frontier gander

Heres the results saxman.

80g pyrodex select, 58 yards, 245g AT Powerbelt. Two shots at 58 yards and the final shot at 15 yards.

Bullet on far left was my first shot and it sounded dull so i took shot #2 "Middle"and it sounded perfect and the bullet was in a hershey kiss form. Also reminds me of one of those 1960s space ships that the astronauts sat in. Perfect mushroom.

Shot #3 was at 15 yards, i wanted to see how this would do and it will do perfect on deer at this short of distance. One of the corners folded into the bullet.

Saxman, Load up the Encore with 80g Pyrodex Select "Loose powder" A 245g AT Powerbelt and sight in and put it DEAD ON at 100 yards and then move back to 150yards and see where the bullet impacts. Take a mental note of where it hits at 150 but do not adjust the scope! Leave it dead on @100 yards.

Also recheck the scope at 20-50-75 yards and also take a mental note of where it hits and write this down and study it before hunting season.

I'm going to work on a deer pic in a bit and i want to show you were i'd like to see you place it this season on a deer.... Or two

Shot on the far right in the 15 yard shot.

You can see that the first 2 shots @ 58 yards held up excellent in the middle while the 15yard shot flattened out a quite a bit more but for that distance, i wont complain about it and it will do a great job if a deer walks by that close.

bronko22000

The biggest deer I ever shot was with a 245 gr Powerbelt at about 20 yds in real thick stuff. I heard him long before I saw him and had to wait to get a clear shot. Hit him just behind the front shoulder and he ran about 75 yds and piled up. No exit and I never could locate the bullet.

frontier gander

And the powder charge you were using was 80 grains of?

bronko22000

I was using my flinter at the time and using 100 gr of FFFg. Probably why I couldn't find the bullet.

saxman1

Thanks FG
It looks like those bullets are fine for deer when not pushed to hard.
Have you tested the 270 platinum?

frontier gander

No, havent tested the platinums yet.

80-90g is what powerbelt recommends for this 245g bullet in their manual. So i didnt r eally have to do much.

100g loose powder isnt even recommended in their booklet. Still going to see what 90 and 100g charges do.

frontier gander

Heres a couple shot placements that i prefer to take with the 225+ grain Powerbelt and 80g powder.

Notice on the smaller picture "Pic #2", the very bottom deer is 1/4'ing Away. This is the shot that my father got his deer on. He put it behind the shoulder and the bullet went directly straight through the middle of the other shoulder and exited. Deer went about 15 yards max, and that was due to the thick grass and the slope she slid down on and then into some fallen trees. Blood was heavy in the area where she got hit with the bullet but once she started to slide in that dark thick stuff, it was pay attention time. The slick was easy to follow once your eyes adjusted.

Picture just below looks a lot like the angle of the shot i had at my deer on the side of the mountain i shot her. The red dot i where i aimed and she went 5 yards. If you use the Elbow as a target line, that will be perfect and allow a steady blood trail

bronko22000

FG - I've taken about a dozen or so deer with the ML. 2 with caplock and the rest with flinters using PRB, Powerbelts, and T/C Maxihunters - all 50 cal. And honestly, I prefer to avoid the shoulder. Not that the Powerbelt doesn't have enough energy to smash it - it surely does. But I prefer to be certain that my bullet of choice has sufficient energy to bust both lungs.
In my early years when I was young and foolishI shot a whitetail doe walking straight away, tail up at 50 yds. I had a perfect "bullseye" to shoot at and I don't think I ever broke the skin and she dropped where she stood. I would never take that shot again or advocate anyone else taking it. But obviously it was extremely effective.

frontier gander

The 245g powerbelt with 80g will do the job easily. The deer i shot that stood like pic #1, The 225g powerbelt sucked the lungs deep into the chest cavity and shredded them. The bullet took out the heart. The 1/4ing away deer my dad shot was just a friggin mess on the exit hole. But it was nice to see that 225grainer did an excellent job.

I my self wasnt much of a shoulder shot shooter but after doing it thats all i am going to use and that includes with PRB out of my .50 or .54 muzzys.

Got to remember, There isnt any heavy bone with those shot placements pictured. Its just a flexy cartlidge type.

Ha! Just noticed your texas heart shot on the deer. I've had those kind of shots in my sites, But i will not do it, Thats just something i can not bring my self to do. I'll let it pass and be satisfied that i saw a deer that day. As long as i see animals during hunting season i stay happy in a good mood, Its those days that drag on and on and you dont see anything is what really tests your nerves.

saxman1

FG I'll dopp a couple packs of the 270 platinums in the mail to you tomorrow as I have nowhere to shoot right now.