Moving away from Powerbelt bullets; Need recommendations
01-10-2009, 01:39 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 295
Moving away from Powerbelt bullets; Need recommendations
When it comes to black powder, I was shooting Powerbelt bullets. I use them in a CVA Optima Pro - .50 cal. The accuracy is spot on; however, I have been disappointed with the lack of pass through and penetration. Having lost two deer over the prior two seasons, (they ran of w/ no blood trail), I am at the point where I lost confidence in the bullet. Towards the end of the ML season this year, I was letting deer walk, even as close as 50 yards. Time for a change.
To the point, I would like some recommendations for a bullet with good penetration and consistent accuracy for this gun. So far, I have the following four recommendations: 1) Hornady 44cal 240gr HP/XTP bullet; 2) Hornady 45cal 240gr XTP/MAG bullet; 3) Thompson center 50cal mag express sabots 240gr XTP bullets; and 4) and the Thompson center 50cal mag express sabots 230gr XTP. I appreciate your thoughts and comments.
To the point, I would like some recommendations for a bullet with good penetration and consistent accuracy for this gun. So far, I have the following four recommendations: 1) Hornady 44cal 240gr HP/XTP bullet; 2) Hornady 45cal 240gr XTP/MAG bullet; 3) Thompson center 50cal mag express sabots 240gr XTP bullets; and 4) and the Thompson center 50cal mag express sabots 230gr XTP. I appreciate your thoughts and comments.
01-10-2009, 02:05 PM
#3
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: Moving away from Powerbelt bullets; Need recommendations
Personally if you want to make sure you stop them, go to a Barnes, Nosler, or even a Speer. I personally like a Hornady .44 caliber 300 grain XTP in a harvester sabot in my rifles. I think with 100 grains of powder and that bullet it will flatten a deer. But the deer in my area refuse to cooperate unless I am walking around with an old roundball shooter.
01-10-2009, 03:44 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,585
RE: Moving away from Powerbelt bullets; Need recommendations
The bullets you mention will all do better than what you were using, I have tried them, I have taken a lot of deer with XTP's I have even taken a few with PB's did not care for the problems that went with them though. I have taken to using the 250 Gold Dot it has given me excellent results out to 150 yds, I have one place I hunt where 200 to 225 yd shots are common there I use SW's 250 gr for deer. Try all the ones you like best and use the one that shoots best in your gun. Lee
01-10-2009, 04:06 PM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
RE: Moving away from Powerbelt bullets; Need recommendations
vadeer
AMEN... Shoot them only if you have to.
The suggestions that Cayugad offered are excellent choices. I would lonlt change the order - Nosler Partition HG's, A variet of different Barnes, and the Speer Gold Dot which is often overlooked in favor of the XTP's.
I shoot Noslers for hunting and since they are so expensive - I shoot the Speers for range work and practice. I shoot a .458/300 grain (45-70)Nosler Partiton Protected Point for elk and the .451/260 grain Nosler Partition HG for deer. I callthe Speer Gold Dots a 'poor man's Nosler' as they are a bonded Uni-Cor bullet with dot in the lead that stops expansion at a certain point but allows the bullet to continue penetrating.
Cayugad found an excellent bullet also that I did not know about about. A .458/300 grain Special Purpose projectile built for the Marlin 45-70.
The next thing will to be to find the correct thickness of sabot to fit your gun.... maybe the Harvester Short black/MMP HPH-24 or if they are to tight the Harvester Crush Rib or the MMP HPH-3p-EZ...
Good luck....
The accuracy is spot on; however, I have been disappointed with the lack of pass through and penetration.
The suggestions that Cayugad offered are excellent choices. I would lonlt change the order - Nosler Partition HG's, A variet of different Barnes, and the Speer Gold Dot which is often overlooked in favor of the XTP's.
I shoot Noslers for hunting and since they are so expensive - I shoot the Speers for range work and practice. I shoot a .458/300 grain (45-70)Nosler Partiton Protected Point for elk and the .451/260 grain Nosler Partition HG for deer. I callthe Speer Gold Dots a 'poor man's Nosler' as they are a bonded Uni-Cor bullet with dot in the lead that stops expansion at a certain point but allows the bullet to continue penetrating.
Cayugad found an excellent bullet also that I did not know about about. A .458/300 grain Special Purpose projectile built for the Marlin 45-70.
The next thing will to be to find the correct thickness of sabot to fit your gun.... maybe the Harvester Short black/MMP HPH-24 or if they are to tight the Harvester Crush Rib or the MMP HPH-3p-EZ...
Good luck....
01-10-2009, 04:20 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Kerrville, Tx. USA
Posts: 2,722
RE: Moving away from Powerbelt bullets; Need recommendations
If you need/want to stay with a conical, the Hornady FPB has been doing well in my guns and others. I took an elk with one this fall, she went about 50 yards. It is 350 grains though, so some of the suggestions are good ones if you want a smaller projectile.
01-10-2009, 07:08 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Camp Lejeune, NC
Posts: 3,869
RE: Moving away from Powerbelt bullets; Need recommendations
Hornaday XTP's are pretty accurate for me. They're great to shoot for range work because they are cheap. But I will be using Barnes T-EZ's for hunting. Either of those bullets would be good for deer. I just like the weight retention characteristics of the T-EZ and the way it expands with the razor sharp pedals for maximum damage.
01-10-2009, 09:00 PM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Upstate New York-Broome County
Posts: 597
RE: Moving away from Powerbelt bullets; Need recommendations
ORIGINAL: cayugad
Personally if you want to make sure you stop them, go to a Barnes, Nosler, or even a Speer. I personally like a Hornady .44 caliber 300 grain XTP in a harvester sabot in my rifles. I think with 100 grains of powder and that bullet it will flatten a deer. But the deer in my area refuse to cooperate unless I am walking around with an old roundball shooter.
Personally if you want to make sure you stop them, go to a Barnes, Nosler, or even a Speer. I personally like a Hornady .44 caliber 300 grain XTP in a harvester sabot in my rifles. I think with 100 grains of powder and that bullet it will flatten a deer. But the deer in my area refuse to cooperate unless I am walking around with an old roundball shooter.
Charlie