Powerbelts
 

So, a couple reports on Powerbelts:

First, in cutting up dad's deer, I found the 245gr just sitting in the hide, almost went completely through, the powerbelt had a perfect mushroom shape.
Mine went through completely...so nothing there to look at. However, mine ran into a spruce swamp...made it 40 yds I suppose, never found hardly a drop of blood in the snow until right before the deer itself....
One of my friends shot a buck in the chest...the deer fell down a big hill, busted half the rack off, no find!!
Sunday, they found a buck bedded down, they shot it and low and behold, it was the one they shot the other day...it had half a rack and a hole in the chest..the Powerbelts never made it to any vitals, dissintegrated on impact....
I love how Powerbelts load. I have never lost a deer from one but am bothered by hearing of fragmenting...which happened to me last year, but my deer died, and from a seemingly lack of blood trail until after the 40yd marker....lots of in-cavity blood....
anyone have any thoughts to go along with this?

It seems that you can find similar feedback with EVERY bullet and load.... crap happens and many shots we simply can't explian. For everyone that swears by one bullet... you'll find someone to complain about that same bullet. Personally, I believe there are MUCH better bullets to chose from the Power Belts and this seems to be the general opinions of most of the industry.

Push 'em slow. They'll work...

Yeah, it does seem like the consensus...and shooting lower powder and slowing them down does seem to make a difference...I am switching when I run out...or start trying others anyway..we'll see....as long as they get on the ground and I don't lose them thats what counts.

slow them down or go heavier. We lost an elk that was shot with a 30-06 last week. Shot placement.

If there was a ton of blood in the body cavity, it tells me the shot was high. I like low heart/lung shots.

X2!!!
I want something that will proform from 5 to 150 yds and not let a little bone stop it.
For me, thats not a PB.
For conicals, a real one like the Bullshop 420 grns plus.
Sabots, its a Nosler.

If your going to shoot Powerbelts then go for it but take the time to work up the right charge for that bullet,low and slow seems to be the order of the day with PB's,however, MountainDevil54 has some custom PB's you should try.
I have killed a couple deer with the 245 AT in 50 cal,the first I pushed to hard @ 100 grn (2 50g pyro pellets)
The bullet fragmented but I recovered the deer in sight.
The second was shot was with 80 grn (1/50 & 1/30 grn pellet)
This was a boom flop with a good mushroom on the bullet.
I would hunt with them again,no problem.

I've had the same experience with powerbelts. 5 deer shot, 3 of them Drt, the other 2 ran about 40 yds with no blood whatsoever. Not one bullet passed all the way through on any of the 5 deer. I was using 100 gr.( 2 pellets) and the 245 AT's. I did not know that 100 grains was too much until I read comments on these forums. If you ask me the pamphlet that comes with the powerbelts should state the CORRECT recommended load. The pamphlet says 110 to 150 gr.s of pyrodex pellets recommended for .50 cal. magnum rifles. They should be suggesting the 80 or 90 charge load and helping out the hunter using them. I don't use them anymore. I use Barnes and Gold dots and have a lot more confidence in these bullets. I don't want to use any bullet that I have to worry about fragmenting on impact. If you ask me it's a fussy bullet.

Power Belts were designed a long time a go, I believe it was during the time when every one was using the at that time new 1-48 twist. I personally believe the 1 in 28 twist we use in most inlines makes them open to fast if you put more than 80 gr behind them, so even though they can be very accurate they are not at the top of my list. If you want a lot of info on them check out Ganders web page.
Most of use feel sabot-ed bullets are better but if you want to find an other conicals there are a number of them available, the FPB from Hornady is excellent and I have had good results with the heavier Bull Shop and No Excuses also the Thor and the Sabertooth. It is important to have confidence in what you use. Lee

got a big doe in catskills today first deer i seen in 3 weeks hunting. barnes expander 300g best blood trail in 55 years deer went 50 y fell over cliff longist drag of life went 1/2 mile wrong way. Gun Krb 7 love that gun

So, I am going to try Barnes, Federal Fushion, and Nosler....and see which one shoots best in my gun...and reloads easiest....I suppose I could drop to 80gr with Powerbelts, but I think I'd rather just be done and move on.

