Semisane

Up until this last season I would have agreed with you 100% Kathwacckkk. But I had one travel about 125 yards with a double lung hit. It was a little higher than it should have been, but still a double lung with massive damage to both lungs.

I posted a detailed report on it here: (LINK: http://huntingnet.com/forum/black-po...grain-xtp.html).

Never had one go more than 50/60 yards before.

flounder33

I had a powerbelt blow up on me three years ago. It was an 80 yard shot with 85 grains of 777. Hit a rib and it disintegrated, The doe didn't go very far but I didn't like the looks of that bullet and haven't hunted with one since. I just think there are better options for less money. If I was going to use a powerbelt again it would be a heavy one but then why wouldn't I just use a heavy all lead conical instead? Your results may vary, I know a lot of people like them.
Art

Screwbolts

Hi Marcail,

What is a 370 grain T/C ?

What is a 385 grain Hornady?

Semisane

TC sells a .50/370 grain Maxiball and Hornady sells a .50/385 grain Great Plains.

oldsmellhound

I think pretty much all of the bullets out there nowadays will get the job done if you

1. Select the proper bullet weight for the game you are hunting
2. Use the proper powder charge for that bullet
3. Put the bullet through the lungs or heart

Although #3 is the most important of them all. A lot of people use Powerbelts successfully - some of the guys I hunt with do. But personally, if I were to use them, I would use a heavier weight powerbelt with a reasonable powder charge (70 - 90 grains).

txhunter58

Actually, they do not have a thicker jacket, it is just a thin layer of copper to protect the barrel from "leading". The copper "jacket" doesn't really do anything to make the bullet hold up better. The difference in them and powerbelts is that powerbelts are pure lead (softer) and the FPBs are a lead alloy (slightly harder).

I do like them though (FPBs). They have killed two elk in the last two years for me.

Screwbolts

Thanks Marcial for the explanation for our newer less informed members.

Breechplug

I also have NEVER shot a Powerbelt and Im a CVA shooter, so I cant say one way or the other if there good or bad. I do however shoot only 240gr XTP Mag's (Hornady) I have shot many many Deer with them and never lost a Deer (knock wood) with them. I pride myself in only taking the best shot possible and 99% of my shots are center Lung Shot, the rest Heart or high low Lung. I have had Deer Drop on the spot and run 100yds with the exact same shot on them, some entrance and exit holes are huge others are normal, so go figure, No 2 shots are ever the same results. Also blood trails very from excellant to drops, but as the Winter goes on the Deer put on a Good Fat reserve here in the North so a Deer with a-lot of Fat will plug up the exit and entrance holes in a hurry and no matter what bullet your using you'll sometimes get no blood trail.
I also read Sabotloader's thread on (recovering bullets) and others where the Hornady XTP's come apart, but still for me they have always done there job. I believe any Bullet will do it's job if you do your's and put it where it's suppos-to-be. No Deer will Live with a Bullet through the Lungs or Heart and they wont travel far. The guy's that claim they hit the Animal through the Lungs or Heart and they never recovered them, or did'nt have a bloodtrail could'nt have hit them in a leathal spot, if they did they would have found them.
I have been on many a Tracking Job where the shooter claimed to hit the animal in a good spot and when and if the animal was recovered I never once saw the shot that the shooted reported. Most if not all of them were through the Paunch or back to far or too far forward and some were even Leg Shot! I have never seen a Lung look like a Leg!!!!
(BP)

dburns51

Thanks to all for your replys. You all answered my question. I know I will have to do some expermentation but I got some good starting points. I hunt using traditional archery equipment and know all bout hitting the kill zone. If you take a low percentage shot chanches are you will wound and not recover your prize. From years of hunting with a bow and a center fire rifle I have set strict shooting standards on myself. By doing this and taking only high percentage shots I have taken several Michigan deer. I am a rookie when it comes to muzzel loading and when I hear of a problem (real or made up) I do'nt hesitate in posting to find out from you the experts. Please bear with me through my learning curve. Thanks again to all.

hometheaterman

Where do you get these? I'd like to try some and have never seen any at local stores and just hadn't looked online much. That seems a lot cheaper than what I'm paying for muzzle loader bullets and I wouldn't mind switching for that price if they work well on deer.