thompson center 400 grain bone crusher bullets

[va muzzleloader]

Has anyone tried the thompson center 400 grain bone crusher bullets. I have been a loyal fan of the powerbelt 295 grain bullets until recently losing 2 deer and after looking back I should have noticed the lack of penetration earlier. I have killed 20 deer with them but have trailed over half of them for approx. 80 yds or more. I typically take a high shoulder shot to break both front shoulders.
I am shooting a thompson encore, 110 grains of 777 topped with a 41/2 x 14 zeiss. The powerbelts pattern well but i would trade a little accuracy for piece of mind.

 

[vabowhntr]

If you stick with the powerbelts I would try the 348 gr and above and back off to 90 gr or less powder. I have shot several with the 348 and 90 gr of pyrodex and all have been DRT. Most have been high shoulder hits with about 50/50 passthrough or under the far hide. When I do recover them, they are about the size and shape of a quarter with the stem on the back. I wish they made them without the HP. I think they would hold together better that way.

 

[Yankee Doodle]

vabowhntr hit it on the nose. Heavy for caliber bullet, moving slower is the way to go. This year I used the 405 gr. Powerbelt in front of 70 gr. Pyrodex RS. Complete pass through, buck dropped at the shot, and crawled 10 yards. If you push a lead slug too fast, you lose penetration.
I decided on this load because the standard load for the 45-70 is 405 slug, 70 grns. powder.
No one ever said that the 45-70 was no good for deer.

 

[Buck]

400 Grains???????

I have looked at this message probably 5 times today, went to look at the Bone Crusher Bullet and cannot imagine why you want to use this size of bullet on a thin skinned animal such as a deer? I think you can get more speed and accuracy in less grain weight with the T7 load you are now using in that Encore. Parker BE, Shockwave Bonded, TMZ any of those in a 250-275 grainer should be more than adequate to give you the killing power, blood trail ability you need. I see a lot of the shooters here using the 200 grain shockwave. But that is just me, and I don;t mind gutting and like some meat left on my deer :lol: