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RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
I am interested with the PB platinum's as the claim is that they are harder than the copper jacketed and will likely give them a try on first the accuracy department and then if the accuracy is acceptable (to me), then try them in a hunting situation. Granted, my experience is not over the top with firearms, especially those used for hunting. So, if any of you guys with more experience can enlighten me and elaborate or disprove my theory please do so. |
RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
The powerbelt Platinums have the better Jacket that holds the bullet together. With the copper series, its a very very thin plating and is wrapped around soft lead. This copper jacket, splatters when shot at high FPS when it comes into contact with something heavy such as bone. Slowing it down with the charges i recommend, you wont have this problem. Its not that the Platinums are "harder" They offer a better jacket that is supposed to hold the bullet together when driven with higher powder charges.
I plan on buying a few packages and finding out just how much better they are. |
RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
Thanks for clarifying frontier. Now, given the option between $3 more for something that's better suited from my 100gr loads OR buying another box of Pyrodex pellets to get the proper 80gr load combination...I may just switch to the platinums.
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RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
ORIGINAL: frontier gander There has been Way to many amatures lately who post about using powerbelts with 150 grain magnum charges and then poor results when shooting a deer from 30 yards or less. Or even not so great accuracy. I could be the only person on this forum who has used these bullets regurally for almost 6 years and who has learned the correct way of shooting these bullets to perform the best on not only paper, But most importantly on game. Now some rifles such as my Winchester, CVA hawken, cva bobcat and Cabelas hawken, Love these bullets and shoot them accuratley. Powerbelts are all we use in our hunting group. That group being Myself, father and my brother. My brother and father prefer the 295 grain aerotip powerbelts over 90 grains Pyrodex RS and both have had excellent pass through results that dropped the deer. I shoot a .45 powerbelt in 225 grain and after testing, 80 grains pyrodex or triple 7 offer the best expansion and devistating performance on the deer i shot. The ONLY way you can use 150 grain magnum charges with the powerbelt is if the deer you are shooting is 140+ yards away. Anything under and you'll more than likely not get good performance. A couple stories from when i used to use Mag charges with powerbelts. Anyone who has used mag charges and a 245 or 295 powerbelt and shot the deer through the lungs should reconize the results. 146 Yard shot with 150 grains pyrodex rs, 295 grain powerbelt aerotip. Bullet went right behind the shoulder, Exited and the deer ran maybe 10-15 yards before dropping well within easy sight. After gutting, the entrance wound and exit were the size of the bullets diameter. Body cavity filled up with blood but did not leave a trail due to no bullet expansion. Lungs were destroyed. The next year, 148 yard shot, 120 grains pyrodex RS, 245 grain hollow point powerbelt. Bullet weight through the front of the neck, exited in front of the shoulder. Deer dropped. Exit hole again, size of the bullets diameter. No blood, But then again, the deer dropped in its track from the neck shot. Next year, Brothers cva hawken, 90 grains pyrodex rs, 295 powerbelt. 90 yard shot, Bullet hit the deer in the spine, She dropped but the bullet just nicked the spine and she stood back up. Another shot from his rifle hit the deer through the lungs and exited and the deer dropped in its tracks with an exit hole you could stick 2 fingers into and lots of blood on the ground. Dads cabelas Hawken, 295 grain powerbelt, 90 grains RS, Frontal shot through the chest that broke the collar bone and shoulder and exited behind the deers last rib. Deer went apox. 30 yards. Fair blood trail. The exit wound was high so it really didnt offer much blood due to the angle it exited. Now this is where the Powerbelt VS low powder charge starts to really get good and is one of my best hunts ever. This years hunt, Deer Creek .45 sidelock, 225 grain powerbelt aerotip Over 80 grains FFFg Triple 7 " loose". Shot distance, 80 yards. Bullet hit the deer squarely in the shoulder, I saw the deer hunch forward and she staggered off and once i got to where i shot her, i followed a short 5 yard, massive blood trail to where she dropped and then rolled/slide 20-30 feet, dead. The shot took out her heart, sucked one lung, high into her chest cavity and just shredded it into mush. Exit wound hit her in the actual Bone and busted it. Bullet was recovered just under the hide in a perfect mushroom and no loss of bullet weight. Later on that evening my dad is carrying my deer creek .45, same load as