Powerbelt Hunters/Shooters needed!

[APBT1]

I was thinking about setting up a group of Powerbelt Hunters to use certain Powerbelts/loads for this years hunting season. I thought it would be fun for the hunters to find the Powerbelt they want to shoot, pick out a load, sight in, and then hunt with it this year and take pictures "If possible" and take a detailed report/story of the hunt,How the bullet performed, Internal damage, Distance deer travels after being hit, The way the animal acted after being hit. Just a really darn good write up on how that certain bullet/load you used, Performed in the field.

[Cabela's Moderator]

APBT1,
Your idea for discussion on bullet and load performance would be welcome on this forum, but we will not allow links to other forums. If you want to do the above, please do it on this site.

Forum Moderator

[.358 MAN]

I was thinking about setting up a group of Powerbelt Hunters to use certain Powerbelts/loads for this years hunting season. I thought it would be fun for the hunters to find the Powerbelt they want to shoot, pick out a load, sight in, and then hunt with it this year and take pictures "If possible" and take a detailed report/story of the hunt,How the bullet performed, Internal damage, Distance deer travels after being hit, The way the animal acted after being hit. Just a really darn good write up on how that certain bullet/load you used, Performed in the field. Im in. I have experience with powerbelts, it's all I have used..

[APBT1]

Im in. I have experience with powerbelts, it's all I have used..

358man, you have a way i can contact you with the rules? Email address?
bigblock455skylarkcustom@yahoo.com for those who need the rules emailed to them.

[drakemaster]

For me, PowerBelt bullets shot great at the range....(polymer tipped). But in the field I shot two deer that never acted like they were hit. They just stood there twitching it's ears like nothing happened. One walked off and I thought I had missed it... found it the next day. Another I shot at 15 yrds.. it just stood there looking around.. then started to wobble and fell dead. I don't think the bullet expanded, but just poked a hole through the deer.

My buddy was shooting the 300 gr Platinums. He shot a nice buck at 100 yds... the deer ran off. We trailed all evening and could find zero blood. We stumbled upon the deer in the dark. When we rolled him over, he never bled. The hole had gotten plugged up and it's the only time I've nevere seen a drop of blood come from the entry or exit holes after being shot in the sweet spot.

I'll be going back to a hollow point.

[Rich M]

I'm experimenting with the 295 and 348 gr hollow points this year. I'm looking at 90-95 gr of measured 777 out of a CVA Wolf muzzy. Ranges to 150 yards.

I'll try to document everything.

[rooster52]

I have had good results on deer with the 295 hollow points,and plan on using the areo tips on deer and elk in Colorado next fall.

[buckgitter]

For me, PowerBelt bullets shot great at the range....(polymer tipped). But in the field I shot two deer that never acted like they were hit. They just stood there twitching it's ears like nothing happened. One walked off and I thought I had missed it... found it the next day. Another I shot at 15 yrds.. it just stood there looking around.. then started to wobble and fell dead. I don't think the bullet expanded, but just poked a hole through the deer.

My buddy was shooting the 300 gr Platinums. He shot a nice buck at 100 yds... the deer ran off. We trailed all evening and could find zero blood. We stumbled upon the deer in the dark. When we rolled him over, he never bled. The hole had gotten plugged up and it's the only time I've nevere seen a drop of blood come from the entry or exit holes after being shot in the sweet spot.

I'll be going back to a hollow point.

DITTO!!! I think they shoot great at the range but with the copper aero tips I have had some decent bucks walk off like they never were hit. Killed 2 nice 8's with big bodies a few yrs back and the bullet stopped on opposite side inside the hide. No pass through at 75 yds? The bullet is too soft and I won't use it. I would be willing to try the platinums.

[mainedeersniper]

i'm in. heres my contact information....rmbayridge@yahoo.com. Powerbelts work great for me rather it be at the range or in the woods.

[gunsmit 101]

Power belts worked great for me but stay with the hollow points. The aro tips tend to lose the tip in carry in the field. I would hate to have a tip come lose in the barrel before shooting.