Good decision.

I think too many people are trying to shoot too heavy a powder load out of most muzzle loaders. Hunted with them for 10 years and never shot over 110 grains and get a deer every single year. It really isn't a long range weapon. Part of the skill is getting close enough. Some blame the bullet on the poor blood trail but isn't the case most of the time. I shot two this year from the ground and was a clear pass though the vitals but not one drop of blood as they bleed inside the chest until they drop. If you are shooting down from a treestand then it is different but sometimes even then if it isn't a complete pass though they also bleed inside. Too many people are willing to blame the bullet on a bad shot placement. If you want to shoot 150 grains and shoot 200 yds then don't use the powerbelt. They didn't get so popular by not working. I am going back to them after lots of other bullets and see how it works with loose powder and 80 grains. Like the idea of a full bore size projectile. Lot of us are guilty of saying heck i use the pellets as it is easier and don't want to spend the time working up a proper load. When all we had was black powder that is what we did for each differnt rifle and bullet we shot. They all have a sweet spot where they shoot best. Never going to get a one powder load and bullet for every gun. Bullets are like guns and never going to have everybody agree that one is better. Shoot whatever works for you and have a good time.

Amen. All too many folks think faster and further is allways the game.These are supposed to be primitive weapons, used by higher skilled hunters, as in the single shot rifle. Choose the weapon for how you want to hunt, dont try to make the weapon something it isnt.

I shoot 100 grains of powder...but maybe that is too much for the Powerbelts...but at any rate, I read someone's recent post on Federals...and I will try them since I have some...I do agree, I won't shoot past 80yds or so...and the fun of it is hunting and getting close to the game...but I need to experiment with some other bullets and see what I like best.

powerbelt
 

in my t/c hawkins .50 cal flintlock 1-48 twist the best bullet for me is POWERBELT.
why.because i can load DOWN not up and know this bullet will open up.this is GREAT.i get less flinching, less smoke,less kick, less noise,loads easy,very accurate.this all makes me a better shot.
using the 245 is bad thing.295 i like and use most but the best one is the 348 because its length/weight is very close to the best bullet for t/c ,370 maxi-ball.i use 70/80 grs of 2 or 3 f.80 grs of 2f was my load but i am now using 3f........

in a in-line at fast speeds i would not ever use a powerbelt.....unless it was the heaviest one or one with new platinum tips.......

I have to agree with (his guzzie) on the fact that even though you get a good shot sometimes things just dont turn out the way you think. I have shot a half a dozen deer cleen through the lungs (not high) and never found a drop of blood, the deer bled out inside. On 2 other occasions I had perfect Heart Shots and believe it or not 1 of the deer ran 110yds with not a single drop of blood, the other ran about 70yds. And I was using my Favorite Bullet a 240gr XTP Mag.
Back in the (patch & round ball) days I think we all had the same experiences with results, some good and some bad with good placed shots. Power Belts kinda remind me of the round balls in the way they preform, Im so glad we were albe to use Saboted Bullets as that opened the door for many more great options. I have never shot Power Belts so I cant put my 2 cents in on them, but from my readings here on the forum I would'nt use them I'd find a true follower with good results, that's why when I found the XTP Mag I never looked back.
(BP)

I am so glad that so many people hate the powerbelts, that just means I should never have a problem finding them.

I do not have that problem with my omega. they do not shoot well for me. i will stick with my noslers. push em as hard as you want or slow them down,they work. but having said that,a shot in the gut is a miss. shot placement is everything.

charlie

BigDaddy12t
I do not think that any body here hates them. A lot of us use them for a while back when we had never heard of an inline. I used to carefully fill the hollow point about 2/3 full of lead. I cut a certain amount out of some lead roofing weigh it and trim till I got the right amount then melt it and put it in the hollow point then load with 110 gr and go hunting. Its just that with so many good bullets on the market it seems redundant to fool with them. They can be made to work, and if thats what you want go for it. Lee

I agree lemoyne, if I had to go to all that work to just ge them to work, I would try some other bullet too. But I have never had a problem with just taking them out of the package, and loaing them up.

