To finish my assessment, I shot a few deer with the 250 grain sst's. They dropped within 10 yards of impact and worked well. I have a friend who has a cva optima elite in 50 caliber. He was shooting the 200 grain shockwaves. Well he shot a 5 point at 40 yards broadside. The bullet passed through both lungs and lodged against the opposite side shoulder. Although the deer did die, he went over 500 yards before he did. There was very little blood to trail even with both lungs punctured. The shot placement could not have been better. When we retrieved the bullet, it looked as it did when loaded. There was no expansion at all. He was shooting 110 grains of triple 7, so there was lots of power behind it. So, I would strongly recommend the 250 grain, but would not ever use the 200 grain. The reasons I switched to a lead bullet I mold is the cost and they expand better than the jacketed bullets. I hunt almost exclusively with a muzzleloader, either my encore or my H&R sidekick. Last season I shot three deer with the muzzleloader. The one that went the furthest was a 110 pound doe that ran about 15 yards and fell over with both lungs and the top of her heart gone. Exit hole through the ribs was about quarter sized. I get lead for free, so my expense to shoot is down to powder, primers, and sabots. I am in northern new york, so I have not been able to find BH209 yet locally. I am old school where dirt is good. I wish I had all th eblack powder I have shot over the past 30 years. If my eyes were better, I would still be using my T/C hawken with a round ball and Goex ffg.
