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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 80
Campfire Greenhorn
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OP
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 80 |
Any one using power belts ? Looking for something that is easy for the wife to load. The green Hornady sabots shoot well, but, are stiff for her to initially get started. A friend uses powerbelts, and they shoot well, but hasn't put many into meat. Have read some reviews claiming bullets coming apart and failures to fire. Maybe not enough resistance and the primer just pushes the whole works forward?
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 624
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 624 |
These below are easy-loading sabots for your wife. Link for Harvester Crush Rib Sabots o
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,034
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,034 |
I've never had those problems with PBs.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,959
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,959 |
I like PBs, especialy for the purpose you have in mind. I haven't experienced the problems you mentioned but I don't use them with BH 209 powder or drive them at max speed, and I don't use any lighter than 348 grains. That probably negates the reasons some people claim to have problems with them.
Charter Member
Ancient order of the 1895 Winchester
"It's an insecure and petite man who demands all others like what he likes and dislike what he dislikes."
szihn
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 5,730
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 5,730 |
Last fall I gave a kid at work a Winchester Apex muzzleloader and some Powerbelt bullets. He's not getting paid much and needed some help but has the drive to hunt, hard!
His first hunt and he shot a 5x6 Bull and texted me, he had to tell everybody!
I asked what bullet, "I don't know, those green ones" was his reply. About 40 yards for his shot.
When I shot Power Belts for elk I preferred the lead flat nose with no hollow point. I had to order direct, no problem.
"Camping places fix themselves in your mind as if you had spent long periods of your life in them.
You will remember a curve of your wagon track in the grass of the plain like the features of a friend."
Isak Dinesen
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,900
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,900 |
They are VERY accurate in my 1:48 barrels, in the 295 grain. I think most of the issues come when people push them too fast. They are just a lead hollowpoint....They load easily, kill stuff, and are accurate...I use XTP's but have no problem with PB's.
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,743
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,743 |
I have heard of four separate times where the inexpensive power belts had failed to penetrate. Two cases were elk two were white tails. I think they are very accurate. I also think the jacketed or heavier power belts would penetrate favorably compared to the lighter simpler ones. I personally use no excuses,hornady buffalo bullets or the fpb (Hornady) line of bullets in my 50 cal t/c omegas. One is a 209 ignition one is a number 11 igniter slower twist.
Last edited by Angus1895; 12/13/15.
"Shoot low sheriff, I think he's riding a shetland!" B. Wills
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 526
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 526 |
My experience, and my friends experience with Powerbelts, using 348gr PB and 100gr 209 powder on game (under 40 yards) has been poor, but excellent at the range (out to 100 yards). I prefer 260gr Precision Rifle sabots for my first shot, and 348gr PB for followups. The PBs shoot to my rifles point of aim for the Precision bullets out to 75yds and sure are easier to load than the Precision Rifle sabots!
BTW, I have heard rumors that the hollow point PBs are more effective that the green tipped models, so I now pull the plastic tips to make them hollow points.
XTP's are also an excellent shooting bullet, but you will need to find an easy loading sabot for them.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,075
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,075 |
I have used both 50 cal.,295 gr and 348 gr PB"s, both the aerotip and HP for elk,and have killed more than a few.I used 100 grains of Black Powder.( BTW, remove the plastic tip and the aerotip is the same as the HP) I have serious doubts that they don't penetrate.I suspect the shooter who did have problems tried to break bone which pure lead bullets have problems doing.In muzzle loader hunting, one must be a little more careful about what shots to take and where to put that bullet in the anamal Here is 295 gr 50 cal PB I dug out of the offs side of a cow elk I killed. ![[Linked Image]](http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj250/vmautino/003.jpg) Here is that cow. The lump on her side is that PB after it transversed her body in a quartering towards me shot. ![[Linked Image]](http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj250/vmautino/2012mlelk001.jpg)
Last edited by saddlesore; 12/13/15.
If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,034
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,034 |
I have heard of four separate times where the inexpensive power belts had failed to penetrate....I also think the jacketed or heavier power belts would penetrate favorably compared to the lighter simpler ones. No offense, but this is typical of the Powerbelt "failures" that you hear about. Second-hand, with no details. Probably involved some animals that weren't recovered. And BTW, Powerbelt doesn't make a jacketed bullet.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 438
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 438 |
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.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 624
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 624 |
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.
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,743
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,743 |
Are not power belt platinums considered jacketed?
Last edited by Angus1895; 12/14/15.
"Shoot low sheriff, I think he's riding a shetland!" B. Wills
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,042
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,042 |
Powerbelt .348's for me. Have only shot a couple of deer and no elk. Excellent accuracy with 2 pyrodex pellets. Can't imagine any problem with this weight bullet or heavier. I had one go through a hip bone, and exit out the opposite rib cage leaving a rib broken poking out from a 90 yard shot. I believe that would work on an elk.
The other guys I hunt with like 250gr cheap shots and do just fine on deer.
Last edited by 338WIN; 12/14/15.
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Joined: Feb 2013
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7,743 |
I have had extreme trouble with the 460grain all lead no excuses. The exit holes are too big on both deer and elk. They also load too easy and group too tight.
Last edited by Angus1895; 12/14/15.
"Shoot low sheriff, I think he's riding a shetland!" B. Wills
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,765
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,765 |
Are not power belt platinums considered jacketed? Believe they're just plated. Hornady FPBs are jacketed, albeit a thin jacket. I've recovered a few from target berms that separated completely, but there's a big hunk of lead in that thin jacket. "PowerBelt Platinum AeroTip Bullets utilize an advanced plating technology, a more aggressive bullet shape and a fluted gas check design that combine to make the Platinum Series the best performing high velocity PowerBelt ever."
Last edited by Pappy348; 12/14/15.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 624
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 624 |
Powerbelt .348's for me. Have only shot a couple of deer and no elk. Excellent accuracy with 2 pyrodex pellets. Can't imagine any problem with this weight bullet or heavier. I had one go through a hip bone, and exit out the opposite rib cage leaving a rib broken poking out from a 90 yard shot. I believe that would work on an elk.
The other guys I hunt with like 250gr cheap shots and do just fine on deer. 240 Cheapshots will exit many times. In the Sabot World, best bang for 50 cents or less are the XTPs, Cheapshots and Harvester Scorpions. Nosler, Sierra and Speer HPs need a little mention here too. Harvester PT Golds are now running a little over 50 cents and one heck of a bullet. Graf's has the Platinum Powerbelt 300s on sale today. $1.33 per bullet..... 19.99 for 15. Link for Platinum Powerbelt sale
Last edited by Triple_Se7en; 12/14/15.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,034
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,034 |
Are not power belt platinums considered jacketed? Plated. You can look it up, and probably should if you're gonna give advice to people on which bullet to use. Or maybe even shoot some at animals. I don't mean to be a dick, but this is exactly what I was referring to in my first post.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Joined: Feb 2013
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Sorry Smoke Pole but made in China ain't getting stuffed down my tube anytime soon,
"Shoot low sheriff, I think he's riding a shetland!" B. Wills
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,034
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,034 |
Fair enough. But are you comfortable giving advice on a product you've never used and don't have the basic facts on?
I'm not.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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