I had a button buck looking at me from 12 yards away today (didn't shoot him), while out with my flinter. That is the kind of hunting that you do with primitive weapons. They should not be thought of as 100 yard guns, although many people can shoot that far at the range.
I use powerbelts and when I load too heavy, they fly all over the place. I get good groups at 75 grains of 777 with them. I think that shot placement is gonna get the job done, not the projectile. I like the powerbelts but also like the Buffalo Ball-et and the Hornady PA conicals. I like a full bore conical versus a pistol bullet in plastic. You gotta figure out what works in your barrel twist and use it, whatever that would be. Go for accuracy first, shot placement second and expansion third. JMO.

I dont go with the one that MLer's ar'nt long range guns, they are. I gave up the shotgun for a MLer and never went back. I can shoot further, shoot more accurate and use a more devestating bullet. I get 1" groups at 100yds and 2" groups at 200. If that's not a long range gun than what is??? I feel mouch more confident with my MLer for long range than anything. I know it's not a rifle, but I consider it one and I have taken a-lot of deer ot to 175yds, try that with a shotgun.
Mabey the older style MLers and flintloaders are considered by some shorter range, but they get out there too. So for me My MLer is a long range deer killin machine!
(BP)

I wasn't saying that inlines weren't long range guns. I meant sidelocks, and especially flintlocks. I would pick an inline over a shotgun for long range too! Matter of fact I was thinking of doing that very thing for the shotgun areas I hunt.

It could be that it did blow up right there; on the hide. I shot a doe two years ago with a CVA .45 inline using 100 grains of Triple 7 with a Powerbeltof about 195 grains and it open the hide but did not pass thru. I shot the deer because it was injuried and she ran about 50 yards befor piling up.

Good choice you wont regret it. You will get picked on about using it as I still do but you will enjoy Hunting a-lot better!
(BP)

i don't know how long ago they started making them but i started shooting them the first time i found them.i started out with a 295g PB & 70g of pyro & killed deer,moved to 100g pyro & killed deer,that was with a cva ss Apollo ,i bought a new cva bolt hunter & killed several with the same load.moved the load up to 130g & most were bang flops, bought a new optima pro & have shot a bunch of deer with the 295g & 100g of pyro & 777.i have moved up to the 777 mag pellets & down sized the PB to a 245g,it will be next season before i get another shot at a deer with that load but i put 1 down with a head shot this year that was impressive :) .most deer have not gone but a few feet,had 1 run 70y after she turned hard as i squeezed the trigger.i have had 2 6pts run run this year with their hearts busted by a 300wm,1 went 70y the other 100y ,all deer are different & they have a great will to live,i don't do shoulder shots & wait for a chest cavity shot.i think a lot of lost deer were shot where a major bone absorbed most of the bullets energy or fragmented it & didn't make it into the chest cavity.most all of the lost deer were hit perfectly too from what i have read :) ,as long as they keep working as good as they have been for me i see no reason to change because somebody else lost a deer with a perfect shot with 1,i have had many bullets deflect & still kill deer,i also have had a few that plumb missed :) ,i have not lost a deer yet with 1 & hope i never do.i cant say the same thing about arrows though :( ,mike300wm

I'm kind of on the fence about Powerbelts. Originally I really liked them as the 295 grain hollow point I've shot was really accurate in my guns. I really liked them when target shooting. I was shooting 100 grains of Pyrodex. Two 50 grain pellets. The first year using them I shot a big 8 point buck from around 139 yards. He ran maybe 20-25 yards and fell. Right in the edge of the woods. I got there as I didn't wait after shooting and he was still moving and couldn't get up. I shot him again in the spine from the 20 yards or so. When skinning him the one where I had shot close did a tremendous amount of damage but seemed to slightly fragment. The one I shot the first time from the 139 yards I had hit him in the lungs and it had mushroomed pretty well like it was supposed to. However, it didn't come out the other side. It was poking the skin out on the other side but didn't come through.

I didn't find any blood trail until I got to the deer.

