Powerbelt Concern

[Cabin Fever]

Until last fall, I shot 100gr Pyrodex pellets with 295gr hollowpoint Powerbelts. Always had good bloodtrails. Due to having the possibility of some long shots at a couple of stands, I thought I'd go with a lighter bullet for flatter shooting. I decided to try the 223gr Aerotip Powerbelt and just switched to 100gr of 777. It seemed to be much flatter shooting!

I shot a doe last fall that was broadside at ~40 yards. She made 2 jumps, stood there, and looked around. I started to reload wondering what had happened. By the time I fumbled around and got reloaded, she was gone. I waited for a few minutes replaying it in my mind wondering how I could have missed her. I got down and walked to where she was, but found NO blood in the snow. WTH?? I started following her tracks and found her piled up where I had last seen her. Perfect hit, behind the shoulder, half way up, but NO blood!?!?!? I was puzzled, but thought (and hoped) it was a fluke.

The next day, I saw a buck at ~40 yards. Bang... and he takes off running. Wait a bit, walk over to where he was standing and my jaw dropped, NO blood!! WTH?? Again, I thought I had somehow missed! I followed his tracks in the snow. Every now and then, I saw a tiny speck of blood, I'm talking pin head sized that would have been impossible to see without snow! I followed his tracks and found him piled up ~80 yards away. Again, perfect shot, half way up behind the shoulder!

I'm assuming the lack of bloodtrail has to do with the different bullet design? The 295gr hollowpoints always left a good bloodtrail, but the 223gr Aerotip (plastic filled point) left NO bloodtrail?      After inquiring about this on another site, I hear this is a common complaint with the lighter aerotip Powerbelts.    What do you use? How accurate are they? Good bloodtrails? Would you recommend them?

[SteveB]

Powerbelts, especially the lighter ones, are infamous for blowing up at even slightly higher charges - best kept at 80gr max with T7. They are very soft lead with a thin coating to cut back on leading. And too expensive for having these limitations. Far better options for less money.

If you want to continue with them, I'd use the 295's and site in 2" high at 100. This should allow you a solid kill holding dead on from zero to 150. Anything longer, practice and learn your holdover and use a rangefinder from the stand.

[sbuff]

I was as big a fan of them as anyone,but after losing two deer I would never use them again, deer were lost do to bullet not shot placement..If you look at reviews on Cabelas,gander mtn, bass pro or whomever they will all say in some sort like SteveB said they shatter pretty good,no blood trail or no pass through.To there credit they are very accurate out of all my guns.

Also stated there are better choices for conicals,I use the Hornady FPB in 300 or 350gr.Thats there version of a Power Belt.No Excues ,Bullshop and Thor bullets are some other BETTER choices for a clean kill.I know they load easy and thats great,but any hunter wants a bullet to perform up to there standards and get a humane harvest.

[steve863]

I've heard the same about them, but have never had the opportunity to shoot a deer with them to see for myself.  They are accurate, though.  I don't buy their claim about loading easy, however.  In my gun they don't load any easier than any other bullet I've tried.  I can get a second bullet down the barrel without swabbing, but you can just forget about a third. 

[Bballhunter11]

In my group there are 4 of us that use powerbelts. We had only one deer 2 years ago that got hit and didn't bleed bu was piled up 50 yards from where she was standing. Besides that one all the rest of the deer either went straight down or left one heck of a blood trail to follow. I have been using them for 5 years now and shoot 2-3 deer a year with them and don't think i will be changing anytime soon i have great results with them.

[bpb]

Until last fall, I shot 100gr Pyrodex pellets with 295gr hollowpoint Powerbelts. Always had good bloodtrails. Due to having the possibility of some long shots at a couple of stands, I thought I'd go with a lighter bullet for flatter shooting. I decided to try the 223gr Aerotip Powerbelt and just switched to 100gr of 777. It seemed to be much flatter shooting!

I shot a doe last fall that was broadside at ~40 yards. She made 2 jumps, stood there, and looked around. I started to reload wondering what had happened. By the time I fumbled around and got reloaded, she was gone. I waited for a few minutes replaying it in my mind wondering how I could have missed her. I got down and walked to where she was, but found NO blood in the snow. WTH?? I started following her tracks and found her piled up where I had last seen her. Perfect hit, behind the shoulder, half way up, but NO blood!?!?!? I was puzzled, but thought (and hoped) it was a fluke.

The next day, I saw a buck at ~40 yards. Bang... and he takes off running. Wait a bit, walk over to where he was standing and my jaw dropped, NO blood!! WTH?? Again, I thought I had somehow missed! I followed his tracks in the snow. Every now and then, I saw a tiny speck of blood, I'm talking pin head sized that would have been impossible to see without snow! I followed his tracks and found him piled up ~80 yards away. Again, perfect shot, half way up behind the shoulder!

