I've got my Rem 700 .50cal shooting T7 pellets behind a 250gr.TC shockwave.I just converted it to shoot 209 primers and I couldn't be happier with the results(no hangfire).Now I know that if it's not broke don't fix it but I thought I'd ask your opinions on the full bore projectiles(Hornady FPB,Barnes expander MZ).I have yet to shoot with my new scope on my gun and haven't shot from my desired range(200 yds).I simply dont trust the powerbelts(just my opinion)but other folks swear by them.I'll let my gun decide whether to keep on shooting the Shockwaves or maybe the full bore projectiles.Any opinions good or bad? Thanks'

I like FPBs. They perform well on deer. Can't say if they'll shoot from your gun. For 200 yds, you may want the 300 gr. FPB.

I will be hunting deer.I have considered using a heavier bullet.Is that for added knockdown power? and is there much more of a bullet drop at that range than with a 250gr.bullet? Thanks'

PREDATE

Are you required to shoot full bore. I have a couple of Remington 700's and really do like them. The will shoot conicals just fine but I am wondering if you want to have that long range abilty if you really want to shoot full bores unless you have to.

check out www.thorbullets.com A couple of my members are shooting the 700's and they are amazed with the accuracy they have been getting with the thors.

I have been interested in the full bore bullets for awhile.I am not required to shoot them, but there seems to be less room for error than there could be with a plastic sabot.

Can not disagree with that at all... I guess I prefer the sabot method as it reduces reloading time for me because I don't have to use a short starter.

Another advantage to the full bore is it might be more accurate riding the bore and less effected by temperature than is a sabot load.

200 yard shooting ... Wow! that is a long way out there for a muzzleloader. Glad I do not have to shoot that far. As for full bore, I usually shoot a No Excuse Conical. But I have never shot them that far.

Give the Hornady and Thor a try. Be sure to post your results to. I would be interested to see what they do at the longer distances.

I use 295 grain Powerbelts. Very accurate & reliable. Even if they didn't expand, you still just put a 1/2 inch hole through your game. What's not to trust ?

I've never shot PowerBelts, but I have read complaints that they fragment when too much powder is used and the shot is at close range, like less than 50 yds.

FPBs have given me reliable performance on deer from 35-40 to 100 yds.

Full-bore bullets are generally heavier, because they need to be longer in relation to their width for good BC, than a saboted bullet. I recommended the 300 FPB over the 350 simply because you want to shoot longer ranges.

If you can get the 300 gr FPB moving at 2000 fps, which should be achievable with a powder like BH 209, your trajectory will be +2.4" at 50, +3.8 at 100, +2.1 at 150 and -3.1 at 200. Retained energy at 200 will be 1355 ft-lbs. This is from Hornady's ballistic calculator at http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-re...ics-calculator

I see on the BH site, that 300 gr bullets seem to require a max load of 120 gr to get moving at 2000 fps. 110 gr should get you around 1925 fps.