Powerbelts or Nosler Partition HG

[Franksauto]

Hi guys, I have been shooting the 50 cal 295gr Powerbelts for a few years now. Man they load easy, are deadly accurate and very consistant BUT! I was a little concerned about the penatration. I shot a black bear and 3 deer last season with them. I made all perfect kill shots. All shots were 50 yards or less. They put huge holes in the animals but I got very little blood except on the bear. It was only a 25 yard shot on a small bear and pretty much blew the bear apart. All the bullets blew apart and didnt make it out the other side, on 2 of the deer they didnt even make it to the oposite side. This was using 2 50gr (100gr) pyrodex pellets. 2 of my friends shot deer both using 250 gr XTP mags. Both were 75 yards + shots using 100gr pyrodex and both had complete pass throughs. Anyway I may be switching to Nosler Partition Gold HG 260gr bullets. I tried a couple a while back. They did not load anywhere near as easy as the Powerbelts and they were not as consistant out of my gun. Does anyone other than Jim Shockey have any hunting experiance with these bullets. Do they penatrate, do they hold together, do they usually blow through. Any info at all you can give me would be great. I have plenty of them. I bought 10 packages at a Walmart clearance sale. I paid less than 10 bucks for all so no big deal if they dont work for me. I usually pay 16 bucks for a 20 package of Powerbelts. Also any opinions and expeiances with Powerbelts would be great too.
Thanks
Frank

 

[sabotloader]

Franksauto

First I have to tell you I am not a PB fan - next I would tell you I have been using the Nosler Partition's for a long time - they are exspensive but they really do the job.

For deer, I have been using Nosler .451 260grain Partitions - It does a lot of hydrostatic damage internally and all of them have passed through - two holes to bleed from.

I vote Noslers

If you want them to load easier order a package of HPH-24's and a package of the new 3p EZ load sabots - they will load easy - the sabots that come with Nosler bullets are normally HPH-12's. Another thought do not buy the blister/bubble packs of bullets and sabots - buy a box of bullets and sabot separately... saves a few $$$.

 

[cayuga]

Nosler Partition Gold HG should make a complete pass through in most cases. They are a great bullet. They are also expensive. If they are not as accurate as the powerbelts in your rifle, I would be concerned about that.

Have you ever tried an aero tip powerbelt? Perhaps the new platinum tip powerbelt would still be accurate and give you the pass through you're looking for.

 

[Doohan]

If you are stuck on the powerbelts, stick with the 348 or 405's

You will get much better performance with them.

 

[choc-dog]

Power belts???

Power belt bullets are a love hate relationship. Many on this site love love and use the powerbelts and many do not.

Accuracy is only one criteria to select a bullet of the 3 needed for our hunting purposes. Second criteria is pentatration and the third is the bulletsability to perform internally to dispatch the animal cleanly and humanly.

The Hornady's (alias shock waves), Barnes,Noslers and Swift bullets get the job done. Any of these choices will cleanly kill our selected quarry
and provide the necessay accuracy needed if you experiment with selected powders and sabots.

I don't care if the bullet/sabot is stiff in the reload process. If I wanted a repeater I would carry my Ruger #1 or Encore 20 gauge slug gun.

I am not a power belt fan..1 bullet and 1 deer was enough for me to change.

 

[elkstalkr]

Well the subject has been well covered on this site and many others.

I will state my usual. They load and shoot great, but thier performance on game is lacking greatly.

If you want a pentetrating bullet. DO NOT use regular Powerboobs.

I have no experience with the new platnium series, so i can't speak for those.

 

[rondal]

Try any of the Barnes bullets. They expand well and WON'T come apart. I personaly like the barnes TMZs as they shoot very accurately in my Omega. The Barnes are all copper so there is nothing to come apart ( they are also quite a bit cheeper than Noslers, which are excellent bullets also.) You can buy Knight brand Barnes bullets at Cabelas for $16.95 per 30 bullets and sabots, TMZs in 250 gr or 290 gr.

 

[whitesmoke]

Franksauto,

Ditto what sabotloader said, definately pick up some HPH-24's and 3P-ez's. Remember with these Partitions you can push them faster than what your getting with two Pyrodex pellets and the faster you go with any controlled expansion premium bullet the more reliable your expansion will be; which translates into a more devastating wound channel :shock: 8) .

Whitesmoke

 

[big6x6]

2 of my friends shot deer both using 250 gr XTP mags.

That's typically an accurate bullet and a great game-killer. It, along with the 250gr SST/Shockwaves are the most user-friendly bullets that I have found. The Partition Golds CAN be a bit fussy at times..

 

[Franksauto]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm not stuck on Powerbelts. (Although I do have about 20 packages of them) Like I said I like the way they load and I really love the accuracy out of my gun. I have an old Knight MK85. It has a stainless barrel and laminate stock. I converted the ignition system to the 209 disc extreme. The gun is almost 20 years old but looks like just came out of the box. I have tried several different charges & bullets through it and it seems the powerbelts shoot the best. Using the Powerbelts my gun shoots one hole groups at 75 yards, off a bench rest of course. After reading all the posts and articles on the Nosler HG I am sure I will be using the Nosler's this upcoming season. I really dont care how they load. It's not like I will be plinking with them at that price. Now I only care about accuracy and putting the animal down. I wil start getting out to the range and sighting them in. I will be happy if I can get a 2" group with them. Again my gun is very picky. Some day I will pick up an omega. I hear they shoot great with just about anything you put in them. I only found out that the powerbelts worked for my gun purely by accident. My friend had some he wanted me to blow off and my first group was of 6 bullets in less than a 1" hole at 75 yards. Amazing considering the Powerbelt is almost 1/2" in diameter. This hole can be completely covered with a quarter. I think I may have posted this picture on one of these sites before but here it is again.
Thanks again for the info.

