I wanted to shoot today. A very few flakes of snow was falling so that was not the problem. It was over cast and in the thirty's so it was nice and warm.

I wanted to shoot the 50 caliber Green Mountain Barrel more with the 3-10x40mm Cabela's PowderHorn Scope. The last time out, I had adjusted the scope to 50 yards. It shot high at 50 yards. And with PowerBelts it shot just a little low. So I was guessing that the PowerBelts should be almost dead on at 50 yards. Also last time out, they shot fantastic. I was going to find out just how right I was.

The PowerBelts are the 348 grain Aero Tip. And last time I shot them with 80 grains of 2f Schuetzen black powder, which is kind of suggested by most PowerBelt shooters. Too much powder is not good. So this should be real good.

I swabbed the bore of the rifle with some dollar store Orange Cleaner. I made sure it was good and dry. Then I started shooting with the remaining 8 PowerBelts from the time before.



Shot number one hit just on the outside of the ten right. I was swabbing between shots I should add. With the orange cleaner and then two dry patches. Shots 2-7 were about as good as it gets to me. Then with shot #8 I decided to shoot on the fouled bore. It did effect the POI but for eight shots.. I was more then pleased with the group.

I know that a lot of people warn that the PowerBelt is an ineffective hunting round. Personally I have no experience to judge it by. But I do think or at least reason.. that a projectile that heavy shot with 80 grains, should be deadly if the projectile is placed in the right spot. And someday I am going to prove it. I might have to go hog hunting and take that rifle and round. See how it works on hogs.

I also wanted to try and shock this scope. So I wanted to load a large powder charge and do some shooting under that PowderHorn. If it is going to break, I want to break it.



I know that this rifle loves Shockwaves. So I had a few of the 200 grain 40 caliber Shockwaves left. So I wanted a heavy load. Well my powder measure went to 120 grains. That should do it. So I loaded 120 grains of 2f Schuetzen black powder. I was swabbing between shots.

Aiming dead center on the bull the first two shot high, like I figured they would. I had covered the powerbelt hole with duct tape and then applied a one inch Birchwood Casey orange dot. The next three were perfect in the dot because I aimed just under that dot. Unfortunately it knocked the dot off on the last shot and I had no idea where it went.

So I retrieved the target and put the stand away. Then I had three Shockwaves left. And I took them out on my paint cans. These Shockwaves with 120 grains of Black powder, really make a paint can jump at 86 yards.

Nice shooting. Obviously the scope must be holding up. Anything you dislike about it yet. Mine is suppose to get here Thursday.

Just the length of the scope is the only thing I dislike. Every thing else seems to be working just fine. And I took out my Caldwell bag today and with the new Rock front rest, it really worked well.

Thats some sweet shooting

Nice looking outfit you got there. Glad the scope is holding up.

I sure understand your thinking Cayugad. It just seems like that 348 grain chunk of lead has to be effective.

I have no experience with Powerbelts either. I've stayed away from them because of all the various bullets I've seen reports on, PBs had the highest negatives by far. The problem is - I don't recall whether those reports were just with the lighter weight PBs, or included the heavy weights. I kind of suspect the problems were with the lighter ones only, and probably with stiff loads (we all know that old issue).

That group of yours is mighty impressive. But for hunting, I have to wonder if I would rather be shooting a 348 grain PB that gives me one-inch 100 yard groups, or a 300 grain Deep Curl or XTP that gives me two-and-a-half inch 100 yard groups. The PBs will probably do fine. The DCs/XTPs will absolutely do fine.

Im guessing with todays technology that even though the Powderhorn is an in-expensive scope the building of them has come a long way, and there usually priced in the $100 range so it's really not all that cheap.
I have some Cheap Scopes that I've spent $29 and $39 on and there still holding up after 15 years or so.
Them Powerbelts seem to shoot good, like said as long as you keep the powder charge around 80grs then you should have no problem with them as long as you put em where there suppos-to be. When you try and push them too hard is where the problems start.
Will that MLer handle a Mag Load of 150grs? if so and reguardless of where it shoots and you want to put her to the test give a Mag Load a try, if the scope holds up to that then Im sure you'll have no problems down the road.
Nice Shooting and another good report!
(BP)

I've read about the 348 gr PB's taking many elk. I think the Platinum would be better for elk, but the regular 348 PB should do a job on deer.

Nice shooting.

What's sad is that some of the thing built 20 or 25 years ago and only cost $30.00 or $40.00 are better made than some comparable $100.00 items today.

Congrats on some fine shooting.