Power Belts

[Blacktail_boy]

I was wondering how many of you fellas have tried using powerbelt bulletes. Thanks to the help of many of you guys on the board here at MM I purchased my first muzzle loader this last summer. Since then I have shot the sabots that the dealer had thown in with the deal. I would really like to find out what seem's to be a quality sabot. I live and hunt in washington, and by the rules cannot hunt with a scope so I am looking for a load/sabot or any help on a good load up to 100 yards? Thanks again. Jordan

 

[centerfire]

I use powerbelts my gun likes the 295gr. Bullet with 100gr. of T-7 2F. I use a Knight 50 CAL. disc ext.
good luck!!

 

[txhunter58]

I use black belt bullets in my 54 cal Thompson center renegade. They shoot great. I can hit within 4 inches of the bull with open sights at 100 yards. I would try them.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[arkansastim]

I switched to Power Belts this year and found them to be quite accurate! I've shot them in both my .50 cal Thompson Center and .54 cal Knight. My dad shot a doe with my .50 and I got a doe with the .54, both were impressive kills. I also am hooked with how easy they load after the first shot. I'm a convert!

 

[BeanMan]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys but Powerbelts are not sabots, they just have a plastic gas check on the base...

BeanMan

 

[Blacktail_boy]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. I just ordered a trail package from cabelas so I'll let you all know what I think of them. Jordan

 

[txhunter58]

Pewerbelts and black belts are NOT sabots and are legal in Colorado, where sabots are outlawed. Don't know about other states.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Q2Dude]

I just got my first ML last week and went out over the weekend. My load of choice (from listening to experienced ML shooters) was T7 and PowerBelts. I ended up with about a 1 3/4" group at 100 yds. I was impressed, but dont know what to compare it to being a ML newbie and all.

 

[RandyWakeman]

Anything 2" or so is all the accuracy you'll ever need in the woods. You are doing great.

 

[sierrasoloist]

I used the powerbelt 295 gr hollowpoint with 150 grains of pyrodex last year. Preseason shooting went well, they shot great and were easy to load. I killed a buck on the third day of the hunt at 80 yards. The buck took a few steps and fell over dead. When I field dressed him I was not impressed with what I found. I had hit the buck behind the shoulder and had not hit a rib and the bullet had not come out. All I could find of the bullet was several small pieces not weighing over a few grains a piece. Later in the day my parnter shot a buck at 95 yards. He made a bad shot and had hit the buck in the hind quarter. We tracked the buck for a few hundred yards before jumping the buck again. This time my partner shot the buck at about 20 yards killing the buck. When we field dressed the buck the second shot had entered behind the shoulder breaking a rib going in and had not come out. The bullet again had came a part into several tiny pieces not weighing over 5 grains a piece. The first shot the bullet had gone in about 2.5 inches before coming totaly apart into the afore mentioned pieces.

Granted, we filled our tags. But, the thin jacket of the bullet has me a little worried. They way the bullet comes apart severly limits penitration so a less than perfect shot may result in a lost animal. And I would absolutely not use them on a larger animal like an elk. Has anyone else had similar results?

Good luck and good hunting,

Sierrasoloist

 

[Silentstalker]

I muzzleloader hunted in 2000 with a good friend of mine. He shoots a CVA and was using powerbelts. He was using the 295 grain bullet and shot a nice buck at 110 yards. He hit him a bit high but still got lungs. That buck went down hard and the bullet expanded nicely. I dont like the reports of them breaking up however. I am wondering if anyone else has had that problem or if you had a bad batch!?
I use Barnes MZ in .54 caliber and they are awesome!

Good luck to you all.

Chad

 

[Inmysights]

I shoot a CVA as well and I used a 295 grain powerbelt and 130 grains of pyrodex....I had no problems whatsoever....my friends and I shot 4 bucks on the muzzleloader hunt and all of us were shooting powerbelts....the longest shot was 120 yards and the shortest was 75 yards. Every buck went down right after being hit. I didn't really check on the other bucks but I know that on mine the bullet penetrated very well and didn't break up. I love the powerbelts for a few reasons....1. I am shooting the best grouping that I have ever shot with a muzzleloader. 1 inch grouping at 100 yards. 2. They are so much easier to load. I don't know about you guys but trying to push a sabot down the barrel after a shot dang near kills me. With the powerbelt it is so much easier. Now this may not be the case for everybody...one of my friends shoots a remington muzzleloader and he can't get his gun to shoot a powerbelt straight at all....so he has to stick with the sabot. I love them and I will continue to use them.

my 4 cents...sorry for being so long winded.

Inmysights

 

[Wolfhound]

The hollowpoints can overexpand (explode). The aerotips (I have been told) don't.

We too, born to freedom, and believing in freedom, are willing to fight to maintain freedom. We, and all others who believe as deeply as we do, would rather die on our feet than live on our knees.-Franklin Roosevelt

 

[fairchase]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-03 AT 02:27PM (MST)[p]IMO some of you guys are using too much powder, with a slug that is too small. If must use 150grs. of powder try at least a 348gr. Powerbelt.

 

[toddrice]

I used the 45 cal 195 grain powerbelt bullets this last year in Idaho. I took a 180" 28" wide buck at 125 yards. He bullet performed fine, but the best thing about them is their ease to load. You can start them by hand just fine, which comes in really great when under pressure trying to get a second shot off.

 

[Cowkiller]

I switched to powerbelts and have shot two elk and a deer. I am using .54 caliber aerotips. I shot completely through all the animals. I found they are incredibly accurate (2" group at 100 yards with peep sights), easy and fast to load and deadly on game. I love powerbelts.

 

[fairchase]

Cowkiller,
How do you get such tight groups at 100yds. Please tell us your accuracy seceret. What powder and how much do you use? What rifle? I gotta know.
I am using Powerbelts and 777 and a peep. I can keep 20 out of 20 on an 8in. bullseye at 100yds. but I'm using all 8in. of that target.
Just trying to get better. Thanks.

 

[Cowkiller]

I'm just using a TC New Englander and 100 grains of Pyrodex. I have a tiny fiber optic bead for taking a fine aim. I used to shoot buffalo bullets and I always got 6"-8" groups. I was seriously amazed at the difference the powerbelts made.

 

[glockmister]

I get 1 1/2 inch groups with 295 grn powerbelts
and 3 pyrodex pelets in my cva firebolt

 

[fairchase]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-09-03 AT 02:10PM (MST)[p]I want you to come to my range, and show me how you shoot such groups...Assuming your talking about, 100yds with no scope.

To think, I thought every shot in an 8 in. circle (no scope, 100yds) was good.
I guess, I can say in my behalf, I do my shooting on my knees using only shooting sticks. No bench, sandbags or chair.

 

[out4elk]

I have incredible accuracy with 348gr powerbelts and 85grs 777. Last week at the range I put 23 out of 25 into a 2" circle at 75 yds with open sights. To everyone wondering, I'm not supershooter. I just shoot alot, I love muzzleloading. When I am adjusting anything with my combo I bench shoot, that is when I can pull those groups. When I shoot freehand I usually add a couple inches to my groups. Inmysights your friend shooting the Remington(I believe) may, if he hasn't already, should try stepping up one step heavier. I had horrible groups with the 295gr PB's but the 348gr PB's are incredible. I think the Precision Points give a little better accuracy also.