Looking to change up bullets

Acorn Goat

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2022
Messages
212
Location
Birchwood
I'm looking into changing from shockwave to something else like the Hornady bore driver or the Remington accutip any information would be great
 

EastTNHunter

Well-Known Member
2-Step Enabled
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
9,506
Location
Rhea Co., TN
I haven't used the boredrivers, but I used their predecessors the FPBs and they would not shoot in my ML. Tumbled and keyholed. I like the concept, and your ML may act differently.

I like the Hornady .458 325gr FTX in a BCR or orange MMP sabot. I have used that for smokeless in my Savage, as well as with BH209 in my CVA Optima. Good accuracy and performance on game, and cheaper than buying packs of ML bullets and sabots. Always get a pass-through and blood trail
 

dogmatik

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2002
Messages
2,261
Location
Lakeland, Fl
following.....
with potential update soon. Switching from Hornady EZloads 250gr to the Bore Drivers. Headed to range Friday. If all goes well, will be using them on Muzzle opener in Tn.
 

TNJones4530

Well-Known Member
2-Step Enabled
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
491
Location
Maury County, Tennessee
Officially a believer with 290 gr Barnes T-EZ and 77.2 gr weight blackhorn 209. 50 yards, 3 shot group, intentionally high. . With all I read, I suspect the performance will be good as well on game.
 

Attachments

  • 07EA7C09-EC32-465C-9910-8C3970A5302E.jpeg
    07EA7C09-EC32-465C-9910-8C3970A5302E.jpeg
    131.8 KB · Views: 37

Acorn Goat

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2022
Messages
212
Location
Birchwood
I'm just not happy with the shockwaves performance on deer , guess I'm just use to performance out of my old smokeless
 

squirrel_hunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Messages
258
Location
Arkansas
I'm gonna try Hornady SSTs.
Switching up from CVA Powerbelts.
250gr sst is what i started on. I am very happy them. I have killed 4 deer with them. I picled up 3 more boxes of them. My rifle is a CVA Optima V2 50 cal LR nitride rifle. Using 84 grs by weight of blackhorn. I shot a buck yesterday. It was 65 or 70 yds. Shot in the shoulders. It broke both shoulders. Exit hole was bigger than a golf ball. He didnt go anywhere. It done alot damage to the inside.
 

Chiflyguy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2019
Messages
5,209
250gr sst is what i started on. I am very happy them. I have killed 4 deer with them. I picled up 3 more boxes of them. My rifle is a CVA Optima V2 50 cal LR nitride rifle. Using 84 grs by weight of blackhorn. I shot a buck yesterday. It was 65 or 70 yds. Shot in the shoulders. It broke both shoulders. Exit hole was bigger than a golf ball. He didnt go anywhere. It done alot damage to the inside.
I shot my big buck in 2020 with the 295 gr. Powerbelts.
No exit and didn't see blood until 200 yards.
Bullet disintegrated.
Not a fan.
 

JCDEERMAN

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Messages
17,599
Location
NASHVILLE, TN
I'm just not happy with the shockwaves performance on deer , guess I'm just use to performance out of my old smokeless
What kind of performance were you getting, or lack there of? Muzzleloaders in general just aren't the performers as rifles are. I've shot shockwaves for years and have had great success with them until last year. I vowed to change something in my setup, as it should have been a gimme. I decided to change powders. I went with BH209 instead of 100gr of 777 pellets and I'm getting about 700 more foot pounds of energy just by doing that. I truly believe that would have made all the difference in the world. I didn't get a chance this past offseason to do some penetration testing on water jugs, but plan on doing that next offseason with several different bullets. I may change my mind then.

I've been 4 for 4 on mature bucks with the shockwaves….until last year. Didn't find him until February. I questioned everything and honestly would have made a bullet change if I just had a few shockwaves left. I'll know for sure after my penetration tests this coming offseason
 

iowavf

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
11,513
Location
southwest iowa
Can't go wrong with anything made by Barnes. Hornady shot good for me, but just liked the barnes better when I had my 45 Encore. I do have a bullet I recovered and will post a pic later after I get a chance to take a pic of it.
 
Top