Hornady 290gr Bore Driver FTX - 50 cal

[user 25578]

I just picked up about 100-270 grain PB platinum's and 200 white hots at an estate sale for 30 bucks. (AWESOME BUY)!! Just as soon as my primers arrive I'm hoping to get some play time between jobs. Also I just ordered my death grip tripod to help me with the recoil. I try avoiding going anywhere higher than 100 grains of powder or pellets due to battle wounds so i'm curious what the results will be shooting a heavier 270 grn bullet with just 100 grains of powder

 

[bamawoodsman]

I never thought I'd find myself digging through dumpsters for empty 1 gallon milk and water jugs on my days off

I’ll save you some jugs on the powerbelt. This is a 325 elr shot at 100 yards into water jugs with 71.1 grains weighed of fffg t7. I also shot a 295 powerbelt aero tip with the same setup with almost identical results. I can’t find that pic though. I’ll let you be the judge on the performance

 

[bamawoodsman]

They probably perform better at higher velocities. I figure my setup was shooting them around 1750 fps

 

[user 25578]

I’ll save you some jugs on the powerbelt. This is a 325 elr shot at 100 yards into water jugs with 71.1 grains weighed of fffg t7. I also shot a 295 powerbelt aero tip with the same setup with almost identical results. I can’t find that pic though. I’ll let you be the judge on the performance

So I'm guessing you aren't happy with powerbelts

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Lots of people dont like PBs. Especially the regular powerbelts. I like the platinums but they're too much $. Slow the speed down a bunch and they do ok imho.

 

[bamawoodsman]

I’m definitely not a fan of powerbelts. I’ve shot a couple of deer and one elk with them. Zero blood trails and very little expansion. I found a pb laying loose in a bucks body cavity unexpanded. It was shot at 25 yards. The deer did die but I still wasn’t feeling impressed. I use mostly Barnes xpanders and Tezs now. They are very accurate and expand great. To each his own though

 

[user 25578]

Those look awfully soft to me. Hope they perform better on hogs. Yeah, the tests Ron did convinced me not to try them.

What would be your ideal setup for hogs? I'm curious due to the fact I'm relatively new to this and ideally would like to hunt me some hog in the future. I'm currently shooting a 50 cal CVA Optima.

 

[ElDiablo]

What would be your ideal setup for hogs? I'm curious due to the fact I'm relatively new to this and ideally would like to hunt me some hog in the future. I'm currently shooting a 50 cal CVA Optima.

I’d personally shoot a bonded bullet like a 300 gr bonded Shockwave or a monometal like a Barnes. The Barnes would be ideal. Of course if shots are very short range a bigger lead conical (400-600 gr) would work too. Those Bore Drivers seem to be very soft and perform a lot like the Powerbelts. Which would make them passable for small deer but not much else bigger, IMO. Anything will probably work on a small/medium pig but you’ll end up loosing some bigger boars without exit holes. Just my opinion based on hunting mainly African bush pigs and warthogs. The only feral pig I shot was a big Oklahoma boar that ran off with a 300 (nonbonded) shockwave through the lungs. I searched and found no blood. Located him a week later about 200 yards away. Entry but no exit and no blood trail. With an exit hole I think he wouldn’t have gotten away from me.

 

[user 25578]

I’d personally shoot a bonded bullet like a 300 gr bonded Shockwave or a monometal like a Barnes. The Barnes would be ideal. Of course if shots are very short range a bigger lead conical (400-600 gr) would work too. Those Bore Drivers seem to be very soft and perform a lot like the Powerbelts. Which would make them passable for small deer but not much else bigger, IMO. Anything will probably work on a small/medium pig but you’ll end up loosing some bigger boars without exit holes. Just my opinion based on hunting mainly African bush pigs and warthogs. The only feral pig I shot was a big Oklahoma boar that ran off with a 300 (nonbonded) shockwave through the lungs. I searched and found no blood. Located him a week later about 200 yards away. Entry but no exit and no blood trail. With an exit hole I think he wouldn’t have gotten away from me.

lots of great information here thanks..

 

[Rvrrat14]

You lung a boar/hog and they‘re gonna run. Pick your shots to the CNS and you drop him DRT or near.

 

[ElDiablo]

But the head/spine are a small target and we don’t always have the luxury of picking the “perfect” shot. Sooner or later you’re not going to make a perfect shot. That’s where a heavy well-built bullet will make a big difference.

 

[ElDiablo]

This sounds a lot like guys saying that Powerbelts work fine for elk. You just have to wait for a perfect close broadside shot, shoot them right in the crease and hope you don’t hit the shoulder. And cross your fingers. Good luck with that.

 

[brad502a]

Monometal bulllets are great, Barnes and don't forget the the Hornady Monoflex. Fury makes some great bonded bullets too!

 

[Rvrrat14]

But the head/spine are a small target and we don’t always have the luxury of picking the “perfect” shot. Sooner or later you’re not going to make a perfect shot. That’s where a heavy well-built bullet will make a big difference.

Head and neck is some of the largest areas to target. Facing you, between the eye. Sideways/quartering, Behind ear towards shoulder or top of shoulder. Never had any issues. Now running, who knows.

 

[ElDiablo]

Head and neck is some of the largest areas to target. Facing you, between the eye. Sideways/quartering, Behind ear towards shoulder or top of shoulder. Never had any issues. Now running, who knows.

You must be hunting over bait.

 

[Rvrrat14]

You must be hunting over bait.

In brush country and you target TRAILS. It’s hard for some folks to be patient and we have enough hogs you don’t have to shoot at everything you see just to shoot. Pick your shot. Until your crawling on your hands and knees for a wounded bore it’s hard to imagine.

 

[Okie Hog]

You lung a boar/hog and they‘re gonna run. Pick your shots to the CNS and you drop him DRT or near.

Yes.

IME: Yep, the bigger the boar the farther they run. This hog weighed over 350 pounds, he ran for 200 yards. They usually die with their tongue hanging out. This hog was killed with the excellent 250 grain SST. Bullet was under the skin of the far side.

i/ve killed a lot of large hogs: Go for the CNS shot.

 

[Rvrrat14]

Yes.

IME: Yep, the bigger the boar the farther they run. This hog weighed over 350 pounds, he ran for 200 yards. They usually die with their tongue hanging out. This hog was killed with the excellent 250 grain SST. Bullet was under the skin of the far side.

i/ve killed a lot of large hogs: Go for the CNS shot.

Where was POI on this big boy and range to target?
Nice one!

 

[Okie Hog]

Where was POI on this big boy and range to target?

Bullet destroyed both lungs. You can see the entrance wound just below the end of rifles forearm.

Distance was about 35 yards. i was in a 12 foot tree stand, hog came up within 15 feet of the stand and walked straight away. Then he turned right presenting a good broadside shot.

 

[ram2]

Monometal bulllets are great, Barnes and don't forget the the Hornady Monoflex. Fury makes some great bonded bullets too!

Also do not forget the 270g copper Federal Bor Locks.