MZ bullets?

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Boll Weevil

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I've shot Powerbelt Platinum for years and while I've never lost a deer with them, have never dropped one on the spot either. They always run. Accurate out of my Traditions, good blood but rarely exit/pass thru, short track job...go get the ATV.

I've heard mixed results though about expansion and solid blood trails. What has been your experience, and are there another bullets I should consider?
 
i am no expert

here is the low down on the fpb


back in 08 105 loose 777 chronoed 1650 ish fps



deer one

10 point field dressd 177 lbs pass thru

shot 40 yds 1/4 too shot ran 30 yds hit the ground cough spit blood got up walked 20 yds single lung

101_5434.jpg



deer 2

8 point dressed 175

shot 10 yds broadside pass thru

ran about 100 yds but left a blood trail ray charles could follow

100_5483.jpg



deer 3 11 pt


shot 45 yds broad side pass thru

dressed 177 lbs
ran about 50 ish blood trail was awesome

100_5547.jpg





deer 4 80 lb dressed spike(nubbn Buck) 54 yds

double shoulder punch ran no where




last year


i did 105 loose different ml with the 300 fpb

prolly about 1800 fps might be a lil less

killed a spike at 10 yds ran 30 dead

also shot a wild dog med size mix at 50 yds

devistation but he hollered for about 30 sec but never took a step



please note body weight on the 3 bucks was over 220 live weight each




also recommend

405 lead hp powerbelt
465 no excuses conical
300 PR dead ctr bullet
250 hndy sst and reg ml speeds and over 2600 fps smokeless
300 sst reg ml speeds and almost 2400 smokeless
 
I shot PBs for several years and killed quite a few deer. In most cases I didn't get pass throughs and sometimes sparse to no blood trails but I always killed my deer. They were also very accurate in my rifle. I switched over to Barnes bullets. They aren't quite as accurate but I get pass throughs and blood trails. They put the hurt on a deer. Although I killed and recovered my PB deer the chance was there that one might run farther and die without leaving a blood trail and I'd lose him. I didn't want to chance it any more.
 
Deer Assassin...thank you sir. That's just what I'm looking for. They all run on me; they're all dead but they all run. Maybe that's par for the course. Ain't complaining just looking to see what others are seeing.

Very fine deer, sir. Thanks much for the insight and additional recommendations.

BW
 
I had TERRIBLE results with powerbelts, both at the range and with deer. Terrible groups are all I have ever seen with them (in my gun and others). I tried a bunch before landing on Barnes 245 grain spitfire boattail bullets. 1 1/2" groups at 100, 4" groups at 200" with 78 weighed grains (shows 105 on a volume measurer) of 777. They are devistating on contact too.
 
IMO there is only one mz bullet to shoot.
100gr loose Blackhorn209
Barnes 300gr. Expander-MZ
And use a hot shotshell primer, CCI 209m, Federal 209a
 
Boll Weevil said:
Deer Assassin...thank you sir. That's just what I'm looking for. They all run on me; they're all dead but they all run. Maybe that's par for the course. Ain't complaining just looking to see what others are seeing.

Very fine deer, sir. Thanks much for the insight and additional recommendations.

BW
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what mike belt said about powerbelts i agree 100 % with the exception of the 405 lead hp

bsk will agree how ever he uses 405 copper aero tip power belt motor oil is motor oil

i have killed several with 245 and 295 no way in heck i will go to the woods with them

all the bullets i mentioned i have killed with and was tickled with performance all pass through

i forgot to add barnes expanders 300 gn hp very accurate but like this in the smokless at 2396 fps deadly in a reg ml at normal speed i have only killed one dropped in tracks no pass through

all of the kills with those bullets listed above was with loose 777 from 80 to 110 grains i like loose powder to tailor accuracy and speed
 
On my post I should of been more specific none of my deer were over 135lbs idk if that matters or not but it has a lil something to do with it in my mind.
 
One thing I'm piecing together from these responses; maybe I am pushing them a little too fast? 270gr, AeroTip, 150gr of Triple Seven. Pellets vs loose powder. Maybe the bullet is going to pieces...no pass thru.

Like I said, the gun just absolutely loves the combo when it comes to accuracy and I have quite a few stands where I can shoot a fur'piece. I ain't too proud to try something else if it kills more reliably and can still hold a solid, repeatable group at moderate distances.
 
Mike Belt said:
I shot PBs for several years and killed quite a few deer. . . . . I switched over to Barnes bullets.
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x 2

Most muzzleloaders I've tried would get decent accuracy with PBs. I just prefer a little flatter trajectory and the Barnes bullets. This year, I'm using the Barnes Spit-Fire 290gr T-EX with the Barnes supplied blue sabots in everything, as this particular Barnes has been the best-grouping bullet ever for my Savage smokeless.
 
245gr AeroTip PB.. With 100gr pellets.. Never had a problem with em and I'm very confident at 175 yards. And have hit good at 200 on targets. A lot of drop though to be shooting a deer that far. Bottom really falls out at past 150..
 
I shoot the 295 grain powerbelt hp out of my cva buckhorn. At 100 yards I can group 3 pretty close without cleaning between shots. Never failed to get pass through or blood trail. The majority I have shot have dropped where they stood.
 
I like the sst's switched about3 years ago you don't regret switching IMO. But I've only heard of very few deer being dropped with a ml but I never got a pass through with a pb. I have never not gotten one with a sst
 
when you push them fast with max loads they wont pass thru most of the time with standard pb,i have never lost 1 and 50y is the average run. had many drt and a full 1/2" hole lets blood out really well unless the shot is high and then no other bullet will either, gut shots tend to get plugged up also and a pass thru might help let blood out better with 2 holes
 
TNRifleman said:
I have shot 2 deer with 250 gr. Hornady SST's in front of 2 - 777 pellets. Both shot between 30 and 40 yards and fell where they were hit. I have shot my MZ off the bench quite a bit and found the SST's to be super accurate.
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I started shooting Hornady SST's a couple years ago and have since started shooting Hornady out of my rifles. I've had really good luck with these.
 
I've decided to try something different; likely the Barnes and/or SST. Seems like there may be better options available than the PB.

Thanks all for the input.
 
250grn Hornady XTP, They perform great and have shot well out of several different guns for us.
 
I use 300g Hornady SST. I just started MZ hunting a couple of years ago, and they're the first bullet I tried. They pattern fine and the one deer I shot with them dropped like a sack of rocks.

... and I found a box of them on sale at the end of last season for about $7, so I couldn't really argue with that.
 
Poser said:
Similar results for me with PBs as well. -killed lots of deer (.45 cal shooting 195gr), but blood trails and pass thrus are minimal. I'd like to experiment with another round/ I need to experiment with another round, but I have yet to get around to actually doing so. When I first acquired a Mzl, it came with a bunch of PBs and I was told they perform well in that particular gun, which is true as I get consistent groups. Note that I always strive for fully broadside, double lung shots and, though I have my gun zeroed for 150, my longest shot has been 70 yards. While, I'd be interested in finding better results (blood trial/ pass thru) and expanding my effective killing yardage, maybe the conservative nature of my setup is a good thing?
Click to expand...

150 is not that conservative for a MZ. At 200 yards you can expect 12-15 inches of drop. I've shot a lot at that range and I have killed two that far, but I feel much more comfortable at 150ish. If you're getting solid 150 yard groups, I wouldn't be hard pressed to change unless it's for better penetration/blood trails. The Barnes are solid copper with perforations to allow for expansion into pedals. With the exception of a 200 yard shoulder shot (no trailing required), I have always gotten pass-throughs with the Barnes.
 
I lost several deer to "shallow penetration" shots that should have killed them cleanly , and while I loved the easy loading I despised the penetration. I switched to Hornady FPB's and have killed several bucks. The first fell within 10 yards of being hit, layed there for a few minutes then got up and moved about 15 yards and fell and died there. the next two dropped in their tracks, and one I liver hit, reflecting off his front leg instead of breaking thru it and I chased him 500 yards before he expired from the destroyed liver. That shot was on me and my fault but this heavier bullet is my favorite. I haven't tried the heaviest of the P.B.'s but would be willing to.






 
Out of my Prohunter .50cal I shoot 90grains of Blackhorn with Barnes 250gr TMZ BT, I throw away the sabot that comes with it and use a Harvester crushed rib sabot.

So far this year I have shot it 11 times and killed a pronghorn at 160 yards (he dropped dead in his tracks) without once cleaning it or running a swab through.

Here is my target before I went to WY. Center group is 50 yards and the top group is 100 yards, this was NOT out of a vice and by far the best grouping I have ever had with a muzzle loader. I do not consider myself an expert marksman so I am extremely happy with this combo.




Do some research on your gun, if you can shoot the blackhorn I highly suggest it. The fact of not having to swab the barrel every other time is fantastic, the increased accuracy I got was a bonus.
 

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