[gullythumper]

I've used the 295gr aerotips for the last five years taking seven deer. The furthest any have run is just about 80 yds ( two of them), the rest dropped in their tracks. I use 90gr loose fffg APP in a Thompson Omega

[BIGREDMN]

For me, PowerBelt bullets shot great at the range....(polymer tipped). But in the field I shot two deer that never acted like they were hit. They just stood there twitching it's ears like nothing happened. One walked off and I thought I had missed it... found it the next day. Another I shot at 15 yrds.. it just stood there looking around.. then started to wobble and fell dead. I don't think the bullet expanded, but just poked a hole through the deer.

My buddy was shooting the 300 gr Platinums. He shot a nice buck at 100 yds... the deer ran off. We trailed all evening and could find zero blood. We stumbled upon the deer in the dark. When we rolled him over, he never bled. The hole had gotten plugged up and it's the only time I've nevere seen a drop of blood come from the entry or exit holes after being shot in the sweet spot.

I'll be going back to a hollow point.

Drakemaster,

Your stories are like Deja Vu. I hunt SW Minnesota during opening weekend of the firearms season and for the last 5 years I've used by T/C Encore w/ power belts in lieu of a shotgun. I've had great luck at the range with powerbelts, shooting 1/2" groups at 75 yds. But, the deer I've shot have never dropped or even reacted to the shot with more than a tail flick. The first buck I shot just stood there while the other deer around him fled. He flicked his tail once, hopped the fence, and was gone. I waited a few hours then got down to investigate. I was about to give up, but then found a tiny speck of blood on the snow. After another 30 minutes of looking I found another drop 10 yds away. I eventually found him stone dead in some brush 30 yds from where I shot him. Double lung hit. I have since shot five other bucks that reacted similarly. I shot a nice buck two years ago that was quartering away at 150 yards. The accuracy was phenominal, through the last rib into the heart, but the buck just turned and ran back towards me and stopped below my stand. At that point I had thought I missed, but then he stumbled and fell over backwards. Last year was the breaking point. I drilled a huge 10 pointer that was standing broadside at 150 yards. I could see through my scope that I hit him in the front shoulders. He was dragging one leg, but would not go down. He crossed into the neighbor's property who finished him off and claimed him.

I'm done with powerbelts. Can someone recommend a bullet with some knock-down?

[rooster52]

I had the no blood trail happen to me using the Hornady Great Plains 385 HP. Found the buck because of the snow,but hardly any blood.

[tddeangelo]

Why limit this to PowerBelts? Sounds like this would be more valuable if it was open to various projectile/load combinations.

PowerBelts ain't the only option out there! =)

[buckgitter]

Why limit this to PowerBelts? Sounds like this would be more valuable if it was open to various projectile/load combinations.

PowerBelts ain't the only option out there! =)

They are the only ones that need help!!!!LOL

[rooster52]

I hear a lot of negatve towards the Powerbelt bullets,but they load easy,they are accurate as most bullets I have used,they have killed all the game animals I used them on ,and they are the number 1 selling muzzleloading bullet.
Thats good enough for me!

[Kato_Guy]

+1 Buck gitter

[oneshot 1]

Heard way too much Bad about them I will never take the chance.

oneshot

[ColtWKnight]

BigredMN -

I use 400 grain buffalo bullets, and they have all the knock down power you could ever want. Of course they are not highly sophisticated new technology type stuff that will shoot 1/2" groups at 200 yards.

[Kato_Guy]

I would think this would be a great thread to start but not just powerbelts. It would be great to compare different bullets and the results people have been having with what bullet. We all know no two people will shoot different deer in the exact same place so the bullets will not expand in the same way. But it would be nice to hear what kind of experiences people are having with what bullets.

You usually hear about this time of year what kind of bullet should I use for my muzzle loader? this would be a good place to point people that will give their 1st hand experience. I would like to know what kind of performance others are getting.

I am on my 3rd different muzzle load bullet hopefully this one won't let me down!!

A good site with a lot of 1st hand experience could stop newbies from buyinf the meanest looking bullets or the one with the most colorful tip or the one that slides down the easiest.

kyle

[.30 HART]

I have found a sabot and a good pistol bullet (Horn XTP, Speer Gold Dot etc) does the job quite nicely as these projectiles were designed to work at the velocities one would get out of a ML
If I need to shoot 200 yds I will go to my centerfire rifles.
In my Hawken I like the 275 gr maxi hunter by TC....it knocks a nasty hole in a deer