Which bullet would you use?

[Tweesdad]

I was just given permission to deer hunt 275 acres of farm land with a muzzleloader. That's the good news. However, the property owner does not want any sabot loads fired on his property. He feels that the discarded sabots will cause a threat to the health of his livestock. His property, his call.
This leaves me with the problem of finding a load that will reach out to slightly over 150 yards.
My first inclination is to use a Powerbelt, but I don't know how he will feel about the discarded skirt. However, it's not a sabot, so the worst that may happen is I will have to plead ignorance if he takes offense. Sometimes it's better to say "I'm sorry" afterward, than to ask in advance.
So, can anyone pitch in and give me some further advise? If I can avoid the powerbelt, that would be a big plus.
Due to the topography of the property, all shots will be between about 85 yards and a maximum of 157 yards (by rangefinder).
Thanks

 

[big6x6]

What muzzleloader you gonna use?

 

[sabotloader]

Tweesdad

What gun are you shooting? Really do not think you can go wrong at those ranges with one of Dan's conicals - either the UC short or my favorite the 460MTNex - I dropped a doe @ 96 yard with one this past season and the bullet performed as expected. The 460 even has a pretty decent BC for something as big as a grenade. I shoot it with 90 grains of T7 - everyone in thier right mind seems to shoot it with 70 grains - but I want it for elk also.

If you want to see an approximate ballistic chart for the bullet give a shout...

mike

 

[SteveB]

If he is saying no sabots, he means no plastic.
You know that is what he means.
I would not try to get around a landowners rules on a technicality - not if you appreciated being allowed to hunt there.

I took a doe at 153 yds 2 years ago with my White 451, 80 grn 3fT7, and a 460 gr Bullshop conical.

Bet it would have reached 157 yds

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

158 at best..... :lol:

 

[Lee 9]

If you are using a TC them the new FPB from Hornady really work well I have gotten minute of angle or close to itevery time I shot them.
They weigh350gr and are electroplated with copper they are the best shooting conical I have ever seen. They do well on the expansion and penatration tests but they are very new and not much game has been shot with them. Lee

 

[Tweesdad]

To clarify, I will be shooting a T/C encore.
The only conicals I have ever used in .50 cal. are the 385 gr. Hornady Great Plains Bullet, fired from a T/C Hawken.
The best shooting bullet I have found for the Encore is the 405 gr, Powerbelt.
Like SteveB said, I really don't want to tick this guy off. I will be asking him about the Powerbelt before using it, but need to find an alternative when he says no.
Sabotloader, I have no idea what bullet you are talking about. Can you give me a website so that I can check it out.
The only propellants I have are Pyrodex RS, Pyrodex Pellets, and Goex 2F. I really hate the thought of having to buy a new type of powder just to shoot a particular bullet, so what are the advantages over what I have?
Thanks

 

[big6x6]

....in that case I too like the idea of the Hornady 350gr FPB...on top of 100-120gr Pyrodex...

 

[sabotloader]

Tweesdad9

http://bullshop.gunloads.com/contact.html

Here are a few of his variety of bullets

Since you are shooting an Encore... you will probably need a conical sized to .503 - these a slip fit conicals and slide down the barrel like loding a sabot. Problem if your hunt is soon it will take awhile to get bullets from him.... solution Dave at No Excuse makes a .503/460 that is very much like the Bull Shop - He has them ready to ship out just call him he will send them to you then bill you...

http://members.aol.com/nebullets/

Next problem not all TC's with the QLA will shoot conicals accurately - some of the QLA's are off center a bit... mine work fine but that might be something you will have to contend with... they will shoot PB's just fine.

As some has suggest the FPB might be the next best bet - BUT a few of the Encore/Omega/Triumph people that I have heard from are having a difficult time getting them down the newer TC tight bores... lee shoots a Triumph if he can get them down his bore maybe you are probably in good shape.

You can only try - How new/old is your Encore?

