We will get you on a ML'er one day Cal! But if you say you want to shoot a PB at Live game, expect a serious lashing from 90% of us!:p

But there is a VAST difference between a bullet that will actually penetrate shoulder and one that blows up on the hide of a deer. Will a PB kill a deer? Yep, so can a rock if thrown hard enough and hit's just the right spot. That sure don't mean I'm gonna start throwing rocks at deer! Just too many horror stories out there and I've witnessed myself the poor performance of them. I've hunted with lead alloy connies that perform 100 times better than those things.

I'll use them like I use a PRB. I don't tell others to do what I do.

No hunter should use ammo they know nothing about.

I didn't see the Aerolite 250gr bullet blowing up on the elks hide I posted. Why was that? It's the PB that expands the easiest, and is meant for lighter loads.
Something is very wrong when a bullet kills a cow elk that is bigger and tougher than any deer, and someone else can't penetrate the hide on 100lb whitetail.

Horror stories is right. The key word is stories.

Sorry to interrupt the drama, but I was just wondering: what would you guys suggest as an alternative to the powerbelts? Once upon a time, long long ago, I helped one of my cousins get his .54 cal traditions muzzleloader set up, and I grabbed the only thing I could find on the shelf locally: 348 grain(I think) Powerbelt Aerotips and some pyrodex pellets. He's killed a bunch of deer with no issues that I know of. However, he's rather uninitiated and relies on me for gun advice. If there's something better hat he should use, I thought I might get him switched over, before he does have a problem. Unfortunately, muzzleloading rifles is one of those topics I don't know much about. Any suggestions?

I'm not trying to be argumentative but that statement needs to be put in context. Here's where that statement is wrong. A hunter get's into BP w/his new inline. He reads reviews by most people that don't give shooting specifics and some that give good ratings w/o having used the bullet on game. He needs to make a bullet selection and chose this one because the ratings are good- it's popular. The hunter knows little about velocity or terminal performance. He does manage to work up a load and get acceptable accuracy. He has practiced his shooting distances and expected shot angles. When it comes shooting time on the hunt, the bullet doesn't perform as expected. The ratings suggested the bullet would work but the hunter is remiss. The shortcomings of this bullet the hunter learns the hard way. The game animal was wounded or lost because this hunter, like so many new ones or new to BP knew nothing about the potential risks involved w/this bullet. This is not an uncommon occurrence.

Folks,

There were two bullets tested using the same set, carpet, plywood, water filled jugs, that penetrated into the sixth jug, and stopped there. Some bullets penetrated into the fifth jug, and stopped there. Some into the fourth, some into the third. This bullet only made it into the second water jug, and was pancaked.

So what has sparked the most discussion? Those that 'WOW' penetrated six jugs? Nope, nope, the worst bullet tested, is being talked about the most.

In this thread, names have been called, people have been labeled, one threatened to quit, and called this here forum a bad forum. Then somehow i joined a click, that i know nothing about. Oh the irony, the irony, the irony of it all. :D

Quote me saying this is a bad forum. It has some bad members getting away with trolling. The forum itself is a great one.

Mostly true, except for PB's. They get so much negative feedback it would be hard for someone new to miss it. I even say not to use them.

PB's and PRB's get the most negative feedback, and ironically they've killed the most game. :)

[QUOTE=ronlaughlin;4210038]........

So what has sparked the most discussion? Those that 'WOW' penetrated six jugs? Nope, nope, the worst bullet tested, is being talked about the most.

........../QUOTE]

Ron, perhaps there was a typo. I'm not familiar w/a 252 gr. PB HP. Did you mean .45 cal. 225 gr?
I took this thread the mean .50 cal. 245 gr. Perhaps that led to some confusion.
I'll just go on record and say that I've previously used the .50 cal. 245 PB HP and the 295 gr. HP. and experienced pathetic performance from them both. Wouldn't recommend either for deer.

[QUOTE=Game Stalker;4210049]I agree the HP expands way too much.