Hey guys,
Some recovered bullets for you to see. The ones on the left are 250 grain shockwaves. The one on the right is a 295 grain power belt. Both the shockwaves were fromdeer at around 100 yards. The bullet on the extreme left was actually head on, head down feeding. The bullet went in between the shoulder blades, through the spine, through the vitals and came to rest under the skin on a buttcheak. The second shockwave went in just behind the shoulder and came to rest under the skin on the opposite buttcheak on a 180# buck. over 90% weight retention in both, but the spine shot took allot of damage to the front of the bullet. The other was a very nice mushroom. I shoot 110 grains of 777 and it is a great load in my encore.
The power belt, from a deer killed with my kids gun, well it just exploded. Normally, we shoot 300 grain Hornady XTPs inmy kidsgun, but we had run out and there weren't any locally. The PBs shoot pretty much the same poi inside 100 yards.I had sworn offPBs because of similar experiences two years ago, but figured with low power loads in my kids gun it would be ok. Not. 75 grains of 777 and the deer was broadside at 50 yards. Bullet went inbetween the ribs, exploded into three big pieces. Two made it all the way through, one, the base stopped just under the skin on the other side. Left bits and pieced of brass and lead all the way through. Same thing I saw two years ago. Needless to say, were back to the XTPs for my kids gun.

Interesting report. The more folks (including me) use these Shockwaves, the more I'm thinking they are one of the best all around bullets made. On the Powerbelt, have you ever tried the Aerotip version? They are generally considered to be a tougher bullet than the hollowpoint.

Very interesting,I just lost interest in Power Belts,does anyone know how the Sabor tooth preforms on deer?
or the 200gr 40cal Shock Wave?

There is no difference between the "aerotip" and regular, with the exception that it has a little plastic "thang" stuck in it.

The two I killed with them two years ago were almost exactly the same. Number one, broadside, the bullet went in, broke into about 4 large pieces and all made it through. The other, broadside at about 60 yards, the bullet went in, literally exploded inside the ribcage into fingernail size pieces. NONE made it all the way through. Of course it caused massive damage to the lungs and heart and the deer was extremly dead extremely fast, but had it hit the shoulder instead of behind it, I am convinced that it would have been a very ugly, and unrecovered deer, story.
My personaly opinion is that these bullets are too soft and the copper plating waaay to thin. If they would address this, probably would perform better.
R
Hank

WOW!! thanks for the report and pictures. I think from now on I will stick with the Shockwaves and leave the expensive powerbelts behind. By the way it sounds like you have a lot of venison for the freezer.

That Shockwaves, from all I hear about it, has to be one of the best all around projectiles out there. Anyone have experience with the 200 grain Shockwave and deer I'd sure like to know. My Wolverine LK-II is in love with them things. I've never shot anything that accurate out of a muzzleloader.

Both deer that I shot with Powerbelt 245 Aerotips this year had two holes in them. One going in and one coming out! I was hoping to recover a bullet but both were complete pass throughs.

Although I don't personally use the Powerbelts, a lot of Colorado elk hunters do.The 348 gr. is the most popular, and those who use the Aerotip almost universally report more penetration and less expansion than those who use the hollow point. This is somewhat the opposite of CF bullets that have a "ballistic tip"; which tends to promote more rapid expansion than a lead tip bullet.

And also in Colorado, sabots are not legal......

i used 250-3000 sav for hunting deer here in pa. guess what bullet i use, 87 gr. people say, sproul thats to light. well, when i hit a deer ,it goes down. i seen many heavy bullets go thru deer and deer run. experts all say you want hole out both sides, not true. shock of my 87 gr bullet drops deer. yes, i cant hit the deer in bone area, behind shoulder and neck. i have not used the PB but i would pick it over the solid tip bullet everytime for deer size . this was passed down from my grandfathers years ago. today if deer runs , you most likely lose it to someone else. not with the light bullets in right place, down they go.on deer ,you want shock not a hole.bigger game , i would use the solid tip where you need bone breaking but not on whitetail deer. take care

Sabots are allowed during any of the Colorado rifle seasons. And also in New Mexico, where we hunt each year. In Colorado, during the designated MZ season, I use the 410 gr. Hornady Great Plains bullet over a MMP Ballistic Bridge sub base. A realiable 150 yard elk load. Thanks for pointing out the regulation specifics. Roskoe.