cayugad

cherokee_outfitters.... I am wondering if they were using the hollow point type of powerbelt or the aero tip. I could see the powerbelts doing exactly as you described. I think they are intended to fragment on contact with any hard object. The aero tips from all that I have read seem to be the ticket for the thick skinned critters like elk and moose. I have never used the aero tips on them. I have only shot them. I figure when I book my elk hunt I would use the 348 grain aero tips or my hand cast conicals in the 320-360 grain range. I feel the big conicals should hold up real well.

Rob in VT

I shoot the 295 grain Aerotip Power Belt in my TC Encore. I use 2 pyrodex pellets and a 209 primer. When I first starting shooting the bullets, I tried them with 150 grains of power. The accuracy wasn't that great. When I dropped down to 100 grains, I was getting 1.5" groups at 100 yards.

I have shot whitetails and a caribou with this setup. The Woodland Caribou was 95 yards away and the bullet did it's job. There was no passthrough, but I didn't need a blood trail as I watched the stag buckle and go down. It weighed 300 lbs so it was a fairly large animal. Although caribou seem to be easier to put down than whitetails (and I'm sure elk) in my experience.

I will continue to use Power Belts as I have been happy with them. In regards to sabot bullets, I have had good luck with the Knight Red Hots.

. . . Rob

whitetails & muskies

The bull I shot was on a pretty good angle. The bullet travelled through approximately 3 feet of elk before it lodged against the hide on the opposite side. I found the slug when we skinned it out and it was nearly a perfect mushroom. Almost 100% retention.

CBM SC

My dad is a blackpowder hunter ..........

He hates the Copper Powerbelts.........but loves the lead versions. He has been getting passthroughs with the lead ones at shots between 110 and 120 yrds on whitetails with 100 grains of Pyrodex. Says he'll never shoot anything else !! I'm pretty sure he's dropped every deer he's shot with the leads...............he had several hard 150-200 yrd tracking jobs with the coppers !!

txhunter58

I can't see how copper covered bullets would perform any less desirable than pure lead. The copper covered is simply a solid lead bullet covered by a thin sheet of copper and copper is harder than lead, isn't it? Seems like if anything they would be more protected than the solid lead.

bronko22000

I was using the 295 gr lead in my Optima Pro and my T/C Hawken with its 1:28 Green Mountain barrel but switched to the 245 gr hollow point. Accuracy was good and the doe I harvested this year with the Hawken went about 75 yds after a double lung hit. No expansion to speak of but I'm real happy with the way they shoot.

SnoBall57

I shot a doe in our early muzzleloader season here in PA last fall with a .50 caliber 295 gr. Powerbelt hollow point, and the deer dropped in it's tracks and didn't move. Bullet went in behind the shoulder on the near side and went through the far side shoulder bone and buried in the hide on the far side. I was totally impressed with the killing power! Bullet was perfectly mushroomed, but lost a small sliver of metal when it passed through the bone on the far side. I tried some 348 gr. Aero Tips today, and they shoot nearly to the same point of impact as the 295 with 2 50 gr. Pyro Pellets (about 1" to the right). I think this will be my bear load when I go to Maine this fall! I like 'em, and think they are worth every penny!

DukhuntChad

I shoot a CVA eclipse muzzleloader with the 295 PB hollow point bullets with 100 gr. pyrodex pellets. I've killed three deer this yr and one last yr with that load. The knock down power is awesome. Every deer I've killed dropped dead in their tracks. Except for the four point I killed yesterday. It dropped in his tracks, but kicked for about 10 seconds before he expired. 2 out of the 4 were pass thru shots. The four point yesterday, the bullet almost made it out the other side. I shoot my muzzleloader with open sights, I love this gun. Plus its the gun my wife bought me for a wedding gift. Last week she also bought me a new summit cobra treestand. I'm one lucky man.

Congrates on your first kill, and hope you have many more.

Chad

Tree climber

I also shoot the P/B's and love them.you just have to work up the load for your gun. if it shoots them well as you have it now,stick with it.
congrats on the deer.

SnoBall57

Thanks Chad, and congrats! I also have a very understanding mate! In fact, she bought me a Lyman GPR flintlock for x-mas! What a gal!!!!! Good hunting!