Author Topic: Is there something as good as (but cheaper than) Powerbelts? (Read 3088 times)

mannyrock · « **on:** December 29, 2012, 07:56:41 AM »

Dear Guys,

I really enjoyed shooting my .50 Huntsman this fall, orange primer holders and all. Up till now, I've only shot Powerbelts, because they are so easy to load and leave no plastic residue.

But I'm going to a heavy bullet next year in the 348 grain class, and I was shocked to see what these Powerbelts cost. Even at Walmart, they were about $20 for just 15 bullets. When you add the primer and powder, this means that they are alot more expensive to shoot than factory .30-30 ammo! Who'd a thought that?

Is there a muzzleloader bullet that is almost as good as, but much cheaper than, the Powerbelts? I guess I wouldn't mind too much using a sabot plus bullet arrangement if I had too. I used these during my first sight in years ago, but it was with really light bullets.

Thanks for all advice.

Mannyrock

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2012, 04:06:57 PM »

manny,

I was going to recommend the TC 240 grain Cheap shots, since I've had nothing but good results with them. The performance was equivalent to the Hornady XTP's, which I use to use, but at a much lower price. Nearly every deer hit with them was DRT, except one that thrashed around for a couple of minutes, due to bad shooting on my part (quartering shot), then I notice you were looking for heavier bullets. I think you'll be happier with a bullet sabot combo. I've heard complaints about the Power belts performance on actual game.

I know that Hornady makes a 325 grain FTX (458Cal) bullet/sabot combo that would probably give comparable performance on game, but I think that's as heavy as they come. You can try Arrowhead Sporting Goods LLC for further information, the owner Luke is a real nice guy.

nanuk-O-dah-Nort · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2012, 08:49:21 PM »

an option I have heard great things about is using a LEE 440gr .500 S&W cast bullet paperpatched.

has potential to be VERY accurate, and hits hard.

muznut 54 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2012, 07:26:57 AM »

Sabotless like a Powerbelt I would have said the Rainier 335gr SW.500 bullet with a E.Maine lubed wool wad. I shot three boxes of the 335gr and one of the 400gr thru my SideKick and they fit the bore perfectly with a loading force of about a snug Sabot and were accurate but the last box I just bought are loose, I can knurl them but I don't want too. I will just use them in my 500SW.

fastchicken · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2012, 01:17:15 PM »

My 250gr Hornady .452 XTPs and mmp sabots work out to .33 a shot, a lot cheaper than over a buck apiece for Powerbelts and they work good. Shoot great from my Sidekick, pass through shot at 85 yrds, with about a 1400fps impact velocity. A friend used my gun with my load on a 100 yrd quartering towards shot, hit the front of the on side shoulder and found the bullet in the opposite rear hindquarter, expanded to just above the cannelure.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #5 on:** January 02, 2013, 04:28:17 PM »

I just found this article on CVA products, which include the Powerbelt bullets. You might be interested in what it says about Powerbelt bullets.

http://randywakeman.com/DangerousMuzzleloadersAHistory.htm

muznut 54 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2013, 08:24:26 AM »

I'm not interested in anything that joker has to say!

LD7009 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2013, 09:08:39 AM »

240 grain XTP Hornady

bubba · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2013, 01:25:55 AM »

buy a box of hornady xtp 240 and t packages of harvestor crush rib sabots 100 shots for 35 bucks or so. And very devastating to deer. They shoot great too.

bubba · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2013, 01:27:56 AM »

Ahh Randy Wakeman the pay me enough I will say anything good, but stop paying me and I will diss the same stuff I said was good earlier. What a joker.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #10 on:** January 06, 2013, 04:42:32 PM »

bubba,

I know all about Randy Wakeman, and his mercenary ways. My comment was directed only toward the comment about the performance of powerbelt bullets. I have two friends that use to use powerbelts. They stopped using them because of the propensity of powerbelts to break up on impact with deer.

I want to make it clear, that I have never used powerbelt bullets myself. If you have personal experiences using powerbelts, I would have to take into consideration your comments about the quality of those bullets. Awaiting your reply. Thanks.

bubba · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2013, 11:38:42 PM »

I tried them did not like the performance. Blew apart and minimal effective kill. I guess if I had personal experience, I would quote that not a snake oil salesman. And the thread was about cheaper but as good. I just love how people,and not you, keep quoting him about stuff he was clearly paid to say.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2013, 05:40:29 PM »

Thanks for your input regarding your experience with the powerbelts. Now I know of three people that had bad experiences with them.

I'll take your sage advice about not quoting Wakefield in the future. I did so without thinking since it supported what I knew, but your correct in stating that I would have been better off just stating the experiences that my friends had.

YRUpunting? · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2013, 11:59:29 AM »

I quit using Powerbelts several years ago, I killed several deer but I wasn't happy with the performance either. My Sidekick liked the Hornady FPB's but I found them to expensive to shoot often (I'm a cheapo). Someone here recommend the MMP sabots and that's what I'll use from now on after trying them. They're not as easy to load as a Powerbelt but they're not much more difficult. Nothing like other sabots I've tried over the years.

http://mmpsabots.com/

hillbill · « **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2013, 01:39:46 PM »

if you really want to shoot cheap, you mite look at cast bullets and harvestor sabots.i purchased 150 harvestor sabots for my 50 cal rem 700ml for about 6 bucks per 50.then i got some loose black powder for 12 bucks a lb. had to buy 25 lb to git that price.but my buddys eagerly snapped up all but 15 lbs.then i cast sum 230 grn 452 dia bullets from my lee mold and wheelweights.i got a 5 gal bucket of them for 20 buks.

i started out at 100 grns of black. not good, went to 90 grns and they started shooting good. they will prob approximate 44 mag rifle loads.or 45/90? very cheap load but i havent got to try it on deer yet. when i work up my final load i will use pure lead. a 452 bullet going over 1000fps should be fine. its not like that load has no history.

