however, as I think most of us would agree two holes to bleed through are better than one- and to accomplish this you need the projectile to hold together.

I don't use them mostly because I'm cheap and perfer sabots.

Tom

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

I have had great success with Powerbelts but I am aware of their downside too.Ino longer shoot the 245 gr. They are too light, they blow out of the end of the gun with 100 gr of pyrodex before all of the powder can burn (causes more fouling due to unburned powder). A heavier bullet(295 gr)moves slower down the barrel giving increased time for all of the powder to burn with little (if any)velocity lost because of the additional weight. If you are shooting a magnum load I would recommend something even heavier than that (like the Powerbelt Platinum in 338 gr weight, this bullet also has worked well for me with just 100 gr of powder also). Most of the bullets and sabots offered today are capable of excellent groups from 50 to 150 yds but matching your load to your bullet(powder and bullet matching isvital in getting the best performance out of both, some loads and bullets just do not compliment each other or work well together)and between shot cleaning (while sighting in anyway) are an absolute necessity. Understanding the dynamics of how the charge and the bullet are working together in the barrel isimportantinformation and many people don't have the slightest clue. I see guys at the range all the time with their "new" muzzleloaders with 24"-25" barrels, 150 gr powder and the lightest bullet they could find, that is a recipe for inconsistency and frustration. I see guys at the range all the time shooting over and over with an occasional cleaning or patch run through the barrel (and that is only because it is getting nearly impossible to load). I run patches between every shot and remove the breech plug and clean every 2 or 3 shots. It might seem like overkill (or underkill to some) but I am interested in pinpoint accuracy not just getting it pretty close because exact shot placement is more important than any bullet characteristic. Whatever bullet/load you choose spend some time working with it and if it is not working out how you want don't be afraid to start over or tweak your set-up a little. But of course you can't do this if you wait until the day before the season to sight in! IMO

RE: 245 Gr. vs. 270 Gr. Powerbelts
 

I use the 245gr powerbelt, and it passed right through the deer i shot(100yard shot). I did have an issue with blood (environmental is noted); it didn't seem like the blood started right away, but i was standing in 10inches of water. I guess a hollow tip would cause more, anyway, i did have a whole box of 245gr. powerbelt but my hunting partner used them all at the range, due to his gun miss-firing.....hmmmmmmmmm-wonder who?

I think with Powerbeats it depends on weight of the bullet your using, the 245 270 290 respond better with 2 pellets the heavier 338 405 are designed for 3 pellets

+1
I blew a 245 on a deer's shoulder we followed him for a 1/2 mile and killed him with a Shockwave my hunting buddy lent me.

You guys realize this thread started back in 2006!