Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders FPBs

I use the FPBs in my T/C renegade with good success, but not sure about using the thors in a gun without a breechplug. Since there are 4 differnt sizes, not sure how to use the sizing pack. Would be afraid if I got one that was too tight and couldn't get it down all the way on the powder, how would you get it out? With an inline, no problem, just hammer it through.

That said, the Thors are great for inlines

haha true, in my cva mountain stalker i had to tap the bullet down and then shoot it off. You have to be real careful, if its tight at the muzzle, it aint going to work.

I use the 350gr with 100 grains of Blackhorn 209 powder in my T/C Prohunter. No problem loading, just have a get a routine of loading and make sure you seat the bullet firmly agains the powder each time. I'm shooting 1.25" groups at 100 yards and 2" groups at 200.

Great bullet!!

I had that same thought when I wanted to try a Thor in a sidelock. I gave up on the idea.

hmmmmmmmm.

No, it's lead with a copper jacket. They load fine in my Encore with just a ramrod, takes more elbow grease though.

i wouldnt say its jacketed, its basically a very thin electro plate. Most of mine, the plating is so thin is just looks like spider web cracks.

Hornady calls it a jacket, do you know something they don't?

jacket to me is the thick stuff that actually helps hold the bullet together. The stuff they put on is mainly to give it that eye candy look and maybe reduce lead fouling.

Here is a picture with a cross section:

http://www.hornady.com/store/50-Cal-300-gr-FPB/

Whatever you call it, it does not make the bullet tougher. just protects the barrel from leading. But the bullet is a lead alloy, so it is tougher than pure lead.

The difference between a jacket and an electroplated coating of copper is in how it's applied and the thickness. I just sectioned a powerbelt (plated) and an FPB, and the FPB's copper is much thicker. If you read the Hornady description, they say it's a jacket designed to help with terminal performance.

When I ram one down the barrel, it's a tight fit and requires a lot of pressure all the way down, not just at the start when it engraves on the rifling. If it was just a thin wash of copper over lead, I don't think that would be the case.

But back to the question, who has used one on elk-sized game and how did it perform?

It does? It says this.

"Copper jacket and specially engineered profile eliminate bullet/sabot fouling and the need for a �plastic skirt.�

Yup, you're right, I read that somewhere else, not in their description. But it is a jacket, and a bonded one at that.

I wouldn't doubt it. As I said already. I hurt my hand trying to pound one in one time.

"One time" being the key words.

no way the copper wash on an FPB is thicker than a powerbelt copper wash. I melt powerbelts down for the lead and the "jacket" is .005" thick and holds its form after the lead melts out. Do that with an FPB and the copper just spreads out in no form whatsoever.

Hey BB455, other than being a bit harder to load, IYO has anyone made a better performing inline BP bullet than the 50 cal. 290 gn Tipped Barnes TMZ?

Thanks
Gunner

300gr Thor would be the only bullet that compares to a 290 barnes. simply because it is a full bore barnes.

Thanks BB455, and not to muddy up another mans thread, but does the Big Thor have a tip that goes in that gaping hole?

Gunner

And when I get the TMZ's shot up, the Thors and BH-209 should be pure Hellfire on BG animals.

yep you can get them with the ballistic tip

You want to bet on that? $100 maybe??