Hornady 290 Gr FTX Bore Driver Bullets

[billyboy*]

Has anyone seen these New Hornady 290 Gr FTX Bore Driver Muzzleloading Bullets?
Competitor of Powerbelt & Legal for Colorado?

 

[deermanok]

I only read a little about them. I heard that they are pretty expensive as muzzleloader bullets go.

 

[billyboy*]

Yeah, $23.99 for (20) on Sale at Midway. Regularly $29.99

 

[sbuff]

Shame they replaced the FPB, great bullet

 

[Muley Hunter]

Cheaper than Powerbelts and a much better bullet.

 

[billyboy*]

Yes, it is a shame on the FPB. The problem is they made those in .506” Diameter for TC Encore & Omegas with QLA. If people didn’t have a Sizing Die they couldn’t use them in other Rifles.
I wonder what the Dimensions of the Bore Drivers are?

 

[phalanx]

The FPBs could be used on other rifles without a sizing die. I used/use them in a Knight Revolution. On another forum Muley gave us the idea to push them through the barrel from the breech which engraved the bullet with the rifling. One just had to line up the lands and grooves when loading from the muzzle. Worked great for me and they indexed quickly even by feel.

 

[billyboy*]

Great idea to use the Breech for your Full Forming Die.

 

[Bkusch53]

Won't be available until sometime in April... Everyone advertising them has no stock. Pretty slick setup made just for muzzleloaders..

 

[billyboy*]

Thanks for the Update, Looks like they would be a Good .50 Cal Bullet for Colorado Elk & Moose.

 

[Muley Hunter]

Thanks for the Update, Looks like they would be a Good .50 Cal Bullet for Colorado Elk & Moose.

I think so too but Hornady list them as deer bullets.

 

[like.2.fly]

Yes, it is a shame on the FPB. The problem is they made those in .506” Diameter for TC Encore & Omegas with QLA. If people didn’t have a Sizing Die they couldn’t use them in other Rifles.
I wonder what the Dimensions of the Bore Drivers are?

I asked Hornady about the Bore Driver dimensions when they first announced these. I was told bullet diameter is .499", and the red skirt tapers from .507" where it meets the bullet down to .498" at the bottom (to make for easier starting).

 

[like.2.fly]

They couldn't say if they were Colorado legal yet or not. Still awaiting approval at that time.

 

[Tracker12]

Yes, it is a shame on the FPB. The problem is they made those in .506” Diameter for TC Encore & Omegas with QLA. If people didn’t have a Sizing Die they couldn’t use them in other Rifles.
I wonder what the Dimensions of the Bore Drivers are?

Didn't realize this. No wonder they shoot so well in my Encore

 

[Muley Hunter]

They couldn't say if they were Colorado legal yet or not. Still awaiting approval at that time.

I wonder if a warden would know they weren't Powerbelts?

Has anybody checked to see if the Harvester Saber Tooth bullets are legal?

Law says it has to be a full bore conical. Isn't that what a Bore Driver is?

I can save myself some grief and use No Excuses.

 

[like.2.fly]

I wonder if a warden would know they weren't Powerbelts?

Has anybody checked to see if the Harvester Saber Tooth bullets are legal?

Law says it has to be a full bore conical. Isn't that what a Bore Driver is?

I can save myself some grief and use No Excuses.

Technically speaking I would say no. The Bore Driver is not a true 50 cal full bore fit conical, because the body diameter is less than .500" and isn't designed to ride directly on the rifling. That's the job of the oversized plastic base, which then transfers the spin to the bullet. Without the base the bullet would just fall out of the bore. The base acts just like a sabot in this case. It just doesn't look like one. Whether or not a warden would ever know the difference is questionable. If they say PowerBelts are legal then I think they would likely say this one is too. But I wouldn't count on it unless Hornady gets specific approval first, which they are trying to get...

 

[Muley Hunter]

Not really true. The bullet engages the rifling when fired. Just like a Powerbelt does. They talk about it in the video.

If they call a Fed Bore-lock a conical then the Hornady is too. What they don't want is a sabot firing a .45 cal bullet.

 

[like.2.fly]

Ok, if you take into account the bullet can expand slightly as it pushes forward under pressure then it might touch the rifling. But it was designed to depend on the base for imparting spin. This is also covered clearly in the video. To me, if the bullet itself falls freely down the bore and needs something else to hold it in place before firing, then it isn't a bore fit bullet. I don't know why some states care about this anyway, but they do.

 

[Muley Hunter]

Ok, if you take into account the bullet can expand slightly as it pushes forward under pressure then it might touch the rifling. But it was designed to depend on the base for imparting spin. This is also covered clearly in the video. To me, if the bullet itself falls freely down the bore and needs something else to hold it in place before firing, then it isn't a bore fit bullet. I don't know why some states care about this anyway, but they do.

That wouldn't leave many bullets that would be legal. The majority of members here don't like Powerbelts but you go into a gun shop here that stocks muzzleloaders supplies and you mostly just see Powerbelts. Ask the gun shop if they get many complaints about PB's failing and they'll say no, not any. I've asked that question a lot. I know PB makes 6 million bullets a year. If they all sell that's a lot of hunters using them. We see a small percentages of the hunters on forums. There's 2 million muzzy hunters in the US.

Colorado does have some dumb laws. They think they have a primitive season. They don't. They should allow sabots for the sake of more humane shots on the game. The open sight law will still restrict long shots.

 

[like.2.fly]

Right. They are trying to get us to only hunt with PRB's or soft lead true bore fit bullets, because they only consider muzzleloaders "primitive" weapons if they are using traditional primitive projectiles and open sights. I would have to agree with that to some point. We all know how far muzzleloader rifles, projectiles, propellants, and sights have come over the years. It's difficult to establish where to draw the lines, and how to define primitive weapon hunts. Same for archery. You have to admit that a modern inline "muzzleloader" with a scope, fast twist barrel, shooting BH209 or smokeless powder with a modern streamlined projectile at high velocity has WAY MORE range, accuracy, and killing potential than a traditional sidelock with black powder, PRB's or bore fit conicals, and open sights. Dedicated marksmen like Idaholewis can argue that, and they have a point. But for the average recreational hunter this is true. I can understand why muzzleloader seasons are hard for states to define and enforce with any consistency, and I worry about eventually loosing our muzzleloader seasons.

But back on topic, I would like to try the Bore Drivers. Expensive, but not out of line with other similar bullets. They do look good. I would like to hear about any real-life experience with terminal performance on game.