Power Belt on Deer

[Steve S.]

T/C Pro Hunter, .50, 245 grain Aero PB, 100 grains 3-7 (2 pellets), W 209 primer) - shot large doe Sunday evening at about 50 yards, total penetration thru chest (both lungs), ran about 60 yards up very steep hill (tough animal), blood trail was significant for all 60 yards. .50 entrance and about .100 exit - bullet performed perfectly. Again, a respect to the toughness of that animal - both lungs destroyed, bleeding like a garden hose and still able to run that far up the side of a very steep hill - amazingly tough animal. Good hunting.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I've been happy with the 295 grain hollow point PowerBelt bullets on deer. I've killed 2 with them. I have not had a complete pass through but both deer I've killed with them have been quartering shots that entered at the shoulder and passed nearly through the entire length of the animal. Both times the bullets were resting against the skin on the other side of the deer near the hindquarter.

I think you're doing right only loading 2 pellets, as I have heard that those bullets do not like magnum 150 grain charges. I use 80 grains of loose powder with the 295s and killed a deer at 150+ yards opening day this season. She ran about 30 yards and stopped. Then started wobbling and fell over deader than a hammer.

And they load so easily too. My CVA Optima Elite shoots them very well. I'm a big fan of them.

 

[matrem]

Have never used Power Belts on deer.
They didn't seem to pass my tests.

My SIL uses them exclusively and he's been quite a contributor to our venison supply.

So much for my tests....

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

I used power belts a few years ago when everyone was raving about them and after a couple years and some deer down found they just didn't meet my expectations.

They got the job done but the TC Shockwave and Hornady slugs with sabots are far better performers, both in accuracy and killing.

 

[rodwha]

That's what it seems I've often read as well.

I bought a 320 grn .50 cal Lee REAL mold as they did quite well on my impromptu test at 50 yds. With a 0.189 BC these ought to do quite well out to 150 yds in my sidelock, but I'd also like to buy an additional barrel to attach a Malcolm style scope atop for use when hunting fields and such where a shot can easily go out to 200 yds. For that I've been looking at Hornady aerodynamic bullets in sabots or their FPB.

Something I've noticed comparing Power Belts to other full bore bullets is that they generally are about 75-100 fps slower. I'm thinking that flexible little skirt doesn't fill the bore well enough.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

They got the job done but the TC Shockwave and Hornady slugs with sabots are far better performers, both in accuracy and killing.

My gun won't shoot sabots for anything. I've tried several different ones and they are accurate enough for hunting inside 100 yds (3 moa or so) but I'm not happy with that. The Powerbelts give me less than 2" groups, which I am pleased with out of a ML.

I guess the gun just likes a bullet the size of the bore.

I bought a 320 grn .50 cal Lee REAL mold as they did quite well on my impromptu test at 50 yds.

I have considered trying to cast up some full sized bullets and see how they do.

Something I've noticed comparing Power Belts to other full bore bullets is that they generally are about 75-100 fps slower.

I've never ran any through a chronograph so I couldn't speak to that. I do know that with 80 grains, I had one nearly penetrate most of the length of a deer at 150+ yds. I reckon it was going fast enough.

I shot one deer with a Hornady XTP and a sabot before I started using the PB bullets and the results were very good. DRT. So I'm not just a PB fanboy. I know firsthand that the hollow points and sabots do the job just fine as well.

 

[frontiergander]

that skirt on the powerbelt is just to hold it in the bore. The bullet itself fattens up and seals off the bore though. Now when you run a bullet say like the Thor bullet which has a built in skirt in the bullet which is 100% copper, yes, you'll see velocity jump around 75+ FPS because its a material the seals the bore that much better.

 

[Psycho]

I've taken 4 deer with a CVA Optima using 245 grain HP Powerbelt bullets and 100 grains of 777 (2 fifty grain pellets) and 209 primers. All 4 were shot in the neck, none of them had exit wounds and none of them ever took another step.

I think the 295 grain is the better choice for the load I use but when I first bought the rifle and knew nothing about BP hunting, the 245 grains happened to be on sale and they've just worked for me. All deer were under 75 yards so that probably helped.