What are you guy using in Colorado? My gun does not like CVA powerbelts bullets.

Hornady Great Plains 385, and have been working with the new Federal MZ bullets. Haven't tried the all copper one, but the lead was shooting ok. Just didn't have time to really work up a load, but it was promising.

The HGP 385 and 95gr of BH209 put down my elk handily last season.

Try Thor bullets. Call them and get the sizing sample pack. Determine which size you need for your bore.

Thor makes an outstanding bullet.
If you want to try them, get a sample pack early so you can find the size you need and order early as they've been known to sell out right before season starts.

If I get a MZ tag this year I'll be trying these on elk, Link here.
They shoot well in several different twist rifles of mine.

Try the THOR bullets.
Shoot great out of my Knight with 100gr BH209 and they worked very well on 2 CO bulls in the past for me. Including 1 DRT with a high shoulder shot at 75 yds.

Like other have said make sure you order the sizing pack and then order them early.

I have had good luck with the Hornady bore size bullets. FPB I believe they are called. Ive killed Elk with those and the powerbelts. But if your gun dont like the Powerbelts the FPB's work just as well.

https://www.prbullet.com/pts.htm


I use the Dead Center 300gr. Excellent penetration. Like them better than Powerbelts and as much as a Barnes..

Colodog,

Those are the Federal bullets I was testing out. They load real easy, and shot ok. I'm sure some more tweaking on the load and they'll do better, I just didn't have enough time and those bullets were HARD to get ahold in July/August last year. Never did find the copper until after the season

No Excuses conicals....best in the business. Accurate and hit like a ton of bricks.

Hornady FPB

Not legal in Colorado, we can't use sabots here

Some details are missing like your gun and its twist rate and the type powder/charge weight you tried? I'm not necessarily recommending them, but I've never found a rifle that wouldn't shoot a powerbelt acceptably unless an inappropriate bullet weight and/or powder type/charge for the rifle were used. I.E., a heavy conical out of a slow twist barrel or Blackhorn 209 under a loose fitting bullet. There's more to getting a muzzleloader to shoot well than just the bullet brand. All the bullets mentioned above will work well, or not, depending on several other factors.

you will not do better than a properly sized Thor and Blackhorn 209, cci 209M primer

I have tried the Horday bullets. Not to good. I have a Thompson center Encore, I believe its a 1:28 twist. I have tried to shoot powerbelts for a number of years, they don't group good in my barrel, and I have tried LOTS of different powders and loads. I will have to check in Thor bullets. Thanks everyone

I use powerbelts and I've found that in a couple of different rifles (Encore and Triumph) they shoot much better in a fouled bore. So that's how I hunt. 348 grain bullet and 80-90 grains of '209 works well and leaving non-corrosive fouling in the bore hasn't been a problem. Might be worth trying.

Thats all I shot when we were still hunting elk... 545 grain IIRC out of the 54....shot really well out of green mountain barrels.

The new federal bullets either one, I like the lead ones.

Try some T/C Maxi-Balls. They shoot pretty well out of my Omega and even better out of my Firehawk. I plucked these out of a 5x5 I shot in Colorado. The first one went thru the shoulder, lungs and ended up under the hide on the offside. The 2nd went thru the ribs, lungs and into the other shoulder. I always load these with a fiber wad under the bullet.

Agreed!

My TC Omega likes the .501 diameter bullets, very accurate out to 200 yards, easy to load. Blackhorn 209 definitely needs the ignition of magnum primers like the 209M.

We never have a problem with black horn going off with regular 209 primers. That Said Thor is the same makeup as Barnes. They are also extremely hard to get.

I experienced hangfires using regular 209 primers, in cold weather. Go to the Blackhorn website and read their primer recommendations.

Our encores don't go off sometimes but that appears to be in the wet weather.

I hunted ohio this year with my dad and a few friends, it was 5 below with wind chill at points, blowing wet snow. All our guns went off each time with pulled the trigger with regular winchester primers.

Nothing wrong with using a hotter primer.

BH 209 produces a lot of fouling in the breech area. If the flash hole isn’t clean or you’ve taken a few shots you may get a hangfire with muzzleloader 209 primers.

My partner and I drew 76 muzzleloader this fall, and both killed nice Bulls. We were both shooting CVA wolf rifles. He used 100 grains of blackthorn powder and 300 grain Thor bullets, and I was shooting 100 grains of pyrodex select and 348 grain power belt Aero tips. They both performed well for us. His bull took 2 bullets, at a range of about 40 yards. Mine succumbed to a single shot at about 70 yards. I would recommend either combination without reservation.
Edawg

I purchase my Maxi Balls from Track of the Wolf and they work great. 385 grains to 500 grains, to 600 grains for the 58 caliber. Just a thought for ya, first rate lead they have.