Powerbelt -vs- Sabots
11-20-2010, 09:03 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 220
Powerbelt -vs- Sabots
Hey All,
This will be my first season hunting with the smoke pole. Have always hunted archery all season long regardless if firearms were in or not. I have a foot injury that has be in a boot, and non weight bearing. So I won't be climbing anymore this year, or shooting my bow.
My brother gave me a CVA wolf, I've got everything I need to start shooting. After watching the "educational" videos on CVA's website, they lead you to believe that powerbelts are the cats meow.
What are the advantages of shooting powerbelts over saboted bullets, and vice verse? He gave me a full package of 295gr powerbelts, but everyone I know shoots sabots. When I ask they don't really have a reason as to why one over another. I was also planning on shooting 150 grains triple seven powder.
Thanks for any advice,
R
This will be my first season hunting with the smoke pole. Have always hunted archery all season long regardless if firearms were in or not. I have a foot injury that has be in a boot, and non weight bearing. So I won't be climbing anymore this year, or shooting my bow.
My brother gave me a CVA wolf, I've got everything I need to start shooting. After watching the "educational" videos on CVA's website, they lead you to believe that powerbelts are the cats meow.
What are the advantages of shooting powerbelts over saboted bullets, and vice verse? He gave me a full package of 295gr powerbelts, but everyone I know shoots sabots. When I ask they don't really have a reason as to why one over another. I was also planning on shooting 150 grains triple seven powder.
Thanks for any advice,
R
11-20-2010, 10:21 AM
#2
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Boncarbo,Colorado
Posts: 9,186
easy loading, sold is basically every store you can think of including the small mom and pop stores. A wide variety of weights to choose from. Down side, they are pure lead with an over sized hollow point which limits you on how much powder you can use to keep the bullet from fragmenting.
11-20-2010, 01:17 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,607
rynigner
Of all the bullets on the market, Powerbelts are my least favorite. Barnes, XTPs, Gold Dots (Deep Curls), Noslers all are great bullets and much more reliable. Powerbelts tend to over-expand and fragement. I've even seen them come apart with 80g of Pyrodex.
I will say though, the 245g Powerbelts make an excellet coyote bullet. They're like min-grenades.
Of all the bullets on the market, Powerbelts are my least favorite. Barnes, XTPs, Gold Dots (Deep Curls), Noslers all are great bullets and much more reliable. Powerbelts tend to over-expand and fragement. I've even seen them come apart with 80g of Pyrodex.
I will say though, the 245g Powerbelts make an excellet coyote bullet. They're like min-grenades.
11-20-2010, 02:09 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Kerrville, Tx. USA
Posts: 2,722
Powerbelts = pure lead= old technology = not neccesarily bad
Sabots = lots of options = new technology = better terminal performance over a wider range of velocities.
If you push pure lead too fast, it will come apart. Powerbelts seems to be made from pretty soft lead so they are OK up to moderate velocities if you use a big enough bullet.
sabots choices: many of the same choices as modern rifle choices (nosler partition, barnes, etc)
That said, I have never shot sabots, and shot powerbelts for many years until what I feel are better conicals came along. Namely 1) Thors (a pure copper barnes bullet) and 2) Hornay FPBs (lead alloy bullet harder than pure lead)
For sure with powerbelts, you need to keep your velocity down (prob in the neghborhood of 90-100 gr of powder) and the size of the bullet up (295 should be fine for deer). If you want to push the velocity and still have the bullet stay together when it hits an animal, go with better built sabots or Thor conicals
Which also brings up another point. 100 grains of black powder equivalent is plenty of power to kill any north american game. Don't buy into the "magnum" mentality that says shoot 150 gr. 100 gr is cheaper, easier on your shoulder (which makes me more accurate), and has plenty of power. My elk load is 95 gr of BH 209 with a 350 gr Hornady FPB.
I also think I have heard people say sabots are cheaper to shoot.
Sabots = lots of options = new technology = better terminal performance over a wider range of velocities.
