Last year was my first year hunting with a muzzle loader. I bought some Powerbelt AEROTIP .50 295 gr. bullets and BH209 powder. The Powerbelt loaded easy and shot accurate but everyone was telling me that the bullet would not hold up at close range with a 110gr charge of BH209. I have no idea if that is true or not but it scared me into using something else. I used a 300 gr Hornady SST. with success on a doe but accuracy in my gun wasn't the best. I did some experimenting this summer and found that the Barnes 250 Tez shot well with the supplied sabot and even better with a crush rib sabot. The tez loads easy with both but easier with the crush rib. I have not tested the TEZ on game yet but the overall reviews for the barnes ML bullets are about as good could be.
That Powerbelt would have blown-up most likely, using 110gr of Blackhorn. I use 80gr of Blackhorn with Powerbelts. You cannot push that bullet hard, unless you are using the Platinum Powerbelts.
Your bonded 300gr SST is too hard on deer. It probably penciled right thru that doe, unless you hit enough bone to slow it down.
Excellent choice on the TEZs. Good expansion and penetration under a variety of powder volumes, using that fine bullet.