above. Shoots a decent sized doe, 50 yard broadside shot, Bullet enters perfectly behind the shoulder and exits out of opposite shoulder and breaks bone/exits cleanly. After searching for a couple minutes to find where she was standing, " deer was in thick forage" I found where she stood when my dad shot her and there was a 5-6" dia Aspen tree with one side covered and dripping with bright red blood. Looking on the ground, we found a big splatter here, couple feet later, more blood, thicker and getting heavier. Got into some really thick folage and the hill slanted steep and after that we found where she died and slid down the bank and into some fallen timber. It was only a 15 yard tracking job, but the heavy timber and folage made it tricky and you had to take your time so you wouldnt miss any sign. Any of you that have hunted in thick aspen/pine groves know the sticker bushes, thick grasses and plants quite well and know its quite a trick to track in that stuff :D Exit wound took out the entire front shoulder. Coyotes ate good that night. The entrance shot is confusing. When i lifted the deer up, the bullet passing through the body cavity SUCKED the stomach into the chest cavity and pushed a 4-5" dia. baloon sized part of the stomach out of the entrance wound. How, i have no clue to this day. Powerbelts perform BEST with a charge of 80 grains of powder. Anything over that and they will start to lack. Now keep in mind that i recommend 80 grain charges maximum when using a lighter weight 225-245-295-300 grain powerbelt. A 338+ grain powerbelt i would use a maximum of 90 grain powder charge. These charges are what i find to perform best on big game. Im no expert, Im just a guy who has spend $$$ on these bullets, shot game and found the perfect load which offers the best performance for the powerbelt bullet. Todays modern inline and their 150 grain mag charges is over kill, and is not needed. Its surprising to see how many people use 150 grain charges and find out that they usually only shoot their deer at 50 to 75 yards. When using the powerbelt, a 150 grain charge and a target being only 20 feet to 75 yards out there, You are asking for trouble. Some may read this and say, He only used 80 grains triple7? No way! Thats not enough. Sorry gents but you do not need 150 mag charges to kill game. My rifle shooting a 225 grain powerbelt is only 4" low @ 150 yards and still carrys over 900 some odd Ftlbs of energy at that distance. If using a lighter weight powerbelt, Do yourself a huge favor, drop your charges down to 80 grains. I dont care if its T7, pyrodex, APP. Whichever powder you are using, Keep it at 80 grains! You will love the results when you pull that trigger. Again, I USE these bullets, Ive learned what powder charge it takes to get excellent performance. This is just my advice for the powerbelt amature who has no clue on how to correctly use these bullets. Lets keep this thread clean. You all know who you are ;) This is for those who love the easy loading, accurate powerbelt but who lack the experience on how to use them properly. Thanks for taking the time to read all my lies and tall tales. Good luck to those who take my advice and please report back. This is my doe i shot at 80 grains with a 225 grain powerbelt, 80 grains T7. Entrance shot, Take note to blood all over the ground above the deers rear end and above its head Bullet exited here but is still under the hide. Which was fine with me! The shoulder bone to the left of my finger was broken by the bullet. Recoverd 225 grain powerbelt. No weight loss. Part of the short 5 yard blood trail i followed. Entrance shot. I was able to fit 3 fingers into this hole Exit wound, Able to fit 2 fingers into this one, Along with the broken shoulder bone. A good sized 120-130 lb mule deer doe and the little .45 that could. Also for those who read the story on my dad taking the doe with my .45, Here is what part of that aspen grove looked like, Only this is quite a bit thinner. http://www.powerbeltbullets.com/docs/PBB26inchballistics.pdf since they only reference 100, 130 and 150g loads or to explain as you do here that 150g loads are for shots over 140 yards. I agree with you 100%, 80g max on PB for shots under 100. Chap Gleason |
RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
Now that all these magnum inlines now have a 150g rating, everyone is caught up in it. Its like a CVA write up i read, If you're not selling inlines, You wont last.
Powerbelt actually only recommends 60 to 90 grain powder charges. I see that guys are actually shooting the 195 grain powerbelts over 3 pellets. How they do it, i have no clue. Im not the maker of the product so i do not know why they even allow 150g pellet charges. Im just the guy thats finding the right loads to help others out. |
RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
ORIGINAL: frontier gander Powerbelt actually only recommends 60 to 90 grain powder charges. |
RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
Dont you remember when i posted the email i got back from Powerbelts when i emailed them asking what kind of FPS i was getting with 100 grains loose FFFG goex?
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RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
This has been an interesting and informative thread. Over the past couple of years there have been many threads about PB's, so I always look to see what's new.
Just yesterday (while sitting on the ice perch fishing) I was talking to a guy who shoots ML a lot. So I asked him: "What kind of bullet do you shoot?" "He says, "You know, those things with the little plastic skirt on the back." "Powerbelts?" "Yeah, that's it." "Well", I says, "How much powder do you use?" "Three 50 grain pellets", he says. "Really! And how have they worked for you?", I says. "Oh, I've shot lots of deer with 'em." "What part of the deer do you aim for?", I asked. "The neck", he says, "I always shoot 'em right in the neck, and they drop right where they stood. Never tracked one more than 6 inches." So - while that doesn't prove or disprove anything about entrance or exit wounds, it definitely shows that he has found an effective way to use PB's. Thanks for the info FG; it's obvious that you too have found how to use them effectively. And that's whet everyone who shoots a muzzleloader needs to do. With time on the range and in the field, find the right combination of propellant, primer and projectile that works well under your hunting situation. |
RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
ORIGINAL: gleason.chapman ORIGINAL: frontier gander There has been Way to many amatures lately who post about using powerbelts with 150 grain magnum charges and then poor results when shooting a deer from 30 yards or less. Or even not so great accuracy. I could be the only person on this forum who has used these bullets regurally for almost 6 years and who has learned the correct way of shooting these bullets to perform the best on not only paper, But most importantly on game. Now some rifles such as my Winchester, CVA hawken, cva bobcat and Cabelas hawken, Love these bullets and shoot them accuratley. Powerbelts are all we use in our hunting group. That group being Myself, father and my brother. My brother and father prefer the 295 grain aerotip powerbelts over 90 grains Pyrodex RS and both have had excellent pass through results that dropped the deer. I shoot a .45 powerbelt in 225 grain and after testing, 80 grains pyrodex or triple 7 offer the best expansion and devistating performance on the deer i shot. The ONLY way you can use 150 grain magnum charges with the powerbelt is if the deer you are shooting is 140+ yards away. Anything under and you'll more than likely not get good performance. A couple stories from when i used to use Mag charges with powerbelts. Anyone who has used mag charges and a 245 or 295 powerbelt and shot the deer through the lungs should reconize the results. 146 Yard shot with 150 grains pyrodex rs, 295 grain powerbelt aerotip. Bullet went right behind the shoulder, Exited and the deer ran maybe 10-15 yards before dropping well within easy sight. After gutting, the entrance wound and exit were the size of the bullets diameter. Body cavity filled up with blood but did not leave a trail due to no bullet expansion. Lungs were destroyed. The next year, 148 yard shot, 120 grains pyrodex RS, 245 grain hollow point powerbelt. Bullet weight through the front of the neck, exited in front of the shoulder. Deer dropped. Exit hole again, size of the bullets diameter. No blood, But then again, the deer dropped in its track from the neck shot. Next year, Brothers cva hawken, 90 grains pyrodex rs, 295 powerbelt. 90 yard shot, Bullet hit the deer in the spine, She dropped but the bullet just nicked the spine and she stood back up. Another shot from his rifle hit the deer through the lungs and exited and the deer dropped in its tracks with an exit hole you could stick 2 fingers into and lots of blood on the ground. Dads cabelas Hawken, 295 grain powerbelt, 90 grains RS, Frontal shot through the chest that broke the collar bone and shoulder and exited behind the deers last rib. Deer went apox. 30 yards. Fair blood trail. The exit wound was high so it really didnt offer much blood due to the angle it exited. Now this is where the Powerbelt VS low powder charge starts to really get good and is one of my best hunts ever. This years hunt, Deer Creek .45 sidelock, 225 grain powerbelt aerotip Over 80 grains FFFg Triple 7 " loose". Shot distance, 80 yards. Bullet hit the deer squarely in the shoulder, I saw the deer hunch forward and she staggered off and once i got to where i shot her, i followed a short 5 yard, massive blood trail to where she dropped and then rolled/slide 20-30 feet, dead. The shot took out her heart, sucked one lung, high into her chest cavity and just shredded it into mush. Exit wound hit her in the actual Bone and busted it. Bullet was recovered just under the hide in a perfect mushroom and no loss of bullet weight. Later