Well...Gelatin is gelatin and deer are deer...

I am a loose powder guy and love working up loads and trying different
bullet and sabot combos...Some of my hunting buddies are a 2-pellet,
PowerBelt kind of guy...I've seen and cleaned at least 2 dozen killed buy both
types of bullets...We have recovered one Barnes, that was from a straight on hit...
We have recovered several PowerBelts...

On lung shot deer the Barnes 250 or 300 gr passes through and leaves a gaping hole
on the opposite side...With 295 PowerBelts (both the hollow points and tipped) the
bullet mushrooms just fine and usually stays in the animal...

We have better blood trails with the Barnes...Some guys still use the PowerBelts because they load easier and you can reload faster...

Gelatin is gelatin, but it stopped the Barnes in 13". The PB kept on going. Even when the PB expanded it went further than the Barnes.

I'm not saying the Barnes isn't a better bullet, but you sure couldn't tell by that test.

You can sit in front of me. I'll rest the gun on your head.

I thought you were filling your freezer with round balls?

X2, we know PB's blow up with stout loads of powder at close range. this includes the new line of PB bullets.i won't even go into how Barnes bullets perform. nchawkeyes statement is spot on gel is gel and deer are deer and how a bullet performs on deer is what counts.

I did. My freezer is full on round balls.

I have two reasons to go back to an inline.

The peep sight didn't help my vision problems enough. By next year it will only get worse. I need a scope, and I refuse to put one on a sidelock. I've fought using a scope for years, and i'm given in.

The second reason is I thought I was done hunting bull elk, but I can't. I'll be hunting a different area with Jon next year, and the shots may be more open. I don't trust a PRB for hunting like that.

For closer still hunting timber I can still use a PRB on deer, but I find deer just fill the freezer. They are easy to hunt. Doesn't matter what gun I use. I'm sure after hunting with a scope. I won't want to hunt any other way. I'll just use the Optima for all hunting, and keep the PRB for BP shoots.

I won't give into old age. Except for my stinking eyesight. When I get to the point that I can't hunt with a scope. Just throw me in a hole, and cover me up.

True, and PB's have probably taken more deer from a muzzleloader than Barnes can dream of. You just need to know how to load them.

Our local gun shop is the only place to buy ML supplies. All he sells is PB's, because that's all anybody around here wants. I asked the owner of the shop if anybody complains about PB performance. He said no, and everybody likes them. It's all he uses too.

Don't think this isn't a popular ML area either. Trying to get a ML tag here, will prove that.

I am sure he sells a whole bunch of PB's, most shops do. only since most of the shops and the people who buy them, don't know any better lmao.the point is a PB isn't even in the same class as a Barnes or thor period.the gel tests are worthless in evaluating a bullets performance on deer. if you doubt this , then just look at all the reviews from hunters on Barnes performance and a PB's performance..did you see Jons review on the new Aerolite prior to the hunting season? it wasn't exactly a good one and the actual performance he got on the deer he shot with it was horrible.field tests are what counts in the end not gel..

The numbers from that test look kind of fishy to me. I guess I don't see how the same powder charge produces 1944 fps with a Barnes 250 grainer, and yet only 1546 fps with a 245 grain Powerbelt. I can see some variation because of bullet design, but a 400 fps difference with the same grain bullet? Just sounds fishy to me.....

Gelatin tests are helpful in some ways, but it's not the same thing as shooting a live animal. Some people claim Powerbelts blow up at high velocities, which I can believe if you are pushing them hard. But then I've seen other gelatin tests that show that the heavier Powerbelts at slow-to-moderate velocities out-penetrate quite a few other bullets. I think it is all about knowing the bullet you are using, its limitations, and what is the proper load. I've never used Powerbelts on game, but if I was not allowed to use sabots, I would be shooting the 275 grain Powerbelt out of my .45 with 70 or 80 grains of powder....

since ballistic jello is said to be close to HUMAN tissue. the test is really not far in that since. since the test came from an manufacturer. I feel like any manufacturer can fudge results to make there bullet look better.

I will admit barnes in real world does out perform pb.

the over fact, both PB and XTPs have taken more game in the last few years then most other projectiles

PRB still leads lol