flyinlowe

I posted a thread last season about these bullets and I should have quit using them then but I had some left and I kept using them. Since I got my Encore about 3 -4 seasons ago I have killed 7 deer with these bullets. The problem is I never get a blood trail. If I don't see where the deer goes it's a crap shoot to find them. My first experience with this was 2 seasons ago when I shot a doe at 40 yards with snow on the ground. It went over 100 yards and not a drop of blood until it jumped over a creek and then started bleeding like crazy. Last year I shot a ten pointer and I again found zero blood. This morning I shot a doe at about 100 yards broad side. Then the smoke cleared I cold see the doe walking from the field it was in into the woods and it was dragging its front right leg. It walked into some trees that run along a creek. There is only about 30 yards of woods on each side of the creek and I never did find her. It is real think stuff along the creek so I am sure she went into this little thicket area and died buy we had 5 guys looking for a couple hours and not sign of her. I have never had a deer go more then 60 yards with this bullet but they don't bleed for some reason. I am not sure what the answer is but with a muzzle loader you don't always see where they go right away. I know my shot hit good today as when the smoke cleared I could still see deer was barely able to walk. We gave her about 45 minutes and never seen her again. If it happened once on a bad shot I can see but I have killed 7 deer with this gun and never (not one time) have I found a blood trail.

MichaelH

Sorry to hear of your issues with them. Before I give a detailed reply, can you please tell us which XTP and how much you're pushing them with?

MichaelH

That's where I was going with it, but I use the .452, 240 and 300 grain XTP non-mag with great success. I used to shoot the 240 grain ones with 80 grains of Pyrodex with my older inline. When I updated my gun a few years ago, I started shooting 120 grains of loose T7. All of a sudden, I'm not getting as many pass throughs, but lots of internal damage. I was finding the jacket shredded many times if any bone was hit. It was only after joining the Black Powder board here that I learned I was pushing them with too much powder. I then went back to shooting 80 grains and haven't looked back since. 80 grains will get you out as far as you need and with less kick.

Mike

flyinlowe

I shoot the 240 grain HP 50 Cal Sabot. If I remember correctly the actual bullet itself is 44 cal. I shoot 100 grains (pellets). The gun has always shot very accurate and consistent with this round. This was the bullet that was recommended when I got the gun at a gun shop. Sounds like I need something else. Like I said before the bullet always killed just no blood trail. I was looking at one of the bullets this morning after my hunt and was thinking that maybe I was getting clean pass throughs and not much expansion from the bullet.

I know each round shoots differetly so i am not sure if I want to try to switch now mid season. I am not sure what I am going to do.

Krypt Keeper

i shoot the 250 grain shockwaves with 90 grains of pyrodex RS behind them. Been shooting this forever it seems. Use it this combo in my buck horn, and hawkens and use the 200 grain shockwave with 90 grain in my .45 elkhorn.

normally puts them down on the spot or if they manage to run sprays the woods red.