Got some FPB's 50 cal 350 grain
08-19-2008, 05:35 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Kerrville, Tx. USA
Posts: 2,722
RE: Got some FPB's 50 cal 350 grain
ORIGINAL: frontier gander
They shot horrible in my Omega, Loading them was a dirty bore was about as easy as removing cement from a 400 yard old cannon that was soaked in salt water for about 20 years.
Prone to shedding the pedals that form when bullet impacts. Not bad but still limits the size of the hole. I prefer a Big hole all the way through.
Should be interesting to see how they open up, if at all, on game on lung shots.
If you shoot them, swab between shots or else its pretty bad getting them down. I can load sabots easier on a fouled bore than i can with these.
They shot horrible in my Omega, Loading them was a dirty bore was about as easy as removing cement from a 400 yard old cannon that was soaked in salt water for about 20 years.
Prone to shedding the pedals that form when bullet impacts. Not bad but still limits the size of the hole. I prefer a Big hole all the way through.
Should be interesting to see how they open up, if at all, on game on lung shots.
If you shoot them, swab between shots or else its pretty bad getting them down. I can load sabots easier on a fouled bore than i can with these.
If you really don't want to swab between shots, use blackhorn 209. I suspect that they would shoot accurately with pyrodex, if you swabbed between shots. Out of my Omega, they shot very well with 777 (with swabbing) and with 209 (without swabbing). They also shot very well out of my KRB with 777 (with swabbing)
You make allowances for powerbelts indeosycries, so you have to make some allowances for FPB's. They ARE larger than bore, so it makes perfect sense that if you use a somewhat dirty powder, they will be too tight to load well without swabbing. AND IT ALSO MAKES SENSE THAT THAT WOULD DETRIMENTALLY AFFECT ACCURACY. The only reason you can load multiple powerbelts without swabbing is that the bullet itself is smaller than bore, and the plastic gives a little.
I have never been able to shoot 15 times without swabbing (even with pyrodex and powerbelts) and have the last five shots be just as accurate as the first 5, but with my Omega, BH 209 and FPB's that happened for me with the last 5 shots making a 2 & 1/2 inch group at 100 yards with a peep sight.
Truth be told, neither of us know much about the FPB's and won't until many critters go down with them. I am taking a wait and see attitude, but for the time being, I personally consider them as good as, if not superior to powerbelts for what I want to do with conicals. Only time with tell if I am right or not. WIth 90 grains of BH 209 behind them, they are going to be getting a try by me this fall.
08-19-2008, 08:03 PM
#13
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 5,180
RE: Got some FPB's 50 cal 350 grain
I shot more than enough to tell me that they are not the conical for me!
When a sabot loads easier than a conical, i'll use that sabot over the fpb.
I want to be able to reload at least 3 shots on a dirty bore. I dont run around the woods in my french maid suit with all my cleaning supplies around my skirt.
Its still fun and interesting to try out new things as they come. But this one is just not for me.
A hornady great plains, bull shop load a lot easier on a dirty bore and i can get accuracy out of them without swabbing.
Fast reload time to me is important. Especially this year when i will be hunting is very cold mountain weather. I dont need to strain and grunt trying to get a new load down the bore when its snowing.
When a sabot loads easier than a conical, i'll use that sabot over the fpb.
I want to be able to reload at least 3 shots on a dirty bore. I dont run around the woods in my french maid suit with all my cleaning supplies around my skirt.
Its still fun and interesting to try out new things as they come. But this one is just not for me.
A hornady great plains, bull shop load a lot easier on a dirty bore and i can get accuracy out of them without swabbing.
Fast reload time to me is important. Especially this year when i will be hunting is very cold mountain weather. I dont need to strain and grunt trying to get a new load down the bore when its snowing.
08-19-2008, 08:17 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Kerrville, Tx. USA
Posts: 2,722
RE: Got some FPB's 50 cal 350 grain
To each his own. I was worried about loading FPB's in my Omega, because they are known for having very tight bores, but at least in my Omega, they load fairly easy. Just the luck of the draw with my specific barrel. I suspect you got a tighter one. And to each his own with powder, 'cause with blackhorn 209 I can shoot as many times as I want without swabbing. To me, that is worth a lot, so I won't be running around the woods with my french maid suit either, not even after 3 or 4 shots.
I can tell you this too: The best group I ever got out of my Omega with powerbelts was 4 inches at 100 yards and I shot that once.
Doesn't mean one is better, just that each barrel/ each gun is different.
" I shot more than enough to tell me that they are not the conical for me!"
There have certainly been a lot of people who said this after using powerbelts. Granted, most of them are ill advised and pushing them too fast, but we don't know what the FPB's can do yet. Power to your "powerbelt hunting experiment" and power to my "FPB hunting experiment".
I can tell you this too: The best group I ever got out of my Omega with powerbelts was 4 inches at 100 yards and I shot that once.
Doesn't mean one is better, just that each barrel/ each gun is different.
" I shot more than enough to tell me that they are not the conical for me!"
There have certainly been a lot of people who said this after using powerbelts. Granted, most of them are ill advised and pushing them too fast, but we don't know what the FPB's can do yet. Power to your "powerbelt hunting experiment" and power to my "FPB hunting experiment".
08-19-2008, 08:23 PM
#15
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 5,180
RE: Got some FPB's 50 cal 350 grain
.502" bore on my omega
My field test is simply for fun and a good way to get forum members to get together and have a good time.
I tested the FPB for those who are going to use them. I am not the only person who wants an easy to load conical.
My field test is simply for fun and a good way to get forum members to get together and have a good time.
I tested the FPB for those who are going to use them. I am not the only person who wants an easy to load conical.
08-19-2008, 08:33 PM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,607
RE: Got some FPB's 50 cal 350 grain
Despite the fact I'm not going to pay $1+ a bullet I think the FPB is a great thing for the industry. Hopefully other companies will follow suit and give us some more options for conicals. I just wish they'd keep the cost down. I'm lookin' forward to seeing some field reports on them this fall and winter.
Gonna be hard to top a good ol' Bullshop though
Gonna be hard to top a good ol' Bullshop though
08-19-2008, 08:54 PM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Kerrville, Tx. USA
Posts: 2,722
RE: Got some FPB's 50 cal 350 grain
"I tested the FPB for those who are going to use them. I am not the only person who wants an easy to load conical."
My point is that you have not really "tested" them. From my point of view, you shot a few and pronounced them inadequate.
I and many others have done some more extensive testing and like what we see so far. I have shot them with 2 different powders in two different guns at multiple grains of powder. Probably over 100 shots so far. Not through with testing, but they show promise to me.
That and the fact that in my particular Omega, they are BY FAR the best shooting conical I have found AND load fairly easily. And I have tried for over 4 years with all kinds of conical and powders to find one that would shoot well.
My point is that you have not really "tested" them. From my point of view, you shot a few and pronounced them inadequate.
I and many others have done some more extensive testing and like what we see so far. I have shot them with 2 different powders in two different guns at multiple grains of powder. Probably over 100 shots so far. Not through with testing, but they show promise to me.
That and the fact that in my particular Omega, they are BY FAR the best shooting conical I have found AND load fairly easily. And I have tried for over 4 years with all kinds of conical and powders to find one that would shoot well.
