Powerbelt

[FSHNT]

Anyone had issues with the 245 hollow point. I was a fan until saturday. Shot a nice buck where the neck meets the shoulder, 30yds he dropped in his tracks, didnt even flinch. When i was climbing down he jumped up like nothing had happened, never to be seen again. My hunting partner lost one last week with the powerbelt, and another friend had one run 200yds and had to find it with a dog. We are all good shots and smart hunters. And the more i investigate i hear more and more of the same stories. I am on the way to buy some hornady ballistic tips now. I just wanted to send out the warning that i wish i had recieved before this season. Good luck to all!!

[Dave Sikorski]

I'm changing bullets before MD's later ML season. Think I'm gonna go with the T/C shockwaves.

I shot a doe through the shoulder @ 15 yds with a 295 PB and couldn't find blood or any other sign. She ran off without a problem and I searched for a while before giving up. No reason not to find her it was around noon and never ran out of light. She was found by a buddy a few days later just past the area I searched with her back facing where I came from making her hard to see.

The shot went right through both shoulders and should have knocked her off her feet but didn't and she ran 200 yds.

The other doe I shot with one this year was a liver/gut shot, but recovered. Still no blood within 50-75 yds of the impact area and it was right along the lower diaphram...shoulda bled.

-D

[choptank]

TC ( Thompson Ceter) Mag Sabots You get 30 bullets for under 14.oo and they are deadly and pattern very well. I have shot them thru Knights and my Traditions. Never will change from these bad boys. They mushroom to almost twice the size. Good luck!

[Stumpknocker]

I've shot a few with P/Belts and had the same problem.

Last year a doe ran past me before dark, so I took the shot 15 yds away. Never found a drop of blood. I looked for it in the dark, but knew it ran into a thicket. Hunted the next morning, figuring I missed the deer the night before. I walked around a bit and found my deer. It turned out to be a spike. It ran about a total of 50-60 yds. It was too dark to find it in the thicket the night before. Luckily I hadn't shot any bucks the next mrning.

The deer was hit perfect, but never left a drop of blood.

[trex]

I've never been a fan of the PB's even before they were known as Powerbelts. They used to be called Blackbelts a long time ago. Short fat bullets like the 245gr PB just dont do it like the many other options out there...XTP's, SST's, Shockwaves, or any of the Precision Rifle bullets for ex. Sorry bout your luck!

[Stickin Em]

I've been shooting 348 Powerbelts for the last 3 seasons. Out of the 9 deer I've shot with them, I had one run about 30 yards. The other 8 dropped and never kicked. The 348 is like hitting them with a sledge hammer.

[kepone cats]

I shot an 8 ptr last season through the lungs at about 45 yds with my .45 Rem. using one of the smaller grain power belts and 100gr of pellets, it ran maybe 65 yards. I used to use Remington core-lokts in my Rem. .54 but they are hard to find. At 70 yards I have a two inch group with the power belts in my .45, they are pretty good. Those have the plastic penatrator tip in yellow. I shot some hollow points in my .54 that were garbage (those were red plastic belts).

[crazylegs]

295's don't let them walk more than about 10 steps and the exit wound is the size of a beer can.

[Striper22]

I switched to power belts this year and was really pleased with how tight they would group with my Encore.

Performance is still suspect. On longer shots deer seem to go down pretty quickly. Inside 50 yards they seem to run a good ways (over 100 yards). All shots were heart/lung much more blood on the ground with the longer shots.

Just an observation

[Tracker12]

I have been shooting the Hornady 300gr SST with great success for the last three years. They are the same as the TC shockwave. Have yet to have one get away from us.

[erikharwell]

hornaday makes the best muzzleloader bullets. xtp,s, sst,s and tc shockwaves which is the same thing as the sst with a different color tip.

[FishHook321]

I use Winchester Partition/Hollow Points

[Big DV]

choptank originally wrote:
TC ( Thompson Ceter) Mag Sabots You get 30 bullets for under 14.oo and they are deadly and pattern very well. I have shot them thru Knights and my Traditions. Never will change from these bad boys. They mushroom to almost twice the size. Good luck!

I agree. These sabots are awesome. I've killed deer from 10 yards to 95 yards with these bad boys and never had a problem. They expand to about the size of a quarter and knock deer on thier arsh! Haven't had a deer go more than 20 yards. Uh oh... sounds like I'm jynxing myself.

[RKOCH]

Sabots suck! I use a 295 grain powerbelt HP 150 grains tripple 7 and have never had a deer take more then a few steps with blood everywhere. The areo tips seem to be less effectiveand not mushroom as much. Stay with the HP and no problems here.

[HI TIDES DRIFTER]

I sighted my gun in with Knight 300 grain lead hollow points, and have not had a deer get away. Most have dropped in their tracks, or run a short ways. They expand to the size of a quarter and cost about 12.00$ for 20 sabots. The only problem is, I couldn't find them this year, I shoot a knight, and don't want to change bullets,

A friend of mine swore by the powerbelts, and switched bullets every year. First the lead hollow pt., then the copper coated hp. to finally the aero tip. He gave me the leftover's after he switched to the aero tips. They didn't pattern good in my gun so I never switched. I don't like the fact that being easy to load gives me no gas seal in my gun. This year he sold the aero tips and switched to Dead Center Sabots. These bullets are supposed to not have much drop off at 150yrd like most others do. He's killed 2 so far and say's they are awsome.

I sighted my son's new USA Knight in with the new Alpha Gold 300, hollow pt. made by Spitzer. This is an all lead bullet that is supposed to provide unrivaled ballistics, trajectory, and downrange energy. They cost about a dollar a bullet and come with a loading tool. He killed his first deer at 25yrds with a double lung shot. The deer ran about 40yrd, ran into a tree and did a back flip. The blood was everywhere about 20yrd past the the site of the shot.

These guns, and bullets have gotten to be like hi-powered rifle's. It's going to take perfect hits to drop them in their tracks. Most of the time a deer will run a short ways after you shoot them with a hi-powered rifle because it's so fast he doesn't know he's dead yet. I think the same thing is happening with todays muzzle loaders because, there isn't much difference.

Just My Opinion,
BILL

[Marlin Time]

Shot a doe during early Muzzleloader with the same bullet. Hit her right below the ear in the head, and it didnt exit. 65 yard shot. She did drop. Had to go up to her and slice her throat.

Karl

[done workin]

I have shot several deer with my Knight with 2 50 gr. pellets using the Hornady 245 Sabots with VERY minimal expansion at close distances. Have only shot one shot one at past 50-60 yards. My brother in law killed his first tis year using the PB. All of mine but the long one and his have had MINIMAL at best blood trails. The long one bled like a stuck pig. All very good chest shots.

I wonder if these full metal jacket type (Covered in copper even the serrated hollow points) bullets are being shot too hot to do their work.

I find it interesting that the Winchester partition gold slugs were offered in a silver model for the shorter range hunter. I believe their wording was that the Gold are good for 100+ the silver for 50-100 and the regular slugs for under 50. The reason being that with all the power, and they do hit hard, that the gold would not open properly at the lower ranges. Hence the slightly lower powered Silvers.

I shot a doe a few years ago at about 60 yards with the gold, went clean through the lower chest and through a half rotten 3" dia. log on the ground. The bullet went through the log the same size with no (that I could tell) expansion. Luckily the deer only went 50 yards due to a nicked heart.

[ToolBox]

Stickin Em is right on - can't go wrong w/ the 348 w/ 150 grains burning behind it. I, too, have had every deer but one drop dead in its tracks when hammered by this combination. The one that ran? Well, downhill only about 30yds, very steep downhill, more like a tumble than a run - hehe! [grin]

[Scott_nra]

MY first bp 6 pinter this year fell to a 250gr T/C with the yellow balistic tip and 100gr powder.

quartering frontal shot entered in front of left shoulder exit through read of right shoulder. He dropped like a dish rag on the spot. Nice and clean. If he had run (He couldn't) he would have been a easy track even for me.

[kepone cats]

My cousin used my .45 Rem MLS yesterday evening and shot a nice 8 ptr in James City County. We saw it in Aug. and Sept in velvet with another 8 ptr. It's rack is 18.25 inches wide, 14 inches tall with good mass at the base. My gun was loaded with two 50 gr. pellets of pyrodex, and one power belt with the yellow penatrator tip. I am not sure of the grain because the sticker is torn off of the pack but it is the smallest size available I think. The shot was about 60 yards and the bullet hit in front of the right shoulder. It did not exit but exploded one of the lungs. The deer moved 0 yards, it fell like a sack of potatoes and never flinched! Put that in your book.[grin]

[RANGER690]

Okay.

http://images.snapfish.com/34554%3A7923232%7Ffp7%3Enu%3D3238%3E385%3E247%3EWS NRCG%3D323333674%3A354nu0mrj

Dayton

[dlsquirrely]

neck shots can be pretty risky.....lots of muscle and small vitals! take out those lungs and he wont go very far if he cant breathe and its a pretty big target to hit[wink]

[MarkTakacs]

OK....here we go again......another year of hunters blaming the guns and ammo!!!!

I also us the T/C mag sabot with XTP bullet

why.....cheap and simple, no frills....just a .45 caliber handgun type JHP bullet with a plastic sabot wad.

What do we need a bullet.......a solid lead core for penetration with hopefully expanding petals to increase the projectiles diameter.

IF YOU SHOOT IT IN THE RIGHT SPOT IT WILL DIE or maybe that is what you get when you get too involved with the gimmicks of the sport.......a lead ball through the heart should kill it.

Oh......and when I make a bad shot (it happens to me from time to time) I make sure I hit the spine......drop like a log (sucky part is it ruins the straps)

Remember......it is always the shooters fault (not the gun, scope, or bullet)

Mark

[dlsquirrely]

MarkTakacs originally wrote:
OK....here we go again......another year of hunters blaming the guns and ammo!!!!

I also us the T/C mag sabot with XTP bullet

why.....cheap and simple, no frills....just a .45 caliber handgun type JHP bullet with a plastic sabot wad.

What do we need a bullet.......a solid lead core for penetration with hopefully expanding petals to increase the projectiles diameter.

IF YOU SHOOT IT IN THE RIGHT SPOT IT WILL DIE or maybe that is what you get when you get too involved with the gimmicks of the sport.......a lead ball through the heart should kill it.

Oh......and when I make a bad shot (it happens to me from time to time) I make sure I hit the spine......drop like a log (sucky part is it ruins the straps)

Remember......it is always the shooters fault (not the gun, scope, or bullet)

Mark

BINGO!!

[rock n crab]

Shot a 7 pointer that dressed at 215lbs with the 295gr PBs and it performed perfectly, shot was broadside tucked in right behind the shoulder, complete pass-thru and good blood trail. My son took his first deer last Saturday, 9 years old. His youth ML700 loaded with 60gr of 777 and a 295gr PB dropped his 4 pointer from 50 yards, angleing towards us he caught it just behind and above the shoulder and found the slug in the rear quarter mushroomed perfectly, deer never moved.
Lets face it guys, deer do not know the meaning of die and hit with anything will normally run off some distance.... It's part of hunting.......

[MarkTakacs]

If you want a good blood trail yo u have to shoot into or through the chest cavity........not muscle and not so much the abdomen (gut). The vitals are rich with blood flow and the cravity fills and them shoots out the blood as the animal runs.
Muscle, stomach, and intestines dont have that much blood to lose.
Just think about how much blood is in the rib cage after pulling out the gut package.......big old pool of blood.

Mark

[Fishing83181]

I have begun using the powerbelt bullets this season with nothing but success!! I have shot other sabots in the past with success but very little expansion. The powerbelts with the ballistic tip have performed very well this year with no lost animals and great blood trails. One was even gut shot accidentally by a first time hunter i took out and was found within 200 yards after letting it lay still for a few hours(after following a decent blood trail). I believe they are great bullets and they group well out of my new h&r sidekick with 100 grains of powder. Just remember.. know your firearm and make a good shot!

[timber]

my 2 cents...I have been deer hunting bow, muzzle, and rifle for 26 yrs now, to try to help you out on the ammo when all this power belt and 44mag sabots for a 50cal came out I jumped on the bandwagon the new stuff shot better than the old but as for killing no way!!!!!! about 6yrs ago my son and I ran into a prob. that a few deer got away that were hit, (we believe in one shot one kill drop in tracks and we track as far as it takes) we had just changed bullets they were if I remember right XJP 165 jacketed hollow points what was happining was when they hit the deer they were exploding with no penetration you would get a blood trail but no deer the way we founf out was after a mile track(yes a mile by gps) another hunter dropped it thank goodness, now waht we have found to work really well is the knight 310 lead sabot with 100 gr pyrodex pellets and the 265 with 80 grains of powder I must have 5or6 mushrooms i keep for good luck we haven't had one single deer run for more than 50yrds you know the old saying if it ain't broke don't fix it.

[MarkTakacs]

[excited]I want to.......but I'm not going to say any more......[excited]


Mark

[TIDECRUIZER]

I used a 295 PB this weekend with perfect results. He dropped in his tracks. Quartering to shot to the front of the shoulder. The bullet exited about 4 ribs back. Blood everywhere. It was splattered about ten feet behind where he was standing.

[capt_ben]

My dad uses the 245g PB and he shot 5 opening week of black powder. I believe 3 of the 5 ran, 2 of them being for several hundred yards and needing to be chased down and shot again. The problem he was/ is having, is the bullets explode, not expand. His shots were all perfect, behind the shoulder shots, but the bullets werent staying in contact long enough to do the job. His deer all layed suffering for 4-5 hours while he was giving them time to die. Only to be jumped back up and chased down by foot and finished off with a .357. Blood trail was minimal. Myself on the other hand, I shoot the 370g T/C maxi- ball. I only hunted the last day of black powder with it and killed a nice 8pt. in the morning, and a doe in the evening. The doe was the first deer that has ever ran from this gun, and she made it about 40yds before running into a fence, with blood every where.

Capt_Ben
NoMercy
2350 Bluewater

[dlsquirrely]

a bullet that cant penitrate 1/8''thick hide and break a less then 1/2'' thick rib is total junk! sounds like they are made of plastic!....they should be pulled off the shelf. Time to change bullets or break out the bow.

[kepone cats]

I agree that the powerbelts explode rather than mushroom. I skinned out the buck my cousin shot and I just found fragments of the bullet. It did a number on the deer though. I think every blood vessel in it's body was ruptured, I have never seen such a powerful hit from any type of firearm.