Powerbelt Bullets!!

[BSK]

I do not shoot for "knock downs" with an MZ. I shoot for a double lung hit and a big blood trail. Now with a centerfire, if I'm worried about a deer running too far, I will shoot for the high-shoulder knock down, which works quite well with high speed, high-energy bullets.

 

[BSK]

ok all. so, help me understand. not trying to start anything, just want some help understanding what you all are talking about. much of what I have learned has been self taught. I've not done a lot of research on bullet performance because, in my opinion, mine have done what I think is good. the biggest majority of the time deer drop in their tracks. I've had a few run less than 100 yards - some with better blood trails than others. Is it wrong not to be worried about blood trails when the deer pretty much falls in their tracks or within sight distance? these bullets were all recovered from the deer.

To be clear, I'm shooting Powerbelt 295 HP. I've attached a photo of 12 recovered PB's. I see, from my understanding, four of them are quite mangled, while 8 appear to me to be near perfect expansion? I never like the Aerotips, so I use the HP only.
View attachment 115730

Just comes down to the age-old argument, which do you like better, heavy bullets going slower that fully pass through, or lighter bullets going faster that expand dramatically and do more internal damage. Some hunters prefer one, some the other. Personally, I'm firmly in the "big bullets going slower but penetrating deeper" camp. Just personal experience from observation of hundreds and hundreds of deer shot with an MZ.

 

[Jcalder]

Try them. Nothing goes through LESS than a roundball. First, they have low weight (less inertia). Second, they flatten out like a pancake, dramatically slowing their penetration speed.

I shot them for about 4 years about 20 years ago. I quit when I got my first in-line.

 

[MUP]

Heck I've used these 260 gr "plinking" bullets ever since I started ML hunting and every deer I've shot with them has died, and the longest blood trail I had to "follow" sts, was only 30 yards, and that was a circular run and he died within 10 yds of where I shot him. The only exception was with the biggest buck I've ever taken, back in 2017, I shot him 2 inches farther back than I wanted and got lungs and some liver, and he ran over 150 yds, but it was a pass thru, and a good blood trail developed to follow.

 

[Willysman]

Went to Cabela's yesterday to buy some 250 grain Powerbelt Bullets and they were 30.00 dollars a pack,didn't buy them,stopped at Walmart on the way home,the very exact pack were 18.56 dollars.Cabelas don't get much of my business anymore

Mine either. That's the reason they had to sell to Bass Pro. Priced themselves out of business.

 

[ROVERBOY]

Try them. Nothing goes through LESS than a roundball. First, they have low weight (less inertia). Second, they flatten out like a pancake, dramatically slowing their penetration speed.

I've killed a couple years ago with .490" round balls out of a .50 and they're fair. Another hunter told me .54 is a lot better. I've got a .58 I want to try. I might use it this season instead of my .50 inline.

 

[BSK]

I've killed a couple years ago with .490" round balls out of a .50 and they're fair. Another hunter told me .54 is a lot better. I've got a .58 I want to try. I might use it this season instead of my .50 inline.

My brother shot a 54 designed for round-balls (slow twist) for years. Never a pass-through. Lost a buck to round-balls (only found later), and he swore off them.

 

[jlanecr500]

If you want to put a big hole in a deer with a non smokeless muzzleloader, look no further than Barnes Expander MZ.

Expander MZ - Barnes Bullets

www.barnesbullets.com

 

[Headhunter]

Just comes down to the age-old argument, which do you like better, heavy bullets going slower that fully pass through, or lighter bullets going faster that expand dramatically and do more internal damage. Some hunters prefer one, some the other. Personally, I'm firmly in the "big bullets going slower but penetrating deeper" camp. Just personal experience from observation of hundreds and hundreds of deer shot with an MZ.

IMO, the "age old argument" does not come into consideration anymore, at least now with modern muzzleloaders and I still, at times, hunt with a percussion, open sights and am looking to get a flintlock. There are several bullet offerings for modern muzzleloaders that are not only lighter so they are flatter shooting (not only do as much damage, but most likely more) and they exit. Also what I shoot out of a traditional muzzleloader is completely different than what I shoot out of a modern muzzleloader. And with a traditional muzzleloader, I am only using a 50 cal. Modern muzzleloader, 45 cal only. Basically no difference in killing ability in a 45 and a 50 in a modern muzzleloader, well the 45 should shoot flatter, so if needed you have an easier time of shooting at distance. Actually when the "modern" muzzleloader craze started, I called and talked to any and everyone I knew, gun makers included, about killing deer at longer distances, what caliber should I get? Every single person and company advised to get a 45 caliber to effectively kill deer at longer distances.

 

[BSK]

I have no doubt 45 caliber in-lines have faster muzzle velocities and flatter trajectory Headhunter. But considering my average MZ shot distance is 32 yards - basically bow-range - I prefer to hit them hard and drive a big hole through them, even if my big bullets drop like a rock after 75 yards.

I also have no personal experience with 45 caliber sabotted pistol rounds out of 50 caliber in-lines. I just don't like the idea of losing caliber and penetration by going with a smaller, lighter, faster bullet.

 

[Trapper John]

...

I also have no personal experience with 45 caliber sabotted pistol rounds out of 50 caliber in-lines. I just don't like the idea of losing caliber and penetration by going with a smaller, lighter, faster bullet.

I'm not sure if it'll matter, but I had similar concerns. The average shot on our place is maybe 40 yards. And I like blood trails. If it ever comes down to it for you, I can offer up my experience that the 300 grain XTP bullets have given myself and my dad excellent results and full pass throughs on all but one deer over the last 15 years of using them. One thing I do differently that may or may not matter is a lighter charge. We both shoot 80 grains by volume. Less recoil. Better accuracy. Lots of blood.

 

[BSK]

I'm not sure if it'll matter, but I had similar concerns. The average shot on our place is maybe 40 yards. And I like blood trails. If it ever comes down to it for you, I can offer up my experience that the 300 grain XTP bullets have given myself and my dad excellent results and full pass throughs on all but one deer over the last 15 years of using them. One thing I do differently that may or may not matter is a lighter charge. We both shoot 80 grains by volume. Less recoil. Better accuracy. Lots of blood.

Interesting info. Thanks.

 

[Headhunter]

I have no doubt 45 caliber in-lines have faster muzzle velocities and flatter trajectory Headhunter. But considering my average MZ shot distance is 32 yards - basically bow-range - I prefer to hit them hard and drive a big hole through them, even if my big bullets drop like a rock after 75 yards.

I also have no personal experience with 45 caliber sabotted pistol rounds out of 50 caliber in-lines. I just don't like the idea of losing caliber and penetration by going with a smaller, lighter, faster bullet.

Average shot is 32 yards? Be interested to know where does that data come from? And "hit hard and drive a big hole", deer rarely take a step when I shoot them with any one of the 3 muzzleloaders I own in 45. I cannot remember one going more than 20 yards, and it rare that they take more than a few steps and I have killed deer from point blank range out to 260 yards with a muzzleloader. I have also killed a "few" deer with a muzzleloader. Actually to me, a muzzleloader are not much different than shooting a deer with one of my proverbial "cannons", I have couple rifles in 7MMSTW and a 26 Nosler, actually deer have ran further with my rifles than any ever with my muzzleloaders. Depending on bullet type, I have seen exit holes from my rifle big enough to drop a softball in and a couple deer still ran over 100 yards, one doe, most of a lung was hanging out of the exit hole and she still ran close to 150 yards.

To me the average shot distance means nothing. I hunt in places where my longest shot, even with a gun, may be 50 yards or less, I also hunt in places where my longest shot will be however far I can accurately shoot. In November, I try to be where I can see as much as I can and for sure a 100 to 150 yard shot is not out of the realm of possibility even on the public land I hunt and a couple of the public places a rifle is not allowed. Next weekend in KY, I can see 300 in one direction and 400 in the other, yep, I am going to shoot and be prepared to take the longest shot I can, which with my new muzzleloader should be 300, I will know for sure after today.

If I hunt with traditional, it will be open sights and longest shot I have made was 107 yards and that is 7 yards beyond what I feel like should be my max.

If I hunt with "modern", I am going to max out not only knock down ability, but also distance to cleanly kill a deer, not that it matters to anyone but me, and I see nothing wrong with a 50 ( I think in some states it is illegal to hunt with a caliber smaller than 50, they may also be traditional only), but IMO it is hard to beat a 45 for "knock down power and distance", especially for deer.

 

[BSK]

Average shot is 32 yards? Be interested to know where does that data come from?

I'm a datahead. If you hunt my place you must collect a multitude of data points from every hunt: time on stand, time off stand, time of every deer sighting, details of every deer seen, weather conditions, moon conditions, etc. One of the data points is distance of every shot fired. The average MZ shot distance over 36 years has been 32 yards. Average centerfire shot distance has been 36 yards.

 

[MUP]

I'm a datahead. If you hunt my place you must collect a multitude of data points from every hunt: time on stand, time off stand, time of every deer sighting, details of every deer seen, weather conditions, moon conditions, etc. One of the data points is distance of every shot fired. The average MZ shot distance over 36 years has been 32 yards. Average centerfire shot distance has been 36 yards.

I can believe that for around my place as well, especially when you factor in a couple of spine shots that had to be shot twice and at nearly point blank range.

 

[THEdonkey0515]

I've heard too many bad stories about powerbelt bullets, I've never used em. Hornady XTP 240 grain hollow points have served me well. I picked up two boxes a couple weeks ago

Best around IMO

 

[ROVERBOY]

I've used a little bit of everything over the years in 3 different rifles. I've been using Maxi-hunters the last 7-8 years.

 

[BSK]

I've used a little bit of everything over the years in 3 different rifles. I've been using Maxi-hunters the last 7-8 years.

Used to use those in my Hawken. Always liked them, but you have to cut the rifling at loading, which can be tough.

 

[ROVERBOY]

Yeah, I just use my ball starter and they load pretty easy after that. I've killed several years ago with 240 XTP sabots, 2 with Shockwaves, 2 with .50 caliber round balls, 2 with 260 Partition hollow points, and at least one with 370 gr. Maxi-Balls. The 350 gr. Maxi-Hunters kill pretty quick and they were pretty cheap.

 

[taylor j]

Heresy!!!! I will never shoot a 45 caliber pistol bullet out of a 50 caliber rifle! The whole point of an MZ is knock a huge hole through a deer!

Honestly, I'm just stuck in the past. Just like a still "think like a bow-hunter" when setting up stands, even though I haven't bow-hunted in 15 years, I still "think like a Hawken shooter" when it comes to muzzleloaders, even though I've been using an inline for 20 years. For me, it's all about full-passthroughs with the heaviest, largest caliber bullet possible.

My .45 can knock coke can exit holes. It's all about the shooting the proper bullet. Powebelts are probably one of the worst muzzle loader bullets made in my opinion. Check out Parker BE or fury star tip2 bullets. They absolutely crush deer and are super accurate!