This year I lost 1 deer and got 2.
The first one I got was a small doe. I hit it right through the lungs and got a pass through on this one. The shot was around 100 yards or so. She ran about 15 or so yards and fell. I didn't find a blood trail on this one either but saw her fall in the middle of the field.

Then I shot a spike from about 100 yards. This is the one I lost. When I shot he fell over kicking so I know I hit him. Next thing I knew he jumped up and ran off. I didn't find any blood the first hour or so I looked. I finally had a buddy join me to help look and he found a couple small spots on some tree's about 40 yards from where I had knocked him down. We didn't find any where he fell over. We think that from where it was on the tree's I hit him high. We never could find him and searched for hours and found very little blood.

The other one I got was a decent sized 6 point buck. I shot him from around 20 yards in the shoulder where the leg connects and through the lungs. This bullet must have mushroomed going in as it had a huge entrance hole. I'd never seen this. It was probably a 2 or 2.5" entrance hole. It stopped right on the other side too and didn't come through. Just poked the skin out a little. The deer ran about 100 yards or so maybe even 150. I didn't count to closely so just guessing. I found a really good blood trail with this one. It was big spots every foot or two. I just followed the blood trail and found him at the end of it.

So all in all I've had decent luck with most of them but other than that one with the huge entrance hole I've not gotten a great blood trail. I've also lost one of the 4 I've shot with my muzzle loader although maybe the shot was a little high.

I really like how accurate they are but I'm seriously considering trying a new bullet for this next year. The one I lost and couldn't find had me upset as I don't like having wounded one only to have it run off and suffer.

I'm not sure what I will try. I want to at least see if they are accurate. I also like not having to deal with sabots so that's a plus for the power belts. I'm thinking of trying the Federal Fusions as I really like their rifle bullets so am wondering if their muzzle loader ones are any good. I've not seen any reviews of them.

That being said I've got a friend I hunt with that also uses Powerbelts and likes them. Then I've got others that use Shockwaves with luck also. Then a couple that use Hornady SST's and love them. That's another one I've thought about trying.

If you are happy with 70-80gr of powder, it seems PBs are ok. I have NEVER tried them and qualify my opinion as such, but I don't think I've seen issues with them at these low charges.

If you never plan on shooting over 100 yds, there's nothing wrong with this load!! The first 5-6 years I hunted with a ML it was a Traditions Deerhunter sidelock, I used 85gr Pyrodex and a 240gr Hornady HTP and knocked them dead...out to 200 yds. Almost all pass-thrus.

The beauty of MLs is the versitality. Are they a short-range primitive weapon? YES. I still have that sidelock and last took it afield and killed a deer in 2005. I now have an Omega X7, open sights, that replaced it and use for short range work. Are they long range weapons? YES. I should sell the slug barrel for my Remington 11-87, haven't mounted it since 2005-2006 or so. I'm an accuracy freak and so I'm ML all seasons when I can't carry a rifle. My Omega has taken deer too 338 yds, not by luck but because I practice with high power loads to 400 yds (no PBs!!!!).

If you are content with what a PB can deliver at short range, no reason not to use them. If you are not, we are blessed with more good bullets than I care to try and list.

if youre shooting 150+ yards, powerbelts are fine to use with mag loads. Mag loads are exactly for that, 150-200 yard shots. Not 20 yard shots.

Where I hunt the shots are from 5 yds to 175 (my current max).
I carry a load that lets me shoot at either limit - there are too many good choices to do otherwise.

100gr RS and either a 295 or 348gr powerbelt will do.

That's a mag load?

mag loads are a waste of powder. U know that ;) Hell i only use 105gr RS to shoot out to 200 yards

120 to 130 is not a waste of powder - and what many would consider a mag load.
There are a lot of projectiles that will work very well with this load and on up to 150 gr from point blank to 200 yds - even if it is a waste of powder. You admitted pb's will
not do this. Why would anyone carry a load expecting long shots that might not work if a 5 yd shot presents itself - and pay a premium to do it?

sure they will, just have to pick the right one is all.

i myself have used 120 and 150gr charges years ago with powerbelts when i knew i could have shots out to 200 yards. Both deer were shot from 146 and 148 yards, all with pass through.

Which is it?:confused0024: