45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

i now use the 195 grain hollowpoint powerbelt with 150 grain pyrodex thinking about changing any thoughts

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

Check out the thread "how to use powerbelts correctly". It should give you tons of good advice. Otherwise I'd lean towards the precision rifle dead centers, speers gold dots and maybe some of the barnes bullets. I know precision rifle has one for the .45 caliber, not sure of the others. Chap? If you are insistent on the powerbelt, drop your powder charge to almost half what you are using now. Good luck, Greg

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

What gun????

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

tc omega

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

PB's were designed for use with 70 to 90 gr of powder, if you have a 45 the sabot for 45/40 and a 200gr 10mm XTP would give you a real interesting comparison, or you might try the sabortooth. If you have a 50cal there are many choices all most all better than PB's. Lee

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

I'd agree on dropping the charge to about 80-90 gr.
I'm at my son's for Christmas and he told me this story:
He was using the .50 cal 295 gr. Powerbelt with 90-100 gr Pyrodex. After hunting one day he decided to see what kind of penetration they got. He shot into a 6" tree with the 90 gr, then tried 2 pellets, then tried 3 pellets.
One of the first two shots took a chunk off the side of the tree - nomeasurable penetration, since it tore off sideways. The 100 gr load penetrated the tree 4", but the 150 gr load only penetrated 2". It flattened out so much on impact that it couldn't continue good penetration. He also said the recoil was atrocious!
Admittedly, that was a tree - but many have testfied to the fact that a similar thing happens when a Powerbelt driven by charges over 100 gr hit a deer-sized game.
Back down on the charge, enjoy a much reduced recoil, and get better performance from your Powerbelts.

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

If I had an Omega and it was legal where I hunted, I would be shooting a 200 grain Shockwave. Powerbelts are too expensive, and I would rather let the rifle do what it was designed to do.. shoot a projectile at high speeds in a flatter trajectory.

If the shooting was close quarter stuff, I might also consider a 200 grain XTP and again, shoot them. Although if you are getting good accuracy with your powerbelts, and like the ease of loading, then lower the powder charge a little and you should be fine.

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

Try the 300g Platinum PB's with 60grains of powder. Good from30 to 120 yards;)
This load willNOT fragment, and will push all the way thru.


Below is what happens to powerbelts when you push them to fast. Fired from 45cal Disc Elite, using 3FgPinnacle powder. All dug out of wet sandy clay @ 120yards.

The first bullet(Left) is a 275 HP/PB, at 60g powder, 100g powder, 120g powder.

The second bullet(Right) is a 300g Platinum PB, at120g and 60g of powder.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v416/lanenebraska/bul6.jpg?t=1198705736













.

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

In .45 I would go with the 275 grain PB Aerotip and about 80-100 grains of powder (if PowerBelts were the only thing on the menu).

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

Bullet selection for the .45 cal is sparce, they make a Barnes MZ for the .45:

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0003540052

that is one of the best, if it will shoot well in your gun. Hornady XTPs would stay together better than a PB, but they separate from their jackets at hight speed (i.e. close shots):

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00072XTP24520

If ya wanted to get a bit more range than the Hornady XTP, then there is a .45 Hornady SST:
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000367132


A better bullet would be the Speer Gold Dot at .400 diameter, 180g (there are 100 in a box of these bullets for $22, that is 22 cents each, you can beat that):

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000214406

you of course would mate this with a Sabot designed for .45 cal bullets such as Harvester Crushed rib:
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00072H14540BR

or Harvester Black:
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00072H4540B

Those are your choices and all are better than a PB in my opinion, but that is mine only, not a universal truth. Best Wishes on your bullet selection.
Chap Gleason

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

I got the same exact gun.I went through lots of combos before finding this.
Hornady Xtp 38-180gr #6712 with 2 50 gr pyrodex pellets.I tried 3 pellets but it kicked so hard and had erradic groups.Cut back to 2.This combo is a tac driver with my Omega 45.

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

thanks guys im not real found of the pb performance the ones i use anyway they blow apart makeing it hard to track if they drop on the spot even though i harvest my biggest buck ever this year im going to try all the options thanks alot guys

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

My Knight Disc likes a 200 grain SST on top of 110 loose T7, dunno what the TC would do....

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

well durr! 195 grain powerbelt and 150 grains of powder is a big time boo boo. Why would you even consider using such a small bullet? With a 195 grain powerbelt 60-70 grains powder Max. These new "Magnum" muzzleloaders really bite ya on the arse and they put into the minds of newbie's that 150 grains of powder is needed. All ive ever noticed is uncomfortable recoil and groups that opened up.

What kind of groups were you getting with the 195 grainer and 3 pellets? Im surprised they didnt come apart when they left the barrel :D

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

Try the Barnes MZ first, since it is the best bullet, the Gold Dot 2nd, the SST third and the XTP 4th.
100g of powder max. Loose is cheaper and ignites better and you can adjust it better.
Chap Gleason

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

broome buck

If I have the information correct, you a shooting an 45 cal Omega???

I would totally agree with you on the use of Power Belts - even if you were to slow then them down and then the fact that I bought an Omega to speed things up...

I think if you were to shoot 10mm (40 cal) bullets the first round i would look at might be the 200 grain TC Shockwave. I personally probably would not shoot the SW but Hornady 10mm 200 grain XTP - I can afford to shoot targets and game with this bullet.

With a 110 grains of T7-2f I am shooting this bullet very acurately @ 2100 fps.

Barnes makes a 10mm 195 grain Expander MZ bullet that might also be a great bullet... These are not boattail so you can switch out the thicker sabots for a thinner MMP...

But if most of your shots are under 175 - I woulds still be using the 10mm 200 grain XTP's. Inexpensive great bullet...

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

Hey sabot good load!!

Just curious why you and many other guys choose the TC shockwave stamped packages over the straight up hornady's since they make them to start with??? I never have/would buy the TC ones due to more profits going to them and their BS marketing!:D:eek:[&:]

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

Carpmaster

I personally do not buy any packaged bullets - to expensive.... but the reasonI suggested the TC Shockwave - is because of the sabot they would come with - if you purchased an 200 grain SST it would likely come with a thicker sabot. If we could by either the SST or the SW in bulk without sabots I might try some but they are not available that way... but on the other hand the 10mil 200 grain XTP is available - that is the one I shoot...

RE: 45 cal powder/bullet combo?
 

Thank you!

I havent really had any issues so I have never tried any "aftermarket sabots"....might try some with the new 50 when i get it, just cant make my mind up on which gun to buy!