mayguy

348 gr Aerotip and 115 grs of 777 at 45 yds = no exit with a chest hit and nothing found bigger than maybe 20 grs. The deer only ran about 35 yds. so I guess it did its job but I think there are many better bullets out there. If you use them I would listen to some of the other comments and keep the powder under 100 grs. Just my opinion.

gleason.chapman

This page has a lot of info on PB fragmentation issues:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/powerbelt_page.htm

also google search "Powerbelt fragments". The bigger PBs (>=348)shot at low speed appear to shoot thru and have good terminal performance. I don't think the Platinum is anything except a different thin jacket for the same bullet material at the regular copper pb. I believe the aerotip is the same hollow point with just a plastic tip and on impact there would be little difference between the aero tip and the hollow point. Therefore they fly better, but hit the same essentially.
Chap Gleason
Chap Gleason

gleason.chapman

Agree. There are many, many better bullets out there. Personally I like 300g because they tend to shoot thru the deer, I like them to expand fully but shoot thru for a good blood trail. XTP are cheap and good.Speer Gold Tips are cheap and good.Any of the Barnes ML bullets are geat. Nosler Partion HG bullets are great. If your looking for an alternative to the PB, try a Harvester SaberTooth. Glue the bottoms on however. Just my opinion.
Chap Gleason

sjsfire

quote]
Glue the bottoms on however. Just my opinion.
Chap Gleason
[/quote]

So why would you glue the the bottoms on? By the looks of them shouldn't they separate from the bullet when fired like a Powerbelt. I'm interested in the Sabertooths. But curious about the glue comment. Thanks

cayugad

Saber Tooth button ends I found today almost 80 yards from where they were originally shot. Their accuracy was still good, but it did surprise me when I came across them back in the woods.

gleason.chapman

SJSfire,
Some have said on this forum that they tiped the muzzle of their gun toward the ground and the bullet fell out! Worst yet, if a bullet shifted say a foot up from the load, then you have a barrel obstruction and that is not good--nobody has reported this to my knowledge, but it could happen. If your barrel is nice and tight then there is no worry, but if it is say loose, then glueing on theplastic seperator would be the right way to go. Cayugad however in his rifle reports that they don't come off till 80 yards from the shooter, that seems very long to me, so maybe there is no problem. I have not used the bullets yet, but intend to get some and shoot some. I like the strength, expansion and penetration of the SabreTooth, from what I have read and the deer my brother shot in NY the last day of the season. I am however a sabot shooter--Crushed rib sabot with an XTP Mag in a FL 70 to 80g of Goex, Nosler Partition over 100g of 777 with crush rib in an Omega and Knight Disc. Ihave on order aSavage 10ML (black stock and SS barrel) and intend to shoot Barnes Red Hots, TC ShockWave or something with a high balistic coeffient in the 10ML (I have bought several to try). Have the scope already, just not the rifle or the mounts and rings.I like Leoupoud rings, but haveheard good things about the Warn QD rings, most of the 10MLer use these rings and mounts.I would google search for Harvester Sabretooth and read what is out there, you will get a good impression also by looking at the product reports at Cabelas and Midway and MidSouth Shooters supply.

Another source of good information on bullet performanceis "Rifle Bullets for the Hunter a Definitive Study". If you read the chapers on Deer Bullets, Bullet theory, ML bullets and Solids it gives a lot of good information. I just bought a copy about 3 weeks ago from www.ramworks.net and it is a good read. Bryce Towsley wrote the ML chapter.
Chap Gleason VA