Cheesehead · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2013, 01:51:05 PM »

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/776746/hornady-xtp-bullets-45-caliber-452-diameter-250-grain-jacketed-hollow-point-box-of-100

I recommend XTP's based on personal experience. They are very accurate in my ML with the MMP sabots. Cast would be much cheaper, but I have no first hand information on that.

Cheese

Swampman · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2013, 02:20:46 PM »

I believe anything would be better than Powerbelts.

tobster · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2013, 03:41:04 PM »

I've had good luck with XTPs and sabots. I refuse to pay a buck or more for a muzzleloader bullet. I play around with different bullets that I buy at places like WalMart when they discount them after the season is over. This year I used SSTs (if I remember correctly) that I bought and cut the tail off of the sabot because I use loose propellant. They impact the same as the XTPs but didn't seem to be as destructive on the 1 deer I took using them.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #18 on:** January 09, 2013, 04:08:44 PM »

370g maxi ball

i have a 2 liter bottle full

Jal5 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2013, 04:58:34 AM »

My experience goes against the grain on Powerbelts. The NEF Sidekick 50 cal. that I have love them- 295 gr PB over two Pyrodex pellets (50 gr ea.) and an aftermarket breech plug with 209 primers. Very accurate at 100 yds. and effective on the three deer I have taken with this load. The furthest distance the deer moved was about 20 yds if that a full pass through and much blood loss on two out of three. The one with little blood loss was my bad shot too far back on the animal.

My friend keeps telling me to use a heavier bullet but I cannot argue with the success I am having. Joe

muznut 54 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 11, 2013, 08:18:42 AM »

In a 50cal I tend to use Rainier or XTPs with the Harvester smooth black sabots. In my 45cals I was using 200gr xtp's or sst's and smooth blue Harvester sabots but lately I have been shooting my 45's sabotless with great results. With that said I know a guy that shot a Bull Moose with the 444gr power belt out of his Encore with a 150gr of T7 and he said it went right through the chest cavity from a broadside shot.

Jal5 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 12, 2013, 09:32:18 AM »

My theory on powerbelts is that they get a bad reputation because people use too light of a bullet on deer sized game and speed them up too much. I have had no problem with the 295 gr. HP and Aerotip over two 50 gr.Pyrodex pellets up to 100 yds on deer. I think that the lighter ones, pushed too fast tend to blow up on impact with the hide, but that is just a guess from reading other folks reports. Joe

Busta · « **Reply #22 on:** January 13, 2013, 05:50:30 AM »

Anything is better, and most are less expensive. The hollow points are too deep, and bullet integrity suffers as a result. The 444 gr flat nose is the only one I would ever trust on big game.

I have witnesses a failure on a bull elk that we called in to 28 yards. The bullet never made it into the chest cavity to the heart and lungs. He had good luck with them on whitetails, and I say luck for a reason.

Barnes, Hornady, No-Excuses, and severl others all make better bullets.

theratdog · « **Reply #23 on:** January 21, 2013, 03:19:29 PM »

i agree with hillbill i have been shooting cast 451 dia bullets lee desighn with harvester sabot shot real good and cheeap.

buckeye509 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 02, 2013, 05:52:44 AM »

I gotta go with what Bubba says about the Harvester Sabots and Hornady 240 grain XTP. I push these with 90 grain (volume) of Blackhorn 209. Great groups and was impressed with terminal results on deer this past season. For general purpose target shooting and such I substitute the XTP with a cast lead Keith type bullet of similar weight.

srussell · « **Reply #25 on:** March 04, 2013, 02:33:06 AM »

Quote from: 45-70.gov on January 09, 2013, 04:08:44 PM

370g maxi ball

i have a 2 liter bottle full

+1 on the maxi balls

LHitchcox · « **Reply #26 on:** March 12, 2013, 01:02:56 AM »

Don't overlook the Lee REAL bullets. They load easy and shoot straight. I have killed a bunch of deer with them.

scratchmark · « **Reply #27 on:** March 19, 2013, 03:34:58 AM »

300gr hornady sst sabots. BRUTAL

petemi · « **Reply #28 on:** May 12, 2013, 01:48:15 AM »

Quote from: theratdog on January 21, 2013, 03:19:29 PM

i agree with hillbill i have been shooting cast 451 dia bullets lee desighn with harvester sabot shot real good and cheeap.

I used the .451 Hornady XTP, the black Harvester sabot and two 50 gr. Triple Sevens on a nice buck last season. He was standing at about 50 yards angled about 45 degrees to the shot. Because of the angle, I put the bullet farther back on the left ribs. It exited just forward of the right shoulder. The deer fell over TOWARD me, which was a surprise. It never moved. When I opened him up, everything north of the diaphragm was mush. Most of the heart and lungs were gone. I had surprisingly little meat damage.

Pete

crossxsticks · « **Reply #29 on:** May 12, 2013, 06:04:56 AM »

If 1" to 1 1/2 " groups is good nuff @ 100 yds shoot .501 SW paper patched boolits with 80 gr ffg or equivalent in a 50 cal huntsman . a sizer (lee .501-K2) ) and mold ( lee 501-440) cost bout 20 bucks each & sheet of 9 lb onion skin bout a nickle.