Hope some of this helps... mike

 

[Tweesdad]

Encore is about to celebrate its 6th birthday.
Thanks for the help, keep it coming, please.

 

[Lee 9]

With very rare exceptions the FPB shots best in TC guns that have the QLA it also has a very good BC along with the capability of being push to a reasonable speed. No matter what any one says [and I will match target with them ] the greater the arc the more potential for error. With the Power belt I would keep the charge down to 80 gr because a lot of people have had them fragment when they up the charge I tried them with 150 gr and that was way to much, most of the experienced users shot around 80 gr and that will work well at what ever range you are capable of good accuracy. In a TC in-line the only conicals that work well with out a lot of corn meal and wads is the Saber-tooth the Powerbelt and the FPB and since the FPB shoots good with the loads I like[110 gr BH209] it is the one I favor.
Lee

 

[sabotloader]

Tweesdad

If your Encore is that "young" you do probably have one of the .502 barrels so that FPB may work really well - if you can find them give them a try...

 

[Lee 9]

sabotloader
Mike have you heard of any inlines that wont shoot the FPB well?
One of the guys out at the range was sighting them in with a White and I thought they might be a little to loose in it but he was shooting clover leafs at 100yds which is as good as it gets with conicals. It is to bad they quit making them. Lee

 

[AJ]

Mike have you heard of any inlines that wont shoot the FPB well?

Yep, I happen to have one. My Omega does not like them a bit. I shot them over 100 gr of BH209 and when the first 2 shots went 10" apart, I stopped wasting powder and primers shooting them. They were super easy to load and only have about 1/8" of engraving. Not something I attribute to good accuracy. I will try them in my Knight DE but so far I am not impressed with them.

Tweesdad,
As to the using of Powerbelts, if I was the landowner that was gracious enough to allow you to hunt on my property and you pulled some crap like using PB bullets despite my prerequisite of no plastic, you would be out of there and never hunt my property again. Dang, what's up with people these days? Find a decent conical and get practicing.

 

[sabotloader]

LEE

As I am thinking - I can not say I heard that they will not shoot accurately but that they are very difficult to load in the really tight bores.... even some bores with the QLA... I have no experiance myself with them because they are not legal here for ML season. But if they have been successfully loaded into a .504 White i can see why they might be tight in a .499/.500

 

[Lee 9]

They are a bit snug in my .500 bores, but not difficult to load.
I guess what impressed me was the minute of angle with out any fussing with wads cornmeal etc I am used to having to put a wad then an inch of corn meal then an other wad to get TC qla to shoot conicals accurate.
I will probably be using them the next time I draw a Colorado tag, unless something better comes along or they get smart enough to dump those goofy laws. Lee

 

[frontier gander]

My omega never needed a wad to shoot accurately with a conical. Then again i got one of the good runs! :lol:

 

[Groovy Mike]

You coulod always patch a round ball

 

[MOdeer]

Have you tried the Powerbelt without the skirt? That would be my first attempt. I have heard they will shoot without the skirt as well as they will with it. I would definitely respect the landowner's wishes.

 

[Tweesdad]

MOdeer
I have heard the same thing, and am going to try that my next time at the range. As long as the slug does not move off the powder, it's worth a try. If the slug is too loose, forget it.
As a further clarification, I never had any intention of trying to sneak a PB into the equation. I guess my tongue in cheek comment was taken seriously by a couple of folks. Not my intention, nor would it even be required.
My county is shotgun, pistol & M/L only for regular firearms deer season. If I can't get the M/L to shoot well enough to hit at the range required, I most certainly will fall back to plan "B".
My Encore, configured as a pistol with a 15" .308 Win. barrel & 4X scope is fully legal to use. Off a bench, it shoots into 3" at 250 yards all day if I do my part. What's more, I don't even shoot plastic tipped bullets in it, so I can always use this set up, but getting a deer is less important to me than how I get it. I simply want to use a muzzleloader.
Please, keep the advice coming. Thanks