Okay boys & girls, I'm sure this has been talked about but it was before I got here!? So my plans are to use Powerbelt™ bullets for muzzleloading, I like Pure Lead but some like Copper and now the new Platium bullets cause they look purtty!lol What is the best muzzleloading bullet for accuracy and will stay together on impact?
I'm using a CVA Optima 50cal./ 26"barrel/Burris 3/9/40/Ballistic Plex, also have the 45 cal 28"barrel but can't seem to make a decent group with it so I put the 50 caliber barrel on the stock. Okay fire away people!!

Hey 270, I have a .45 CVA. I tried to get the powerbelts to work for me and couldn't get a group. I use Deadcenter sabots from Cabela's with 100gr of American Pioneer powder and they work great. They are an all lead bullet that kind of reminds me of a Nosler Balistic Tip with a boat tail. I hit a deer with one last season and it spun him in a 360 circle and dropped in it's tracks at about 60 yards. I now won't use anything else.

Powerbelts are soft lead, and I've heard of them coming apart more often than sticking together during a hit. I personally use Hornady XTPs with exceptional results. If I ever shoot through my supply of current XTPs I'd like to try the new SSTs, better BC on the bullet... not that it really matters to a frontstuffer.


-DallanC

I'm using the PowerBelts in a T/C Encore .50 with good results. 100-110 grains of Hodgdon 777 gave me groups around 1.5" at 100 yards. A friend's Encore did the same. We shot them using no lube in the bore. It seems that the plastic skirt is slick enough that, when you lube the bore, it doesn't grab the rifling well enough.

This PowerBelt was recovered from a whitetail doe that was shot at 12 yards. The bullet went through her neck and exited. Then it re-entered through the ribs behind the right shoulder and went on into the left hip, breaking the hip. (Yes, it was an ugly mess!) Original projectile weight was 355 grains, including the skirt. Recovered weight is 153.5 grains.

My old muzzleloader didn't like them. I'm shooting a traditions Pursuit Pro 50 cal with a 1 in 28 twist and it shoots them alright. They are accurate enough for the distance I'm shooting at deer around 2"-3" groups @ 100yds ( 110 grains-777 ). They have performed well and they load so easy . XTP's seem to shoot in any muzzleloader out there, there my fail safe with A muzzleloader if won't shoot put XTP's in and it should do fine.
Joe

I'm thinking the 150grs. of powder is BS, when I had my other muzzleloader I shot 100grs. of powder and it had a nice group.
The 45 cal. with 150grs. is really hard on my shroulder and not being able
to get a group smaller then 6" @ 100yds just won't work and the funny thing is the last shot I fired hit Dead Center....?lol I cleaned the barrel after every shot too, so I'm going after the 50 cal and try reducing my charge to 110grs. of powder. Thanks for the input guys, maybe I can put something together before hunting season. I may even try the 45cal again
with 100grs. of powder, I just hate changing my scope back and forth between barrels and it's setting on the 50 now!
Don

A few years back Powerbelts were all the rage !!!!!!!

Most are now back to using XTP's and Barnes.

If you want good groups, back it down to about 80 or 90 grains of powder !!!!!

I use 'em and love 'em. We're shooting Encores, and they shoot real good, and kill stuff too. I switched to the platinums (from the copper jackets) 2 years ago and have been impressed by the on-game performance.

This one killed last years buck. The bullet hit him in the left front shoulder (he was quartering toward me) and traveled the length of his body, coming to rest under the hide just off his right hip. He went down on the spot, then managed to gain his footing, but only went 20 yards before he went down for good.

This is the only PB I've ever recovered, and as you can see, weight retention is good. I've now taken 4 deer in 2 years since I switched to the platinum version.

You can deduct the 7 grains from the new one for the plastic base and tip.

And they DID change the bullet profile when the platinum came out, along with improving the plastic base. You can see the difference in Mike's new vs. my new one. I'll get some side-by-side pics tomorrow.....

My experience is that the Power Belts are awesome killers BUT they are not the most accurate bullet out there. Like Dallan, I get the best accuracy out of the Hornady 240 gr XTP bullets and they are fine killers too.
The Power Belts are made to load easily and there lies their problem with accuracy. The just don't give a tight seal. I can't give the plastic base any credit either. It seals when fired but not bullet tight for best accuracy.
So, if your shots are short range use the Power Belts and use the Hornady XTPs for longer shots where you need better accuracy.

popgun wrote:

The Power Belts are made to load easily and there lies their problem with accuracy. The just don't give a tight seal.

I belive this is why alot have gone back to the XTP's and Barnes !!!!!!

The copper-washed hollow point Power Belts shoot very well in my Rolling Block muzzle loader from Pedersoli. I think the trick is to have a fast twist barrel. Mine is a 1/22", if memory serves me right, and is probably why it stabilizes the longer bullets. I would doubt if twists much slower than 1/28" would do as well, but I haven't tried any.

SingleShotLover, that's a good point. I think that the Encore has a 1 in 20" twist.

hunterjoe21,Great pictures and I can see the platinum bullet did pick up on the rifleing of your bore/barrel, so that tells me you're not losing pressure, I read that the platinum bullet were soft and would smash to seal as they were fired....so the platinum are not only purtty but they seal good too!
Joe how much powder charge are you using and thanks for the infor?!

My .50 TC Omega likes the 295gr Powerbelts better than the 245gr Powerbelts and the plastic tipped ones better than the hollowpoints. I'm still using the copperwashed ones and have a huge supply that I bought extremely cheap (as the result of accidently visiting a gun store going out of business a few years ago), so I don't anticipate trying the platinum ones in the foreseeable future. I use a 100 gr 777 powder charge. Previously used "Maxi-balls, but could not get good groups with either "Maxi-hunters" or "Buffalo Bullets". Sabots are not allowed during Colorado's Muzzleloader season, so I haven't tried them.

Took a nice muley with a 110 yard neck shot from shooting sticks with one last year. Not a monster, but big enough so that the video people would have been doing "high fives". My shooting confidence was up because the previous day I came upon 2 dusky grouse and waited until their necks were crossed, then decapitated both with one shot. Of course a 295 gr bullet is not needed for grouse and a misplaced shot would have destroyed all the meat.