I have been a traditional shooter and used 385 Hornady Lyman lead bullets with 75 grains Pyrodex RS (93.75 gr.equivalent BP.) I got some powerbelt 245's and 295's HP and have just started trying them out. 295's good enough for deer to 75 yds, but not too impressed with accuracy. Also note in other postings the somewhat varied performance on deer with the powerbelts, but they sure a joy to load. Have been trying the 75 gr. Pyrodex on them so far.
Will the 1-28" twist shoot the 385 lead bullets? Will I need to adjust the load down due to the faster twist (my TC Renegade has 1-48&quot?
Any suggestions on loadings for the powerbelts and 385 lead bullets.
While the Hunterbolt is OK for up to 150 grains didn't figure to go over 100 gr. unless needed. (I note that they show for the 295's for Pyrodex RS 80-90 grs and for the pellets 80-100 gr. Any reason for that?)

vERN,

Are the 295 Powerbelts you have the standard lead HPs, the jacketed HPs, or the Aerotipped ones?? I have found that the lead ones need about 5gr less powder than the aerotips and probably the jacked HPs as well.

With your gun, I would try the lead ones at 85 to 90gr of loose Pyro and the aerotips at 90 to 95gr of loose Pyro. I can shoot the 348gr PowerBelt Aeros over 105gr of Pyro in my Knight and get excellent results and just about every 300gr bullet I've tried prefers that 80 to 95gr powder range.

The listed pellet charges are higher because (it is my understanding) that about 20% of each pellet is not actual powder, but a flame accelerator - designed to help the pellet's ignition. At that rate, a 150gr pellet load has the actual energy equivalent of a 120gr loose powder charge. Funny thing is......I've found that these guns loose accuracy if you push loose powder charges past 120gr. I don't think this is a mere coincidence.


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

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

Thanks, Spike. I think I may have solved some of my own problem. My son & I each got the CVA Hunterbolts. For years I have been weighing my charges, using the Hogdon chart from regular Pyrodex, but have been using Pyrodex Select the last few years! Downloaded their Pyrodex loading manual last night and found out that I need to re-calculate and adjust every time I get a new batch. I had been loading the equivalaent of 114+ gr. thinking I was loading about 93! Should have been using about 58 gr. of the batch I have. We just took the powder measure and forgot about weighing and things came around with both the 295 and 245 Powerbelt bullets. Actually the 245's shot the best in both guns. I may not even use the Hornady 385's, and may try the lead powerbelt 295's you suggested. I'm almost 76 so I don't get the groups that my son does, but on a deer target at 100 yds, got good group in the kill zone. He had a couple touching. Thanks again.
Vern

Thanks, Spike. I think I may have solved some of my own problem. My son & I each got the CVA Hunterbolts. For years I have been weighing my charges, using the Hogdon chart from regular Pyrodex, but have been using Pyrodex Select the last few years! Downloaded their Pyrodex loading manual last night and found out that I need to re-calculate and adjust every time I get a new batch. I had been loading the equivalaent of 114+ gr. thinking I was loading about 93! Should have been using about 58 gr. of the batch I have. We just took the powder measure and forgot about weighing and things came around with both the 295 and 245 Powerbelt bullets. Actually the 245's shot the best in both guns. I may not even use the Hornady 385's, and may try the lead powerbelt 295's you suggested. I'm almost 76 so I don't get the groups that my son does, but on a deer target at 100 yds, got good group in the kill zone. He had a couple touching. Thanks again.
Vern

Just an update. My son hit a deer with the 245 Powerbelt at about 75 yds. Knocked her off her feet. He reloaded and tried to finish her off with a head shot - missed. She got up and walked away. NO BLOOD. We spent an afternoon at the range and he switched to 320 gr. Maxi's and I went with the 295 lead Powerbelts. On the last afternoon of the last day I finally got a very close running shot. Figured I'd missed as she kept going. We checked the trails and found her dead, lying about 50 yards from where she was hit. The first blood sign we found was where she lay, but the hole in her should have been bleeding all over the county - bled out inside. Still cann't figure it out. This is the time of miraculous birth - but this was a case of miraculous death!

[Deleted by Admins]