I'm "Outing" Myself: Powerbelts

[Jonathan_S]

Okay so I've hunted the muzzle-loader seasons since 2010.  I've killed two bucks and a bear since then with my CVA Buckhorn.

And I am going to admit something.  I LOVE Powerbelts!!!    I don't even care who knows. 

I have killed all animals cleanly and at distances of 120 yards and less so Sabotloader don't get mad at me, I'm not claiming I can get tighter groups or better expansion or anything like that.  I'm just saying, I actually am enamored with how they've performed thus far.

Anyone else dig Powerbelts?  Admit it!   

[huntnnw]

nope! they dont shoot well out of my gun and now that WA doesnt require all lead Ill never use all lead again

[Jonathan_S]

I use the jacketed ones, the lead ones are too soft, I never tightened up my groups with the lead. On the range, the 348 grain HPs behave very well as long as I don't get the barrel too hot, then I get a few fliers.

[carpsniperg2]

I had mixed results with them. I liked how they shot but the lead bullets preformed so poorly on animals it was unreal. Now that we can use copper I would bet they are a better choice now days.

[Jonathan_S]

Makes sense, I started hunting with them before all-lead was mandatory so I never had to experience that.  I have so far been pleased with how the bigger bullets perform on game and never had trouble with a poorly performed projectile, all quick recoveries. 

The aerotips are not worth the investment in my opinion, dad shot a bear with one and it exploded on the shoulder blade, barely penetrated.  That's what the .44 comes in handy for...kill shot.

[hunterrcc]

I had mixed results with them. I liked how they shot but the lead bullets preformed so poorly on animals it was unreal. Now that we can use copper I would bet they are a better choice now days.

I agree they perform poorly on animals. 

I shot them a lot and they shoot awesome for tight groupings on the range and they are fine at very short distances but they expand way too much to fast and don't penetrated the animal.  I will not shot them on an animal again. Try some with ballistic points and/or copper jacketed and you will find way better penetration on animals and they are flatter shooting too in my opinion.  I have killed a few deer and bull elk with powerbelts bullets but there are way better bullet choices now. 

[carpsniperg2]

I was bummed they shot amazing in one of my guns and I was so happy with them. Until I shot my first animal with them. That is the only time I have ever shot a animal with muzzleloader or rifle, that actually took the shot and stood there looking at me trying to reload. They pancaked so bad it was unreal.

[huntnnw]

Barnes TMZ 300 gr in my TC Blackdiamond shoot phenominal!! They blow thru elk

[carpsniperg2]

I am running the 290g barnes in my smoke poles now and had great luck.

[huntnnw]

Last elk I shot I spined..blew thru the spine and recoved the bullet mushroomed out.

[hunterrcc]

Barnes TMZ 300 gr in my TC Blackdiamond shoot phenominal!! They blow thru elk

Good to hear about this... since I switched a few years ago I have been shooting the all lead sabots with a ballistic tip from Sportsmen Warehouse I believe by Dead Accurate I think is the name.  They shoot good groups very flat and fast.  I wanted to switch to copper jacket bullets just didn't find any I liked.  I have the same gun so I am going to try them out.  Where have you found them the cheapest? 

[carpsniperg2]

hunterrcc those are the bullets I switched to after the powerbelts didn't turn out for me. I shot the 340s as well as my family and friends and I still like them to this day and would have no problem going back to them. Yet I still do prefer the barnes bullets.

[huntnnw]

bought last ones at Cabelas. I did penetration tests with a bunch of bullets and why anyone would use lead is beyond me. The Barnes penetrated 5x farther than lead

[hunterrcc]

hunterrcc those are the bullets I switched to after the powerbelts didn't turn out for me. I shot the 340s as well as my family and friends and I still like them to this day and would have no problem going back to them. Yet I still do prefer the barnes bullets.

I figured I would shoot up my bullets I have a few boxes of them and when I get short on them I would look into switching to a jacketed one.  Good to know.  I was shooting light 180 gr ones last season for deer.  I didn't have time to double check that the bigger 300+grains were shooting the same as a few years ago when I shot them.  So I hunted with the 180gr ones for elk last year knowing that they were small in my opinion for elk but I was hunting close shooting area in a swamp.  I knew these shot fast and accurate and I shot my bull last year at 70yards quartered away downhill and went through the very front part of the hind quarter( his leg was way forward standing kinda weird) and right into the ribs and through the lung and out the front shoulder. I took a second shot when he was stand their still and hit him in the spine and it pasted through completely  broke the spine in half.  I was a little worried about the light bullet weight but seeing the damage it did was impressive.   

[TommyGun496]

Okay so I've hunted the muzzle-loader seasons since 2010.  I've killed two bucks and a bear since then with my CVA Buckhorn.

And I am going to admit something.  I LOVE Powerbelts!!!    I don't even care who knows. 

I have killed all animals cleanly and at distances of 120 yards and less so Sabotloader don't get mad at me, I'm not claiming I can get tighter groups or better expansion or anything like that.  I'm just saying, I actually am enamored with how they've performed thus far.

Anyone else dig Powerbelts?  Admit it!   

Wait until you miss the sweet spot...that bullet will let you down!