I hunt with a Traditions Buckstalker .50 caliber with 100 grains of blackpowder. the bullet i use is a .50 caliber 245 grain. my question is what would be the maximum range for a good kill shot?

245gr Powerbelt?

200 yards easily. It takes practice and a lot more practice to shoot good groups for hunting so be sure to practice field conditions " that'd be off hand or off a tree limb"

shooting 245 grain barnes spit fire t-ez. would i get more range if i went up to 290 grain? this was my first year muzzleloader hunting and the weekend is ruined by weather, only practiced up 100 yards.

no but you'd get more knock down power. Heavier bullets are also less affected by wind.

I'd feel comfortable with the 245gr Barnes out to 200 yards.

ndrhunt

I do not think the range would change that much but moving to the 290 grain bullet vs the 245 - the 290 would not react as much to external forces as the lighter 245. So in my world it would would probably be more accurate at the 200 yard range. Further the remaining energy @ 200 with the 290 would be greater and insure a more clean harvest.

You would be shooting the 245 somewhere around 1850 fps and the 290 somewhere around 1750 fps with a 100 grains of pellets... This estimates are probably a high as this is computed with 100 grains of T7 loose powder.

Remaining energy @ 200 with the 245 would be about 800 ft pounds and with the 290 about 1085 #'s

Were i you planning on that shot with a 45 cal bullet I would go with the heavier projectile...

I say all of this but I am shooting a 40cal 200 grain Lehigh - not really planning on a 200 yard shot but took one last week.

What kind of groups are you getting at 100 yards? Also, do you have a rangefinder and/or BDC scope like the Nikon Omega?

If you don't have a rangefinder and a scope to match it, you should be okay to 170 yards or so as long as you are accurate enough. Also, without a rangefinder, I would sight my rifle in to be 3" high at 100 yards. With your load, that should keep you in the boiler room of a deer from 0 - 150 yards for sure, maybe out to 170. That way you don't need to adjust for elevation - just aim for center mass.

Your load isn't producing screaming velocities, so past 150 yards that bullet is going to drop like a rock. Muzzleloading is still primarily a short-range endeavor, unless you are willing to put some time and $$$ into a setup with a range finder, scope to match and practice, practice, practice.

The furthest I've taken a deer with a ML is 108 yards, but I would feel comfortable shooting out to 150.

The rifle, powder, and bullet would do 200 yards. The question is whether the shooter has the skills to pull it off. When you start getting that kind of distance, it takes a lot of practice. In my case it would take some good optics as well. I am not a good long distance shooter, as I do not practice it. Still, the load your shooting should work.

I also am a fan of the heavier bullet. But I like all my bullets to be heavy.

200yds should be no problem as long as your 99 and 99/100% Sure you can make the Shot. I use a 240gr Bullet with either 100gr's or 110gr's (depending on wich MLer I use) and get complete Pass Throughs at ranges from 150-180 no problem. My one ACCURA and My Wifes both have Ultimate Slam MLer Scopes on them so there set for the Reticle at what yardage we choose, but on My ACCURA with the Bushnell Dusk to Dawn MLer Scope, a 240gr Bullet and 2 50gr Pyro Pellets It's set at 2" high at 50yds. This if aimed dead center Lungs will be good from 0-150yds. At closer ranges from say 20-40 yds I just aim for the Heart, anything past 150 I aim high in the Lungs. You just have to know how and what your MLer will do, then it all falls into place.
These are My Aiming Points on Deer, you should Alwyas Practice Practice Practice to know exactly where your Mler will hit at certain yardages, never guess and be close, you owe it to the Animals we all Hunt to deliver a Quick and Humane Harvest. Then and Only when you have the Confidence to make the Shot should you take it, if there's ever any doubt in your mind that you have to think about it, dont take it. When you put the Crosshairs on a Animal there should be no doubt as to weather or not you can make the shot.
When you Practice enough and have made them shots befor, it's second nature and no guessing involved. If need be get a good Range Finder. If you cant get one, pick different objects out at different distances and guess how far they are, then oace them off to see how close you are, as time goes by you'll have no problem guess how far 100 is or 150ect. But when a Animal is in a Open Field they always look Closer then they are especially if it's a Good Sized Animal. So a-lot of Range Estimating in Open Fields is Good Practice.
(BP)

If that's a Power Belt you are talking about then have some of the guys like maybe Sabotloader run you a chart with a Shock Wave of the same weight at the same velocity and compare the amount of drop. By going to a bullet with a high BC It is much more practical to shoot long range it has the same effect on wind drift.