If you push pure lead too fast, it will come apart. Powerbelts seems to be made from pretty soft lead so they are OK up to moderate velocities if you use a big enough bullet.
sabots choices: many of the same choices as modern rifle choices (nosler partition, barnes, etc)
That said, I have never shot sabots, and shot powerbelts for many years until what I feel are better conicals came along. Namely 1) Thors (a pure copper barnes bullet) and 2) Hornay FPBs (lead alloy bullet harder than pure lead)
For sure with powerbelts, you need to keep your velocity down (prob in the neghborhood of 90-100 gr of powder) and the size of the bullet up (295 should be fine for deer). If you want to push the velocity and still have the bullet stay together when it hits an animal, go with better built sabots or Thor conicals
Which also brings up another point. 100 grains of black powder equivalent is plenty of power to kill any north american game. Don't buy into the "magnum" mentality that says shoot 150 gr. 100 gr is cheaper, easier on your shoulder (which makes me more accurate), and has plenty of power. My elk load is 95 gr of BH 209 with a 350 gr Hornady FPB.
I also think I have heard people say sabots are cheaper to shoot.
11-20-2010, 04:00 PM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,605
The heaviest PowerBelts at moderate velocity should work just like any other 400gr+ conical with a hollow point.
IMO the 300gr is marginal in the 50cal but not too bad in the 45cal. The lighter weights are varmint bullets.
If you want to shoot a lead bullet there are several you can buy for a fraction of the price and are good killers. Such as No Excuses or BullShops....if they will shoot well in your Wolf.
Sabots and Speer GoldDot/DeepCurl is a hard combo to beat for price and performance. PBs cost as much as TRUE premium bullets such as Barnes or Nosler Partions ect ect but dont kill nearly as well IMO.
The only good things i can say about them are: they are accurate (usually) and a follow up shot/reloading is fast because they are 1 piece and easy to load.
IMO the 300gr is marginal in the 50cal but not too bad in the 45cal. The lighter weights are varmint bullets.
If you want to shoot a lead bullet there are several you can buy for a fraction of the price and are good killers. Such as No Excuses or BullShops....if they will shoot well in your Wolf.
Sabots and Speer GoldDot/DeepCurl is a hard combo to beat for price and performance. PBs cost as much as TRUE premium bullets such as Barnes or Nosler Partions ect ect but dont kill nearly as well IMO.
The only good things i can say about them are: they are accurate (usually) and a follow up shot/reloading is fast because they are 1 piece and easy to load.
11-20-2010, 05:55 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,585
PB's especially the lighter ones are known to fragment if pushed by a decent load, there are ways to elevate that problem but due to the fact that they are the most over priced bullet on the market why bother?
Sabots on the other hand have a wide range of bullets pushed faster with a better BC and SD so the shoot much flatter.
If you must have a conical try the Hornady FPB.
Look up the history of lawsuits against CVA before you deceide to believe all they say.
Sabots on the other hand have a wide range of bullets pushed faster with a better BC and SD so the shoot much flatter.
If you must have a conical try the Hornady FPB.
Look up the history of lawsuits against CVA before you deceide to believe all they say.
11-20-2010, 06:42 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Kerrville, Tx. USA
Posts: 2,722
HuH? http://www.prbullet.com/price09.htm 12 conicals are $13 on ultimate 1 conicals
Powerbelts: http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#pow..._1-2-4_8-16-32
15 are $20
And please list the posts where people complain about the PR bullets coming apart on impact........
As far as some quality bullets for a reasonable price. How about http://bullshop.gunloads.com/tbs_mlbullets.htm 100 bullets for $28.5!
Powerbelts: http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#pow..._1-2-4_8-16-32
15 are $20
And please list the posts where people complain about the PR bullets coming apart on impact........
As far as some quality bullets for a reasonable price. How about http://bullshop.gunloads.com/tbs_mlbullets.htm 100 bullets for $28.5!
11-20-2010, 06:44 PM
#10
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Boncarbo,Colorado
Posts: 9,186
if you can get a powerbelt close to the same weight as the PR's you be fine. 444 FP Powerbelts are flat out punishing bullets on game.
But hey, this is the modern days, who uses heavy bullets these days. Most i see use 250gr or less.
But hey, this is the modern days, who uses heavy bullets these days. Most i see use 250gr or less.
