Ditto on the PB's.
No need to push the 245's that hard.
I killed two deer with them last year using 100grns (2 pelletts) and that was pushing it.
I will use 80 - 90 this year with the 270 platinums. (loose powder)
I have a Encore also

Thanks for the comments, I did notice thatit seems likeeveryone uses loose powder rather than the pellets ? It is because the loose gives you more load options ?

If I were to use the pellets, I would maybe start around 80grains with the 245 AT Powerbelt up to and not exceeding 100gr. ?

Yes, your gun might like 95 or 105 grains of powder better than 100. And it is quite a bit cheaper than pellets

I would try 3 shot each from 80 to 100 grains in 5 grain increments, and go with the one that is the most accurate. However, if most of your shots would be at 20 to 30 yards, the lower end would probably work better as far as performance on game.

FG since that chunk of lead did not come apart... you can almost picture the wound channel that round disc of lead would have made... Nice expansion.

With the 245 AT, i recommend that you do NOT go over 80 grains with it! If you'd like to use 100+ grains, the 300 grain powerbelt platinum would be an excellent choice.

I agree with FG on the 245 powder charge. 100grn is to much go with about 80 and it will be deadly.
I killed 2 deer last season with the 245 with 100grn and it was to much and I shot and Encore also.

Here is that story
This is the story of a hunt I went on 1/15/08 in Anniston Alabama at Fort McCllean with a friend I met on another forum,He is handicapped and since my Kidney Transplant he has been a source of insperation and motivation for me and I am proud to call him friend.I left Sunday evening after church and drove the four hours to My friend Jay,s house. I arrived to late to hunt so I just hung out with Jay and his friend (and now mine) David.Jay was a very gracious host and treated me like a king.This guy does more in one day than I do all week needless to say I was very impressed and inspired to realize that while I had a kidney transplant it is just a bump in the road compaired to what some people deal with everyday.
The next day we left for our Alabama hunt.
We were all in the woods a little to late so the morning was unproductive and cold @ 24 so we met up and had some lunch and went bact to it after a little warm up and rest. I went back to my same spot which was two opposing ridges with a nice hardwood bottom I hunted high in the AM but decided to set up lower off the ridge this time.I was just set up on the ground turkey hunting style.
About an hour after I got set up I heard something walking up the other side of the ridge behind me,it came over but didn't hang around and I couldnt get turned around to see what it was (lots of yotes out there)
So I made another move to remedy that situation and still keep the wind in my favor (it was swirling around in that bottom)About an hour before last light I hear movement and this time it is to my left (bad for a leftie)I waited what seemed like an hour and slowly turned my head to see what it was,it was a four point so I started my move to get my body around.
Now,one lesson I learned real quick is to move the dead leaves from your set up before sitting down.well,guess what happened?BUSTED!!!!!!!!!
The buck ran from fourty yards to 85 yards and still to my left,interestingly enough Jay and I were talking the night before about him having to take off handed shots so it came to me (SHOOT RIGHT HANDED DUMB @$$) So I pulled up the T?C Encore in 50 cal waited for him to calm down and move another foot,when he did I finaly found the scope with my eye,got comfortable and fired,BOOM,white smoke everywhere so I waited till I could see and there was his tail sticking straight up and it slowly went down to the ground.HE WAS DOWN.
I reloaded and gathered my gear to get my deer.I got to him and thought (Jay wont be here till after dark so I'll keep hunting)Smart move on my part.I took some pictures while it was still light enough.
So I'm sitting there right beside my buck and low and behold across the bottom and part way up the opposing ridge is a nice fat doe that has no idea that I'm in the world.This time I get to shoot lefthanded.
The light in the scope is very dim but I could see good enough so I fired and then it went dark.
The boy's came about a half hour later and we got the buck to the truck and then I went and found the doe.Two deer in two hours,when it rains it pours.Ok,now to the part you want,the pictures.


And here is the doe

I was pretty cold so we came back to Jay's place and he and I did the cleaning.
And here is david

I would like to thank Jay for opening his home to me and making me feel welcome.
I have learned allot from him and not just about deer hunting.
Thanks my friend.
Here are some of his bucks.
The largest one was number two in the state a couple years ago.

And here is Jay (flbuckmaster)



I forgot to list vital stats.
Weapon - TC Encore 209x 50 cal Muzzloader
Scope - Simmons Blazer 3 x 9 x 50
Bullet - Powerbelt 245 grn (full bore no sabot)
Powder - 2 50grn Pyrodex pellets (100grn)
Primer - 777/ 209
First shot - about 85 yards (off hand & right handed)
Second shot - ranged @ 89 yards (off hand)

Thanks, I always enjoy hearing& seeingthe details of a successful hunt.
You don't suppose that the deer knew that you were loaded with
100 grains so he created some space for your PB to work better do you?
Naw, he probably figuredthatyou wereonlya squirrel rustling some leaves!