Tahquamenon

No single answer here.

I would also say it depends on the type of game and the terrain you are hunting and the type of ML you are carrying. I try to match the ML/load to the type of hunt I plan on doing.

For traditional ML's a PRB is what I hunt with ora conical of various weights in my sidelocks with 1:48" rifling or faster. Slower rifling ML's are PRB only.

For 50cal inlines anywhere from 240gr on up to 500gr. Saboted or conical.

For example if I am hunting largergame inshort range,heavy cover or brush then I would rather shoot a heavier projectile so to minimize deflection if you shoot through and hit a twig or something.

If I had to pick one bullet weight as my do everything load for inlines it would be a 300gr saboted projectile. Likely a 300gr SST or the like, which is not the absolute best accurate for me but would be viable for large game such as elk on up along with med game such as deer.

For sidelocks then I would stick with the tried and proven PRB as my do everything pick one load and carry a larger caliber ML for larger game.

Really comes down to a combination of the type of hunt, intended game and what proves to be the most accurate load.

M2C,

Tahquamenon

lemoyne

Might as well add a bit to this discussion. There is no such thing as a perfect bullet for all circumstances or all guns. Those who live where its thick and can only see 50 yds when they are lucky and those who live on the great plains and need to be able to shoot as far as they can accurately dont need to agree they need different things.
Where I lve I can run into both sets of circumstances and I also travel to hunt so I may need to consider that, then you also have to consider what the gun will hold a minute of angle with if you are going to take 200yd shots.
My solution is first to find what the gun likes and that includs sabots I find them MORE important to minute of angle accuracy than the bullet also to find the bullets and loads that will hold that accuracy consistantly.
What I ended up with on the new Triumph so far is
200gr SW with 110gr 777-FF win 209 S Works good at all ranges for all game
250 gr Gold Dot with 110gr 777-FF 209 win S Deer load for bang flop
300gr Gold Dot with 120 gr 777- FF 209SFor Elk and larger game
The one thing I would point out here is that a 200gr 40 cal bullet has both high SD179 and high BC .269 and gives the advantage of being light and fast to go with it. Shooting a heavy bullet in itself gives only SD the 40 cal 200gr bullet has around the same SD as a 320 gr bullet so as long as it holds together it gets excellant penatration and when it comes to flat shooting 3 "high at 100yds and 4"low at 200yds is what I get.
Have fun Lee

petasux

I gotta say, niether issues a major concern of mine.I like to get in close, 99% of the deer I shoot will be under 30 yrds away, Ive killed a total of 3 deer in 7 years of using an inline that were over 100 yrds away.I also bowhunt about 3 months of the year mostly from ground level and kind of got inthe habit of getting in as close as humanly possible before taking a shot.Im not saying anything bad about longer shots, I regularly practice at much longer distances just in case the need for such a shot comes up.At that range I seldom have issues with energy or trajectory so I find the bickering kind of amusing.

The one shooting the heavier bullet I believe shoots a powerbelt, Im not really sure what grain it is, I know he didnt buy the 295 grain ones on sale becuase they were to light.

The others shooting a 165 grain hornady with a sabot.Theyre hollow points

With my knight Im shooting a 245 grain Shockwave and about 80 grains of powder.

My CVa Ive started shooting Nosler trophy grade in 250 grain and about 90 grains of powder.

Its what Ive found to group best in these guns, as far as damageI cant see much difference at the ranges Im shooting.

Just remembered, when I first started this I shot sidelocks and Pyrodex powder, cant remember what grain they were but I was using a very heavy Buffalo Bullet, they consistantly left and exit hole you could almost put your hand in

skeeter 7MM

I agree with larger grain for larger animals and even larger for closer shots in a apples to apples comparison but thereasoningyou have included I do not. Deflection can result on any projectile regardless of its size, no bush beater's...it's a "MYTH".

I have used 200 to 460gr bullets for huntingand all worked. Last number of yearsI seem to be stuck on saboted copper jacket bulletsout of my inlines -250gr for deer sized and 300gr for larger. Just adjust the load by way of tweakingpowder/charge, sabot and projectile to meet the requirements of the situation. Accuracy and predictability(repeatability) are myprimary goals. I will gladly give up FPS for smaller groups at all the ranges I will be shooting...if I can't get them both. Istopped chasing speed and use my chronoin thelatter stages of load development.

gleason.chapman

Avg Weight 300g. I like 300g since they shoot thru deer, 250g and lighter don't. Throw a ping pong ball into a snow bank and a golf ball, which penetrates deeper into the snow bank, they heavier ball, same with bullets. It is basically a trajectory and range question, most people that shoot long ---shoot lighter bullets to get the range, but they really don't have to. I believe if you know your bullet and know your gun, you can shoot 200 yards with a 300g bullet, by sighting in 3.5" high a 100, and out to about 175 you will be in kill zone. I believe 200 yards is maximum range for a scoped ML, as least for me. Definitely more weight is better. Chuck Adams shoot heavier arrows, why? better penetration, same for bullets. It is#1. accuracy, #2 penetration, #3 expansion, #4 shoot thru.
Chap Gleason

Tahquamenon

Not going to split hairs but I never said a larger heavier projectile would eliminate deflection, but it can minimize it. Not such a myth.

little-d

for deer,in the 50 cal inlines i use 45cal .451 230 gr xtp hp and 300gr speer plated soft points. both rounds are matched with the black mmp sabot. sometimes thextp hp stays in them/blows up if you hit backbone or goes on through. the 300gr bullets just smash a good hole all the way through no matter where you hit. if i could learn to keep up with the 300gr softpoint from point blank to 250yards i would use it all the time but i can't. so i use the one that i can keep up with. for hogs i use the 300gr or bigger and make short shots. next week i will be hunting the swamp area and all my shots will be under 100yds so i will use a 300 gr bullet and push it with 140grs of t7, i saw a good boar there and if i get the shot i don't want to try tracking him into that swamp.

dmurphy317

I find it interesting how many people think theres such a big difference in the trajectories of a 250 and 300 grain bullet. In comparing a 250 and 300 Shockwave shooting 130gr of pellets there is only about 1.5" difference in them at 200 yards, around 2" at 250 yards. That works out to about 8 yards difference in 6" point blank range, 194 vs 186. The 300 has a better BC and retains velocity and energy longer even though it is close to 150fps slower. With this load at 200 aim a few inches high, at 225 put crosshair on the back, 250 a couple of inches above the back. With either one you'll be in the kill zone.

At 100 grains of powder theyare closerwith the 300 down about .75"more at 200 and 1" moreat 250. 6"PBR's are 176/250 and 173/300. Not enough to worry about.

lemoyne

dmurphy317, thats true,but the difference to me is in design the 250gr like XTP and Gold Dot are designed to open fast for light animals like deer sized and the 300gr especally the Gold Dot and SW are designed to open slowly and penatrate deep like for a moose or buffalo. I have not had any penatration problems I shoot through the boiler room as some people like to term it and not the shoulder. If I tended to shoot the shoulder I would use 300gr for deer to. Lee

frontier gander

When i was shooting the hornady great plains out of my X-150, i was shocked when i read on the bullet info that the 410 grainer shots FLATTER than the 385 grain conical.
With my .45 i like the lighter weight powerbelts due to less recoil.