are powerbelts any good on deer

[jeffpenland123]

so i was on rokslide and asked this and people was being stupid so i come here i was wondering if powerbelts are any good on deer for my traditions nitrofire firestick system.

 

[Shorty]

They work. We all used them at some time in our lives, some still do. I found them to have a grenade effect and wasted a lot of meat. In my opinion there are many more viable bullets out there. Good luck as that is half the fun of muzzleloading, trying to find the rite bullet powder combo for your gun..

 

[Mike3888]

I’ve shot them out of an MK85, very accurate but they just to seem to splat on whitetails. I‘m not sure if that applies to all power belts. Just my experience with the 245 grain HP I believe.As Shorty said there are more viable options.

 

[jeffpenland123]

They work. We all used them at some time in our lives, some still do. I found them to have a grenade effect and wasted a lot of meat. In my opinion there are many more viable bullets out there. Good luck as that is half the fun of muzzleloading, trying to find the rite bullet powder combo for your gun..

ok thank you thats good to know

 

[biggamehunter78]

Not consistently. Tons better options out there.

 

[Slugnut]

I used the 300g Aerolites on a 350# hog last year-one and done, head shot at 50 yds. They are very accurate with 68g (by weight) of BH209.

 

[rangerod]

Powerbelts have always had a reputation for being weak especially at higher velocities. I have to agree with others that there are many bullets superior to Powerbelts.

 

[Booty]

They are inconsistent . I have had good luck and bad. I am now using Barnes tez with outstanding results on the last 10 deer I have shot , most drop where they stand

 

[jeffpenland123]

They are inconsistent . I have had good luck and bad. I am now using Barnes tez with outstanding results on the last 10 deer I have shot , most drop where they stand

i got some barnes expander mz hollow point flar base bullets.

 

[brad502a]

i got some barnes expander mz hollow point flar base bullets.

Barnes are much better. I have never had failure with Barnes. I had one failure to expand, it was a 250 yd shot with starting velocity of 1700, .5" through the heart still killed the deer. I don't count that as a bullet failure, it was below the expansion threshold of the bullet.

 

[brad502a]

Typical Barnes performance

 

[phalanx]

I've used the unplated 295grain Powerbelts early on when VA required using only lead. They worked but I had to use only 70-80 grains of BP or Pyrodex at the time to keep them from grenading. A few of my friends still use them but I got them to up the grains from their 245's to the 270 or 338 platinum versions. They work for them but we usually end up tracking on our hands and knees looking for blood if they don't drop when hit. As everyone says, there are better options in Barnes and Hornady bullets.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

In a Nitrofire i believe you’ll be shooting 100gr or 120gr of T8(bh209) powder charge. Thats just too much for powerbelts imho. They work pretty good with a lighter Powder load, like 70-80 of Pyrodex or even T7, like phalanx said. But i just bet them Nitrofires will splatter them. They are pretty often a very accurate bullet tho. Try out the Bor-lock or Bore Drivers or something else like it, way better hot bullet.

 

[ElDiablo]

Lots of better options as just about everyone has said. That’s a great point the @michiganmuzzy makes - you won’t be able to use a small enough charge to use Powerbelts. Those 100 and 120 gr Fireschticks would be pushing them way too hard.

 

[ram2]

In a Nitrofire i believe you’ll be shooting 100gr or 120gr of T8(bh209) powder charge. Thats just too much for powerbelts imho. They work pretty good with a lighter Powder load, like 70-80 of Pyrodex or even T7, like phalanx said. But i just bet them Nitrofires will splatter them. They are pretty often a very accurate bullet tho. Try out the Bor-lock or Bore Drivers or something else like it, way better hot bullet.

The Powerbelt ELRs and the platinums are designed for 100+ g (by volume) charges. The other Powerbelts are not.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

The Powerbelt ELRs and the platinums are designed for 100+ g (by volume) charges. The other Powerbelts are not.

Sorry, ive not shot the ELRs yet. Do they build them differently than the regular PBs? Or the Platinums? I shoot the Platinums sometimes and like their accuracy. They have a harder “coating” (not quite a jacket) but still insufficient for 100+ gr loads imo. Im only shooting them in an Accura and a White 91 sometimes.

 

[phalanx]

Firesticks also come in 80gr versions but I don't know how readily available they are.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Firesticks also come in 80gr versions but I don't know how readily available they are.

Now I would try those with cast lead or PowerBelt, if i had a NitroFire or a CVA Crossfire.

 

[FredB]

I used the all lead powerbelts in a .54 cal MK85. In a typical 100 yard three shot group, two might be touching but one would be 3 inches out. But they did drop deer, as in my avatar. Now, I use No Excuse in a .50 cal Bighorn. A lot better accuracy, and a lot cheaper.

 

[Ninering62]

so i was on rokslide and asked this and people was being stupid so i come here i was wondering if powerbelts are any good on deer for my traditions nitrofire firestick system.

I understand that you're a newbie to muzzleloading, but asking that question about them bullets will bring out that reaction no matter where you ask it.
Like Shorty said, they will kill a deer, 90% of us ( including me ) used them in the very early stages of our muzzleloading experience, but as soon as most of us discovered they either don't perform ( open & expand ) or they grenade on impact, we quickly left them where they belong & started looking for better bullets. They are a cheaply made, overpriced, plated bullet. I shot them for a decade, not knowing any better & they were avail in every store that carried any muzzleloading supplies. I gave away the last 5 or 6 pks that I had. I said this o FB recently regarding them; the only ppl that say that PB's are " good bullets " are ppl that have no clue as to what a well made, bonded cup & core bullet are & how they should perform. Of course some of the PB fanboys got butthurt about it, but it does not negate the fact that every single word of what & said is 100% true & that it wasn't a slap in anyones face.