with that 150 gr. load, you are wasting a lot of powder.

over a dozen deer shot over the years by the boy and the wife with powerbelts and they have performed flawlessly with ample blood trails.

i dont agree with that! i shoot mz alot! using 100 gr of powder im dead at 100 yards but 8 inches low at 150. using 150 grains im only three icnhes low. thats what the powder is for. thats how you can get the "200 yard" shot with a mz. which i would take on a deer, bc i know my gun and what the bullet does. i like to shoot.

lay some newspaper down for about 30 yds in front of you when you shoot and look at all the UNBURNT wasted powder.

i have killed 7 bucks in the last 3 years. all have been with a cva opitma, .245 grain powerbelt bullet, and 777 pellets. i shoot 3 pellets. all deer bled well and all deer died. furthest went 40 yards! one was my largest deer ever a 146 inch 14pt feild dressed 189. had another 18 inch inside spread 7 pt at lbl. field dressed 180. i have killed 6 does in this time and never had to track over 40 yards! i think its shot placement. people always have excuses when something goes wrong. the products take the hit, but these things are made to kill. i mean we used to use round balls. they killed plenty! cant tell me a bullet is the problem.

Pure lead conical bullets will fix your problem. They are heavy and will give complete pass through yet soft enough to expand at muzzleloader velocities. They are not for long range but how often do you shoot at deer over 100 yards?

It is the bullet that is why it takes the hit. If you shoot a deer in the vitals, do not get a pass through and have little to no blood to follow, then the bullet has not performed IMO.

The Doe I lost only went 50 yds, I was using the exact load you are. There was no blood and when i saw the other one, i assumed it was her, because she showed up alone. When i found her she was too far gone to determine if there was an exit wound, but never the less there should be some blood with 150 gr of powder and a 245 gr bullet.

I had a friend hit a 4 pt with the same load and it went 40 yds and died. No blood, no exit wound. when we opened him up it looked like a grenade went off inside of him. Not the damage, but the little shards of copper. I was in the millitary so i know what the shrapnill looks like. The bullet hit dead in the vitals, so your comment about shot placement is not correct. When you hit a deer where you are supposed to there should be some blood, but to have none is ridiculous.

lay some newspaper down for about 30 yds in front of you when you shoot and look at all the UNBURNT wasted powder.