cayugad

First off I want to give credit where credit is due. The following testing would not have been possible if it had not been for the generosity of sqezer. I do thank you for the chance to try these out. I really enjoyed myself. And I learned a lot.

Distance 49 yards.
Weather: overcast, windy, light (and I mean very) snowing 37šs
Rifle: Renegade Stock - stainless steel 45 caliber Green Mountain Barrel with a 1-28 (I believe or is it 1-20) twist.
Scope: 4x32mm Simmons Pro Diamond
Bench Rest: Caldwell Rock & Caldwell Sand bag for rear rest
Powder: 3f Graf's and Sons Black Powder
Cap: Winchester Magnum #11 caps
Swab: Dollar Store Orange Cleaner




Sqezer was kind enough to send a sample of Powerbelts to me in 45 caliber. I had no idea what their weight was. Or really anything about them as I seldom deal with 45 caliber projectiles all that much. But I had shot some PowerBelts out of my 50 caliber Green Mountain Barrel with a 1-28 twist and the accuracy was so outstanding, I wondered if the 45 caliber barrel would do the same.

So not knowing anything about the PowerBelts in 45 caliber;



I broke out my scale and weighed them. The weights were strange to me. So I finally looked them up at the Powerbelt sight. Looking them up, the weights are 223 grain for the small Platinum Aero Tip Powerbelt. 300 grain for the larger Platinum Aero Tip Powerbelt. 195 grain for the smaller Copper Hollow Point PowerBelt. And 275 grain of the larger Copper Aero Tip Powerbelt.



I knew this scope was sighted in at 50 yards. So I set the target at what I thought was 50 yards. Well I was wrong. Three range finder readings all said 49 yards. Which is fine.

I started with the 195 grain Copper Hollow Point Powerbelt. #1 was on a squeaky clean barrel. I had loaded 80 grains of 3f Graf's and Sons Black Powder as advise from forum members always tell me to slow these down. Funny, Powerbelt, when I looked them up, gave ballistics for 100 and 150 grains of powder. Anyway... #2 was not a flinch. Why it went were it did, I have no idea. But again, 50 yards with a 4x scope. Might have been the strong winds... But I was rock steady on the bench rest, now that I have figured out how to address that rest (and I love the new rest). Anyway because the first I hate to count on a clean barrel, I shot four of them. I swabbed between each shot with orange cleaner and then two dry patches.



I then shot three of the 275 grain Copper Coated Aero Tips. Its a shame #7 dipped on me, that group was really getting me excited. Again I kept the same powder charge on the advise of the forum. Not the advise of PowerBelt.

Fearing that if I shot anymore of the remaining two styles of Powerbelts at the center target, that it would be really confusing, I looked over the target I was shooting and picked out a corner target of sorts. I should note.. between changing bullets, I made sure to swab the barrel very clean. To be fair to each of the bullets I was going to shoot.



The 223 grain Platinum Aero Tip bullets were a little harder to load. Not in that I could not load them easy, but the base is different in shape. I think these would take magnum charges (and I will try that) if a person wanted to. Now that is a dead deer. Actually on 4x at that distance, I could just make out that deer's circle. So the deer was my actual aim point. I was pleased with these to say the least.

Last up was the 300 grain Platinum Aero Tip Powerbelts.



I drew that red arrow next to the circle, fearing I would not be able to see that circle. But actually it showed up pretty good. About the same as the deer. Had it been a bright sunny day, I think that would have been impossible to see because of how the range is positioned in regard to the sun light. These I believe are the most accurate of all of the PowerBelt conicals I tested so far. 80 grains of powder would be a good load. And I looked at their down range energy at the Powerbelt sight, and it is impressive to say the least.



Also I should point out, this PVC shooting stand I use really stands well in the wind. Thank goodness the wind was to the side or this would have been flapping a lot.

Over all, PowerBelt's are a good load for this rifle. I know a lot of people brag up the accuracy of the bullet. Yet they condemn the terminal performance of them. I just wonder if somewhere in all this is a happy medium. They sure are a pleasure to shoot.

1874sharpsshooter

You actually shot powerbelts into this target??
Shame ,shame,shame.

Muley Hunter

The Platinum bullets are considered magnum bullets. You might try some more powder. The terminal performance is suppose to be better too. Not prone to blow up.

frontstuffer01

Impressive shooting there Cayugad,i don't own a 45 caliber yet but i have been looking.i have/did shoot the powderbelts several yrs ago an on paper they are great , but the deer i shot with them not so great, the bullet just blew up inside the deer an very little blood to track, but i did recover the deer.From then on i swore to never shoot them at any deer ever again, some people have had great luck using them , guess i'm 1 of the unlucky 1's.now my bullet of choice is most any of the barnes bullets with a harvester crush rib sabot.Looks like your mz really like's that bullet/powder combo.

pluckit

Nice shooting. I love the accuracy of Powerbelts and how easy they are to load, but I won't shoot them at deer. Then again though, I won't shoot a .50 caliber round ball at them either. So you can take that for what it's worth. The cost of Powerbelts is a bit of a problem also.

Muley Hunter

What was your load? I think a lot of the problems came from pushing them too fast, and the shots taken too close. The Platinum bullets help the problem you had some. It has a much smaller hollow point, and a different coating.

cayugad

My thinking is.. if that bullet can enter the deer (lets say) and even if it blows up, as long as its in a vital organ, that should be enough. Although if the deer run off, then it is all a mater of tracking ability after that. I have seen a lot of bullets that leave little blood trail.

frontstuffer01

if i remember correctly it was either 100grs or 105 pyrodex select, that is where they grouped the best.to me that is not pushing them to fast, the shockwaves i've used in the past did well with 100grs to 105 grs....now the barnes i shoot now love 105grs pyrodex select behind them, an they open up at close range as wll as longer ranges.

sabotloader

cayugad

Dave your GM-LRH 45 cal barrel is probably the standard GM 1-30 twist.

Often when a Power Belt is in over Drive it will blow just after passing through the sking on on contact with a bone... It does not always make it to the vital areas...

Muley Hunter

What was the range and bullet weight?