on that evening my dad is carrying my deer creek .45, same load as above. Shoots a decent sized doe, 50 yard broadside shot, Bullet enters perfectly behind the shoulder and exits out of opposite shoulder and breaks bone/exits cleanly. After searching for a couple minutes to find where she was standing, " deer was in thick forage" I found where she stood when my dad shot her and there was a 5-6" dia Aspen tree with one side covered and dripping with bright red blood. Looking on the ground, we found a big splatter here, couple feet later, more blood, thicker and getting heavier. Got into some really thick folage and the hill slanted steep and after that we found where she died and slid down the bank and into some fallen timber. It was only a 15 yard tracking job, but the heavy timber and folage made it tricky and you had to take your time so you wouldnt miss any sign. Any of you that have hunted in thick aspen/pine groves know the sticker bushes, thick grasses and plants quite well and know its quite a trick to track in that stuff :D Exit wound took out the entire front shoulder. Coyotes ate good that night. The entrance shot is confusing. When i lifted the deer up, the bullet passing through the body cavity SUCKED the stomach into the chest cavity and pushed a 4-5" dia. baloon sized part of the stomach out of the entrance wound. How, i have no clue to this day. Powerbelts perform BEST with a charge of 80 grains of powder. Anything over that and they will start to lack. Now keep in mind that i recommend 80 grain charges maximum when using a lighter weight 225-245-295-300 grain powerbelt. A 338+ grain powerbelt i would use a maximum of 90 grain powder charge. These charges are what i find to perform best on big game. Im no expert, Im just a guy who has spend $$$ on these bullets, shot game and found the perfect load which offers the best performance for the powerbelt bullet. Todays modern inline and their 150 grain mag charges is over kill, and is not needed. Its surprising to see how many people use 150 grain charges and find out that they usually only shoot their deer at 50 to 75 yards. When using the powerbelt, a 150 grain charge and a target being only 20 feet to 75 yards out there, You are asking for trouble. Some may read this and say, He only used 80 grains triple7? No way! Thats not enough. Sorry gents but you do not need 150 mag charges to kill game. My rifle shooting a 225 grain powerbelt is only 4" low @ 150 yards and still carrys over 900 some odd Ftlbs of energy at that distance. If using a lighter weight powerbelt, Do yourself a huge favor, drop your charges down to 80 grains. I dont care if its T7, pyrodex, APP. Whichever powder you are using, Keep it at 80 grains! You will love the results when you pull that trigger. Again, I USE these bullets, Ive learned what powder charge it takes to get excellent performance. This is just my advice for the powerbelt amature who has no clue on how to correctly use these bullets. Lets keep this thread clean. You all know who you are ;) This is for those who love the easy loading, accurate powerbelt but who lack the experience on how to use them properly. Thanks for taking the time to read all my lies and tall tales. Good luck to those who take my advice and please report back. This is my doe i shot at 80 grains with a 225 grain powerbelt, 80 grains T7. Entrance shot, Take note to blood all over the ground above the deers rear end and above its head Bullet exited here but is still under the hide. Which was fine with me! The shoulder bone to the left of my finger was broken by the bullet. Recoverd 225 grain powerbelt. No weight loss. Part of the short 5 yard blood trail i followed. Entrance shot. I was able to fit 3 fingers into this hole Exit wound, Able to fit 2 fingers into this one, Along with the broken shoulder bone. A good sized 120-130 lb mule deer doe and the little .45 that could. Also for those who read the story on my dad taking the doe with my .45, Here is what part of that aspen grove looked like, Only this is quite a bit thinner. http://www.powerbeltbullets.com/docs/PBB26inchballistics.pdf since they only reference 100, 130 and 150g loads or to explain as you do here that 150g loads are for shots over 140 yards. I agree with you 100%, 80g max on PB for shots under 100. Chap Gleason |
RE: How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly
Manufacturers almost always publish velocity and energyfigures with barrel lengths that maximize results. Most CF stats are with 26" test barrels that are longer than most sporting rifles. ML's are no different.
On the whole, you can expect your velocities to be lower per inch of barrel less than published. I won't guess at what it might be (OK - I'll take a guess - maybe 50-75 fps) - probaly someone with a chronograph will give you a more specific idea. |
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