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Post by buckert on Oct 20, 2020 19:23:49 GMT -5
I have an CVA optima in-line muzzleloader .50 cal that I picked up a few years ago. Because of a tight budget at the time I decided to get a muzzleloader as my first hunting rifle so I can use it in firearm and muzzleloader seasons. I have harvested 4 deer over the last few years all being within 40 yards. With all 4 deer I did not have pass through and I had poor blood trails. One I almost didn’t recover despite being a good shot. I’ve experimented a little with 100-150 grains of powder and bullet size from 245-295 grains but all combinations resulted the same. I’ve been using powebelt aerotip bullets. I’m a muzzleloader and ballistics rookie but assume my close range shots may be the reason for the poor pass through. I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations assuming I’ll continue to shoot close range.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Oct 20, 2020 19:29:36 GMT -5
I’ve got a CVA Optima muzzleloader as well with the thumb hole stock. I shoot 110 grains of blackhorn with a Barnes TMZ Spit-fire 250 grain bullet. I’ve literally never had a deer run after being shot with this combo. They have all been dead right there. All shots have been within 50 yards as well.
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Post by buckert on Oct 20, 2020 19:38:47 GMT -5
Wow thanks Dave!!!
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Oct 20, 2020 19:46:47 GMT -5
And that is deer of all sizes from a button buck to a big 5.5 year old buck that is hanging on my wall.
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Post by HuntMeister on Oct 20, 2020 19:47:56 GMT -5
IMHO, Solid coppers are the ticket for pass throughs. I really like the Barnes TEZ bullets, I get better performance in my smokeless with the flat based bullet than I ever could with the boattails. Dad used the Barnes hollow point coppers in his .54 ML with great success.
Curious what did the recovered bullets look like? Were they as they left the barrel, mushroomed or fragmented? I have no experience with the powerbelts.
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Post by Ahawkeye on Oct 20, 2020 20:02:24 GMT -5
Dad had that happen once with a TC almost didn't get that deer. We used Barns and 100 gr of powder. Burried the bullet in the far shoulder. Bullet was mushroomed.
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Post by buckert on Oct 20, 2020 20:27:41 GMT -5
IMHO, Solid coppers are the ticket for pass throughs. I really like the Barnes TEZ bullets, I get better performance in my smokeless with the flat based bullet than I ever could with the boattails. Dad used the Barnes hollow point coppers in his .54 ML with great success. Curious what did the recovered bullets look like? Were they as they left the barrel, mushroomed or fragmented? I have no experience with the powerbelts. All 4 were mushroomed or flattened as far as it could tell. I went with Powerbelts because they were promoted by CVA on their YouTube videos etc. |
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Post by firstwd on Oct 20, 2020 21:18:29 GMT -5
I have heard of that same problem with powerbelt bullets and I've hear prole just swear by them. Like every bit of ammunition, I think it's gun specific. Just because they come off the same assembly line doesn't mean they have the same personality.
Basically, you need to try a few different combinations until you find one you and your gun is happy about.
BTW..... congratulations on getting a muzzleloader as your first deer gun. Automatically doubles your available hunt time, forces one to take a good first shot, and has endless load adjustments.
I shoot a 175 grain round ball with 110 grain of loose pyrodex and pass through is not a problem.
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Post by deadeer on Oct 20, 2020 22:11:15 GMT -5
I’ve got a CVA Optima muzzleloader as well with the thumb hole stock. I shoot 110 grains of blackhorn with a Barnes TMZ Spit-fire 250 grain bullet. I’ve literally never had a deer run after being shot with this combo. They have all been dead right there. All shots have been within 50 yards as well. TMZ and TEZ are the nuts! Can never go wrong! |
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Post by titanium700 on Oct 20, 2020 22:40:28 GMT -5
Powerbelts = junk
Barnes = rule
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Post by span870 on Oct 21, 2020 5:01:37 GMT -5
From someone that used powerbelts before, throw them away. They are a great theory but just don't work as implied. Two thoughts to it though. Some will argue a pass through gives you good blood out of two holes and the other side will argue that without pass through the animals absorbs all the energy. Personally could care less about pass through as I high shoulder shoot all mine for a drop dead right now shot. The powerbelts recovered on mine had zero mushroom. They "did" their job but was less than impressed with performance. Yes the deer died but what if a less than perfect shot. I want something that I can count on that will perform if I'm off the mark for some reason and they just weren't it.
