252g Powerbelt Hollowpoint
08-01-2015, 08:24 AM
#122
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
For myself I have always consider a PB to be nothing more than an "Extended Round Ball" - I believe when PB introduced the 'copper clad' PB they did try to simulate a copper/lead hunting bullet - but the copper was really a very then bonded layer of copper and did very little to 'toughen' the bullet. PB has continued to try to improve the strength of the bullet with different improvements - but it still lags far behind many other bullets on the market.
I will say this this - if you shoot a PB as you might a PRB - you could be very successful with them. But how many people 'today' even know the limitations of a PRB? Certainly not the new people just buying an inline and going hunting.
I will say this this - if you shoot a PB as you might a PRB - you could be very successful with them. But how many people 'today' even know the limitations of a PRB? Certainly not the new people just buying an inline and going hunting.
08-01-2015, 08:56 AM
#123
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
Yep Pete, been right there beside the fella TWICE when they failed miserably. Both shoulder shots, one a bit high shoulder the other right in the center, and both just blew meat off the shoulder with absolutely NO penetration. He wasn't pushing it fast with just 2 pellets of pyro, and the shots were between 50 a 75 yards. I helped him (pretty much did it) track them and let him use my ML'er with shockwaves finish them both.
08-01-2015, 10:24 AM
#125
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
If memory serves they were the 295gr Coppers with the aero tip. And he and I BOTH like high shoulder shots. If the bullet does it's job, it's a dead right there deer. He shot center shoulder on the first deer because he had a small window to shoot through. He had a perfect shot op. at the second high shoulder. I like perfect broadside double lung shot for archery, but with firearms, my absolute favorite shot is high shoulder. If you miss a tad low you still get both lungs and a fairly short tracking job. Miss a tad high and you are still busting spine. Miss a tad higher than that it's a relatively minor wound to a deer that won't cause a whole lot of suffering. Best of all worlds with a little meat loss. I'll take a pound or 2 of meat loss over a long trail or drag job any day. Getting too dern old to be dragging those beasties for miles.
08-01-2015, 11:09 AM
#126
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
Well, as you know now. The PB is not a good choice for those shots.
It's one of the many reasons I don't recommend a PB to anyone, but I know they'll work when used as they have to be to work well. Work well may not be a good description, but they can work.
It's one of the many reasons I don't recommend a PB to anyone, but I know they'll work when used as they have to be to work well. Work well may not be a good description, but they can work.
08-01-2015, 11:49 AM
#127
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
I follow a very simple rule of thumb for cartridge/bullet selection. If it can't penetrate shoulder at a specified distance then it's a useless bullet/cartridge selection. There is absolutely no way one can expect to get the perfect broadside shot that those PB's HAVE to have to take a big game animal. Animals tend to not cooperate for that. I want a bullet/cartridge that I can depend on to do the job at pretty much any angle presented. Any Bow Hunter worth his salt can tell you that passing on many deer because they don't present you an ethical shot presentation gets frustrating and old. Having to do it in a firearms season as well because you made a bad bullet/cartridge selection is simply foolish. Not when there are SOOOOOOO many other choices out there that can and DO the job so much better.
08-01-2015, 12:25 PM
#129
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: VA.
Posts: 1,415
Muley, it's a free country, do what you will w/those PB's.
Just considering things. I'd hate to be the out of state hunter using PB's on a dream hunt knowing the bullet used required extreme compromise had. Or, how about that hunter shoots an animal that gets away for lack of a blood trail and can't otherwise be tracked?
If that hunter comes to the conclusion the PB's don't work, they then need to spend valuable hunting time setting up a different bullet/powder charge recipe hoping they can continue that paid hunt. Living in a game rich area and frequently being able to pass on shots is a whole different circumstance.
Just considering things. I'd hate to be the out of state hunter using PB's on a dream hunt knowing the bullet used required extreme compromise had. Or, how about that hunter shoots an animal that gets away for lack of a blood trail and can't otherwise be tracked?
If that hunter comes to the conclusion the PB's don't work, they then need to spend valuable hunting time setting up a different bullet/powder charge recipe hoping they can continue that paid hunt. Living in a game rich area and frequently being able to pass on shots is a whole different circumstance.
Last edited by Game Stalker; 08-01-2015 at 12:45 PM.
08-01-2015, 12:35 PM
#130
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,382
There's a whole lot of arguing and some posts are in the gray area. You're all welcome to continue the discussion but remember the rules. 
After reading all 13 pages of this topic, a few things seem obvious.
1. Members in this topic use different hunting methods and styles and would have different requirements for bullet performance, i.e. shoulder shots vs lung shots and short range vs long range.
2. Members in this topic also seem to have different self-imposed hunting/shooting limitations which could also lead to differing bullet requirements.
3. Some bullets may have more failures if used in a manner they weren't designed for, i.e. lung shots versus shoulder shots, etc.
4. To say that any bullet that has killed lots of animals is not a good hunting bullet is not as accurate or correct as stating that same bullet has limitations and there are better (more all-around type) bullets.
I don't hunt with a muzzle loader (yet) but this discussion reminds me somewhat of people discussing specialty (more expensive) ammo versus regular ammo (Remington Core-Lokt versus Nosler Partition comes to mind). There's a time and application for just about any ammo. If you don't exceed the bullet's performance parameters, then you should do just fine provided you do your part as a hunter. This is JMHO and YMMV as always.
After reading all 13 pages of this topic, a few things seem obvious.
1. Members in this topic use different hunting methods and styles and would have different requirements for bullet performance, i.e. shoulder shots vs lung shots and short range vs long range.
2. Members in this topic also seem to have different self-imposed hunting/shooting limitations which could also lead to differing bullet requirements.
3. Some bullets may have more failures if used in a manner they weren't designed for, i.e. lung shots versus shoulder shots, etc.
4. To say that any bullet that has killed lots of animals is not a good hunting bullet is not as accurate or correct as stating that same bullet has limitations and there are better (more all-around type) bullets.
I don't hunt with a muzzle loader (yet) but this discussion reminds me somewhat of people discussing specialty (more expensive) ammo versus regular ammo (Remington Core-Lokt versus Nosler Partition comes to mind). There's a time and application for just about any ammo. If you don't exceed the bullet's performance parameters, then you should do just fine provided you do your part as a hunter. This is JMHO and YMMV as always.