BobD

I've read alot of discussions on Aerotip vs. Hollowpoints and just had an experience to share with y'all. Shot a nice spike buck yesterday with my .45 Omega, 195 gr. Aerotip and 2 Pyrodex pellets. Broadside at about 75 yds. Went through both lungs, didn't hit any bone to speak of. I was really pleased with the performance of this bullet. The exit hole was about the size of a quarter, but what a job it did on his lungs. He ran about 60-70 yds bleedin like a stuck pig, just like a good broadhead shot. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with HP's but I sure like those Aerotips.

cayugad

Powerbelts seem to be one of those projectiles that people like or hate. I have a CVA Staghorn Magnum 209 and it will shoot powerbelts with outstanding accuracy. Unfortunately the deer would not cooperate with me this year to test the powerbelt theory....

Most of the post I read, the aero tips get excellent penetration, while the hollow points tend to hit, open and are usually found on the far side of the animal from the wound. Many report extensive damage from the hollow point but many report little or no blood trails.

Congratulations on the deer.

Triple Se7en

I don't recall reading a single complaint about Powerbelt hollow-point coppers on two dozen ML message boards in the last 2-1/2 years.

17 Pointer

Congrats on the buck and I am jealous- ML season here ended over a month ago in NY. What state are you in? I have used 245 gr. PB s and taken 3 deer at 45 yds, 60 yds and 85 yds and they performed well. I did find out the hard way that on a clean barrel and in very cold temps they shoot low on the first shot with my CVA Magbolt. When I called CVA about the initial low shots, they recommended sighting in and hunting through a fouled barrel to ensure the gas check seals consistently. I plan on upgrading to an Omega before next season to eliminate any looseness.

Sounds like your Aerotip did a fine job. What gets me is I have seen a couple posts where guys are using sabots on the first shot and then reloading a PB to finish off the animal. That seems too confusing to me. When I get my new Omega I will test sabots and both types of PBs at all ranges to find the best all around loader and shooter for me.

Mr. .45-70

I've been shooting the hollow point powerbelts out of my Knight D.I.S.C. for 3 years and have had nothing but outstanding results with them. I can pound nails with them at 100 yards. This past season I shot a doe in her bed from 25 yards(Good snow conditions). She was bedded down looking directly away from me. The bullet entered just to the right of the spine about 4 inches in front of the base of the tail and when I dressed her out I recovered the bullet near the base of her neck. Here's a picture of the recovered bullet next to a nickle.

BobD

17 Pointer, I hate to admit it, but I live in NJ(the part that still has trees). I normally don't hunt this late in the season, but I had a slow December and wanted one more deer for the freezer so I took my gun for a walk after a snow. I agree with you about changing bullets,too confusing. I got great accuracy with SST's, but the PB's shoot and they load so darned easy. Good luck with your Omega, I think you'll like it. My only problem with it is when I remove a primer from the breechplug, I'm too stupid to turn the gun sideways and I sometimes drop the primer down in the trigger assembly. Gotta work on that.

bigcountry

Triple 7, do a search on my name on powerbelts. You will find complains.

MLKeith

I have an Omega and I am one of the guys that switch from sabots to Powerbelts. I shot Hornady SST bullets in Harvester sabots (my barrel is so tight the Hornady sabots won't load without extreme pressure on the ram rod). I checked both fouled barrel and clean barrel with both bullets and the 300gr. hornady hits within less than an inch of the 295gr. powerbelt aero tip at 100 yards so I can interchange them. I just shot an elk this year with the first shot the sst and the second running shot with the 295gr. Powerbelt. Both hit about where I planned and the elk went down. The first missed one lung so I had to do the second. Four holes in an Elk is usually enough.

newman1

yeah...what big country said

17 Pointer

MLKeith
I have only used the 50 gr. 245 HPs and never tested over a 100yds. Have you or anyone compared or tested the group sizes/drop of HPs and aerotips beyond 100 yds? Why do you only use the PB on the second shot?

The 245 HPs have made giant entrance holes for me but don't always exit. I was thinking of switching to aerotips to ensure an exit hole and better blood trails.

The doe I shot this year was quartering away at 60 yds. Even though I took out both lungs the blood trail was pretty sparce for the first 50 yds and finally got heavy near where I found her at 80yds. On entry the PB took out 3 ribs and made large 2-3 inch trianglular entrance hole but never exited. Even the processer mentioned how big the hole was.