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Post by parrothead on Oct 21, 2020 5:20:01 GMT -5
Same hear never hear many good things about Powerbelts. I have used Barnes for years. All pass through and big holes.
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Post by BOBinIN on Oct 21, 2020 5:34:54 GMT -5
From someone that used powerbelts before, throw them away. They are a great theory but just don't work as implied. Two thoughts to it though. Some will argue a pass through gives you good blood out of two holes and the other side will argue that without pass through the animals absorbs all the energy. Personally could care less about pass through as I high shoulder shoot all mine for a drop dead right now shot. The powerbelts recovered on mine had zero mushroom. They "did" their job but was less than impressed with performance. Yes the deer died but what if a less than perfect shot. I want something that I can count on that will perform if I'm off the mark for some reason and they just weren't it. You are absolutely correct about the "high shoulder shot" .... they just drop, dead! No tracking required. |
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Post by saltydog on Oct 21, 2020 5:36:53 GMT -5
Guys I have used powerbelts in my Knight MK 85 since forever. I have never lost a deer using them and most of the time I never had to track one far. Its very accurate, It shot so good that I sold my rem 1100 with a hastings slug barrel and never have used a slug gun since.
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Oct 21, 2020 6:07:58 GMT -5
Powerbelts are terrible. Had experience with them and all are bad.
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Post by greghopper on Oct 21, 2020 6:10:07 GMT -5
Guys I have used powerbelts in my Knight MK 85 since forever. I have never lost a deer using them and most of the time I never had to track one far. Its very accurate, It shot so good that I sold my rem 1100 with a hastings slug barrel and never have used a slug gun since. Which ones you using? www.midwayusa.com/powerbelt/b?bid=2427 |
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Post by titanium700 on Oct 21, 2020 6:47:41 GMT -5
Every person I’ve talked to that had good experiences with powerbelts had to push them along slowly.
I’ve always been a Barnes fan but have 3 brothers and some friends that tried the powerbelts (albeit at higher velocity) and quit using them due to poor performance.
Though will give them some credit, they were accurate.
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Post by oldhoyt on Oct 21, 2020 9:11:54 GMT -5
Never shot powerbelts, but I do like full bore conicals. I shoot 350 grain Hornady FPB bullets. They have a pronounced hollow base/skirt that expands to grab the rifling when fired. I shoot them with 100 grains (volume) of BH 209 and they have always passed through.
The complaint that I hear about FPBs is that they are hard to load. To cure this, remove your breechplug, insert a bullet nose first into the muzzle and push it down the bore and out the breech. Catch the bullets on a soft pad of some sort. This sizes the skirt to your barrel and they then load like a dream.
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Post by greghopper on Oct 21, 2020 9:48:31 GMT -5
Never shot powerbelts, but I do like full bore conicals. I shoot 350 grain Hornady FPB bullets. They have a pronounced hollow base/skirt that expands to grab the rifling when fired. I shoot them with 100 grains (volume) of BH 209 and they have always passed through. The complaint that I hear about FPBs is that they are hard to load. To cure this, remove your breechplug, insert a bullet nose first into the muzzle and push it down the bore and out the breech. Catch the bullets on a soft pad of some sort. This sizes the skirt to your barrel and they then load like a dream. Bore butter on the projectile work’s also |
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Post by jman46151 on Oct 21, 2020 12:04:02 GMT -5
I switched to Barnes this year for my older Optima. Shot my Kansas deer with it and was happy with the performance and retention. Before that I shot TC Shockwaves(with the blue tip) and always had good penetration.
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