I'm assuming the lack of bloodtrail has to do with the different bullet design? The 295gr hollowpoints always left a good bloodtrail, but the 223gr Aerotip (plastic filled point) left NO bloodtrail?      After inquiring about this on another site, I hear this is a common complaint with the lighter aerotip Powerbelts.    What do you use? How accurate are they? Good bloodtrails? Would you recommend them?

First off you went from 100gr of Pyrodex to 100 gr of 777.  777 is a hotter powder and you should reduce your charges.

100 gr of 777 is = to appx. 130 of BP. A 223 gr bullet should have made a sufficient wound to blood trail by.  I've seen shotgun slug hit deer not bleed as well, so shot placement is critical. I'd suggest drop the fancy aero-tip copper plated bullets and shoot a plain lead power belt.

Why waste your money~ dead is dead no matter what the deer was shot with.

[Cabin Fever]

In my group there are 4 of us that use powerbelts. We had only one deer 2 years ago that got hit and didn't bleed bu was piled up 50 yards from where she was standing. Besides that one all the rest of the deer either went straight down or left one heck of a blood trail to follow. I have been using them for 5 years now and shoot 2-3 deer a year with them and don't think i will be changing anytime soon i have great results with them.

But do you use the hollowpoint or aerotip Powerbelts?? When I shot 295gr hollowpoints, I had good bloodtrails. When I switched to 223gr aerotip, I had NO bloodtrails.

[Cabin Fever]

First off you went from 100gr of Pyrodex to 100 gr of 777.  777 is a hotter powder and you should reduce your charges.

100 gr of 777 is = to appx. 130 of BP. A 223 gr bullet should have made a sufficient wound to blood trail by.  I've seen shotgun slug hit deer not bleed as well, so shot placement is critical. I'd suggest drop the fancy aero-tip copper plated bullets and shoot a plain lead power belt.

Why waste your money~ dead is dead no matter what the deer was shot with.

I understand that the 777 is a hotter load. I wanted it to be flatter shooting, so I went with a hotter load and lighter bullet.

[Mr VJP]

I still use the old T/C Maxi-Balls.  Those old lead bullets probably leave a good blood trail.  I don't really know, because the deer I shoot with them just fall down where they are.

[Bernie P.]

Power Belts were among the first bullets I tried.While pushing them down the bore was a breeze I was concerned they might move off the powder some if the gun got bumped somehow.I also got much better accuracy with a few different sabot bullets all of which cost far less.IMO-they're just not worth bothering with.

[Bballhunter11]

I have used both. 3 of us have been using the aerotips for years now and i have killed at least two deer a year with them. My father is also taking them to colorado in a week and has once before and shot 150 yards with one and dropped the mule deer 10 yards from where it was standing. I think the low blood trail thing is a freak accident at times but it also could be from other factors.

[doulos]

      Ive killed about 25  the deer with Hornady XTPs.(the regular ones not the Mag xtps)  The .45 cal 300 grain variety in either MMP, honady of Knight black sabots. And also a couple with the .44 cal 300 grainers.  From ranges from 10 to over 160 yards. Powder loads were  of real black powder , Pyrodex ,777, all in the 110 grains to 90 grain range. 

     

I only recovered 2 bullets that didnt exit.  And some of these deer were shot through both shoulders.  Blood trails were profuse. All of this out of 6 different inlines.

Ive always wanted my bullets to be heavy enough to penetrate and exit so they leave a good blood trail.

      This bullet is cheap, accurate and does what is supposed to as a hunting bullet. 

The Savage smokeless muzzleloader that was designed around this bullet.  The inventor Henry Ball did all his testing with this bullet before he sold the patent to Savage.

This bullet can be bought in bulk and its all you'll ever need for most shots. Yes it is not as ballisticaly good as the spire pointed bullets and supposedly inferior but it does the job.

[fasteddie]

I had bought some Powerbelts when I 1st bought my 50 cal NEF Huntsman . I had also bought the less expensive TC Hornaday XTPs . Both had the same results at the range . I had heard many horror stories about no blood trail with the Powerbelts so I have only hunted with the Hornadays . The deer don't go far when hit with a 240 grain XTP !

[rock]

xtp are a much tougher bullet thicker jacket they are great bullet

[doulos]

xtp are a much tougher bullet thicker jacket they are great bullet

Thats true and the ones ive recovered (only 2) stayed together and mushroomed great.

they are very under rated