Bullets for muzzleloaders?

[bigbore442001]

Today I shot at a doe with a 295 grain CVA Belted Bullet with 100 grains of Triple 7. I wondered why I didn't hit the deer. It was around 75 yards. It turns out that the bullet hit an oak sapling of 1 1/4" diameter or so. The bullet basically shattered when it hit the sapling. It seemed that the bullet hit the wood and burst around it leaving a little post of wood connecting the top with the rest of the sapling. I looked for signs of a hit and after a while of both dad and I searching, we concluded that the bullet exploded on impact with the wood. I found a small pea sized fragment lying on the ground.

Would a solid bullet been a better choice? Would it really matter? I was told by a friend that hollow points aren't good choices for brush. It is amazing that I didn't see that sapling.

So,any suggestions for a good bullet?

[KING]

Bigbore442001 .  There are none,contrary to what people will tell ya.  U might have had a chance,and I say might,if that treee had been about 2 feet from the deer.  Then a solid might have continued on,albiet deflected to a high degree,into the animal.  If you try to shoot through brush at deer,it generally is a loosing propersition for you and the animal.  Either you miss completly,or worse yet,you end up wounding the animal and loosing it.  Trees have a really strange ability to grow really fast at times.  Sometimes I think the report of the gun reminds them of thunder,and they grow real fast to get to the rain so they can grow more .  Well.....Its an idea at any rate.  King :-D  :-D

[smokestak]

Good point King :-) I always cringe when I hear someone calling there gun or bullet a {GOOD BRUSH BUSTER} :roll:
  Sorry to hear it tho BigBore.

[DannoBoone]

Obstructions in front of targets just seem to want to get
hit much more than the target itself. If you would normally
have to shoot a dozen times in order to actually hit a small
obstruction (twig, fence wire, grass blade, cattle panel rod)
on purpose, be rest assured that when it is between you and
your target (deer or varmint), there is some sort of
magnetism it has for your bullet.  And how would I know?
I managed to hit ALL the above before HOPEFULLY
learning my lesson!!!  :oops:  And yes, my bullet/arrow
was deflected/vaporized each time it happened.  :cry:

[PA Hunter]

Bigbore: I killed a 6 PT couple weeks ago with a 50 cal 295 Powerbelt (w/Aerotips)with my cva firebolt inline.  I got good penetration/expansion. My research and contacts with PB tell me that the aerotips will penetrate and stay intact better than the hollowpoint. Probably handle brush shots a little better too?

[Bob_K]

Same thing happened here.  80 Yard shot at an unalerted buck...and he remained unaltered after the shot.  No reaction what so ever.  I reloaded as he casually wandered off, but no shots where presented.  Back tracking the bullet path I found a leaf with a 3" cut thru it, and a branch underneath with a nick.  Apparantly it was enough to deflect my shot high.  The bullet was a 300 gr jsp in a .50 cal sabot.  My fault for not clearing my shooting path.

[propredator]

Bobk,not to get of the subject but i recently bought some 300gr jsp.Havnt tried em out yet.Do you like them better than the hollow points?If so what has the effect been on whitetails.
 Hopefully dead deer with little or no tracking. :-D

[Bob_K]

The 300 grain bullet I use is a Sierra .45 caliber pistol bullet.  I have a bunch of orange sabots I got off of eBay, and my load is 100 grains of Black Mag 3 (no longer made).  The Sierra pistol bullet is a little cheaper than their rifle version, but still only comes in a box of 50.  I started last year with this bullet, and shot only one 130# doe with it.  The bullet went through both shoulders and continued on into the woods and was not recovered.  The doe fell 10 feet down an embankment and was dead when she hit the bottom.  The exit wound did not give me any hard impressions on expansion, but overall, performance could not be faulted.

[propredator]

Thanks for getting back to me.Im going to  try the 300jsp in 44,my gun seems to like the 44s better,dont know why but it does.I want a bullet that will go all the way threw on the shoulder shot,Some times a hollow point will,and other times it wont.They expand too much too fast in bone.
 Theres 300+lbs whitetails around here.The sierra jsp may be just the right medicine.Thanks for the info. :wink:

[clodbuster]

Based on many expert opinions I've read there ain't no bullet going to go through no obstruction(brush) no time, no where period.  Hunter/author
Ross Seyfried, who I respect greatly, has had several articles in hunting/shooting mags on this subject.  He finds no difference among various caliber or design of bullets in their ability to pass through a solid object and maintain their accuracy.  Only good luck can do that.