sdeters

I shoot a Traditions Evolution Muzzle Loader. Last year I wounded a deer with Powerbelts loads and lost the deer. First one ever. The next weekend my Dad shot a deer with it and he got a heart shot on it dropped in it tracks. We found out why we did not find my deer. I lung shot it. The powerbelts exploded inside the deer.

At that time I was shooting triple seven pellets two 50 grains pellets with a 295 grain bullets,

This year I want to try a different type of load.

At this time I am looking at the Hornady sst and the Hornady XTP loads. I have saw Gold dots mentioned and also barnes.

My longest shot will be under 100 yards. I am shooting Whitetail deer.

Please suggest some different loads I can try to shoot that group well and easy to buy.

Thanks

cayugad

Try 100 grains of pellets and a 250 grain Shockwave. They shoot well out of my CVA Staghorn Magnum. The barrels are basically the same thing. Or get some loose powder and try slowing them powerbelts down to about 80 grains and see what happens.

FG

Yeah depending on if its a close shot the PB comes apart easily due to the huge Hollow Point and pure lead bullet. I shoot pretty much every PB with 80gr Pyrodex RS and nothing but excellent success.

May want to try the 300gr Platinum as they have been beefed up.

sdeters

I sort of want to stay away from Powerbelts this year. Once you get a bad taste in your mouth it stays for a while.


Thanks for the suggestions. This summer I will attempt powerbelts again with the lower grain charge.

Are sabots the way to go? Are the bullets like the Hornady FPB good? Thanks for the info again

cayugad

I never shot the FPB but those that shoot and hunt with them seem to like them.. if they are accurate. As for the sabots, well a good sabot combination is hard to beat. The Speer Gold Dot, Hornady XTP, Shockwaves, Barnes, Parker, all of them good.

oldsmellhound

Couple of my hunting buddies have Traditions (not Evolution- I think they both have the Tracker models). They've been using Hornady 240 grain XTP's with 80 - 90 grains of 777 for the past 5 years or so. In those 5 years they've probably taken 10 deer or so with that load, and only lost 1 (bad shot placement). They rarely tell a story of a deer travelling more than 30-40 yards after the hit. Seems like a good combo. Having said that, there are a lot of other good bullets out there- SST/Shockwaves, Barnes, Gold Dots, PR bullets. You should only use Powerbelts if you keep the powder charge low (80 grains or less for most of them (not counting the Platinums)) and use a heavier bullet.

sabotloader

sdeters

I am not sure what sabot to recommend to you because I am unsure of the size of your bore. I would think that the Harvester short black or the MMP HPH-24 would be the right ones.

The bullet I would suggest for deer to 175 yards would be The Speer .452/250 grain Gold Dot. It is a bonded bullet, will not come apart or frament, it is designed for controlled expansion with penetration. It makes a pretty neat little hole going in and a larger one coming out. It is not a great big exit hole as the bullet will only expand to given point - but what it does the internal organs as it passes through is amazing. It creates a drasitc shock on the animal - turns the lungs and hear to red jello.

Today I shoot the bullet with a 110 grains of T7 loose but 100 grains will do a very good job.

Here is a picture of some expanded GD's that I shot into a wet clay water bar. The water bar was really close to 100 yards away. The picture shows the expansion of the bullet but note that there still remains a shank full of lead that keeps the bullet penetrating... + think about the cutting those wings are doing as they pass through the animal.

lemoyne

Actually it depends on what you need Shock Waves are often the most accurate especially at long range [like 200+ yds] The most efficient deer killer is the 250 Gold Dot [ these both shoot to the same POI in my Triumph.
If you like conicals the new FPB is excellent and they are much more streamlined than any of the other conicals I have shot they are also what I consider the ideal weight for a conical 350 gr. They do have the same draw back as other conicals to some extent as they will not shoot as flat as a 200gr 50/40 or a 250 gr SW or GD or XTP all though they might come with in reason off the XTP because while they are heavy they are also higher BC.
If your shots are under 150 yards all the time I suggest the Gold Dot if they are usually over that I suggest the 250gr Shock Wave if they are like my boar hunting and usually under 50yd then the FPB is also a good answer actually it will hold a minute of angle at 100 I just like to keep the range down on conicals. Lee

saxman1

Back the powder down to 80 grains on that PB and it should do the trick
Lot's of other good stuff to try.
This week,(I change up for testing reasons) I shot
90 grains BH 209 / 200 grain Shockwave with supplied blue sabot / w 209 primer
Next week
80 grains BH 209 / 270 grain PB AT Plat / w 209 primer
or
80 - 90 grains 777 FFFG or Pyrodex select RS / 270 PB Plat / 25 ACP primer conversion

oldrookie

Might want to give the 300g xtp with 90g of 777 loose. I use the harvester crushed rib sabots and 777 primer.