 

[RAF]

That's 6 bullets. Wow. Good shooting.

 

[DannyB]

Tell you what, if you want to part with those Powerbelts, give me a holler (295 gr.) I have never lost an animal to one, heck, I've never even had to track one. They've all gone down within my sight. Mind you, it's all been whitetails and coyotes. Not many elk, bear, or moose in southern Tennessee.

Knock on wood, but the last time that I lost an animal with a front-stuffer I was shooting a 240 gr., .429 dia. Hornady XTP with 90 gr. of Pyrodex. Had to carry a small sledge hammer to start it down the barrel.

 

[rondal]

Six shots at 75 yds, WOW. If I had a bullet that shot that good out of my gun I WOULD USE IT.

 

[Franksauto]

DannyB and rondal
I will more than likely keep them even if I dont hunt with them this season. Ialways have a blast punching paper with them. They are the most accurate bullets I have shot out of my knight or I should say my gun likes them better than anyother bullet I have fired out of it and I have tried several types and brands. I have only shot 4 animals with them 3 deer and a black bear. It did incredible damage to all and none ran over 50 yards. My only concern was the lack of blood. There was huge holes but almost no blood. Another concern is complete pass throughs. Everyone says you need to have complete pass throughs. Is this true??? Or is the huge hole enough to not worry about pass throughs. Also there isnt much left of the bullet after impact, just fragments and pieces. And also you are right you do need a sledg to start them down the barrel. I know normally you only get the one shot anyway. Last year I did get 5 shots at deer all within 20 minutes. I will take the Noslers to the range and see how acurate they are. By the way that target is the only time I had gotten a group that tight. I come close to that almost always but again never that tight. My friends Omega does that at 100 yards almost all the time. That will be my next toy. I will post my results on the Noslers when I get a chance to shoot again.
Frank

 

[jesheba]

For what it's worth? Last year the boys at Knight put me on to the Barnes 285 spitfires and 100 grains of Triple7 (loose).Use any primer you want!Your groups will be good enough to take head shots at 100 yards and there won't be a head left! (not that I would!)Devastating bullet! This combo seems to work best with Knight bolt action rifles.Foul the barrel first,spit patch,dry patch and you will be impressed!You won't need a hammer to load,just a little muscle.Bet your groups will never be worse than 2 inches!

 

[elkstalkr]

Another concern is complete pass throughs. Everyone says you need to have complete pass throughs. Is this true???

Everybody's opinion will differ but my answer is YES!

I WANT PENETRATION, and here's why.

With a perfect broad side, behind the shoulder, in the lung shot, penetration really doesn't matter and pass thrus are only good for thier blood trail, cuz we all know that deer isn't going far. BUT the world is not a perfect place and nor are humans. Often our sights drift a little far foward and smack a shoulder. Now on most deer this is not a problem, but where I hunt (nebraska) the bucks grow large and often weigh in excess of 200lbs. Will I trust my "non-pass thru" bullet to hold together when it hits that bucks SOLID muscle and shoulder? Will it penetrate into the lung cavity if I screw up and hit his shoulder blade? I certainly hope so, and thus do not want to leave any doubt in my mind. If a bullet is smacking only tissue and ribs and exploding on impact then how can I possibly expect it to penetrate a dense mass of bone and muscle with out coming apart? I can't!

 

[rondal]

I shot a buck last year with a 348 gr Aero Tip using 115 grs of 777. The shot was at about 35 yds and angling towards me. I probably should have shot at the front shoulder, considering the angle, but I'm sure glad I didn"t. I had no pass through, only hit a rib, and the bullet completely shattered. I was pushing it kind of hard but what would have happened if I had hit the shoulder? For that reason I am using Barnes 290 gr TMZs this year. I know they will stay together no matter how hard I push them, and in my Omega they are more accurate than Power Belts. A lot of guys swear by the Power Belts and alot swear at them.

 

[teacherboy]

I too am a Barnes shooter. I haven't had the opportunity to use them on deer yet but thats next month. I shoot the "Knight Ultimate Slams." They shoot amazingly well from my gun. I shoot the 290gr. Give them a try.

Try any of the Barnes bullets. They expand well and WON'T come apart. I personaly like the barnes TMZs as they shoot very accurately in my Omega. The Barnes are all copper so there is nothing to come apart ( they are also quite a bit cheeper than Noslers, which are excellent bullets also.) You can buy Knight brand Barnes bullets at Cabelas for $16.95 per 30 bullets and sabots, TMZs in 250 gr or 290 gr.

 

[MuleyQuest]

I am still undecided as well. I used them for the first time this year. I shot a cow elk at 113 yards with 275gr 45 cal aerotip powerbelt using 118 grains of T7. It hit the shoulder dead on, continued through a rib and both lungs, then destroyed another rib on the opposite side and then finally did fragment apart in the opposite shoulder. She only went 20 yards but as you had said, there was no blood trail at all. There was not even a drop, but if it dies it is ok with me.

 

[Franksauto]

I am still undecided as well. I used them for the first time this year. I shot a cow elk at 113 yards with 275gr 45 cal aerotip powerbelt using 118 grains of T7. It hit the shoulder dead on, continued through a rib and both lungs, then destroyed another rib on the opposite side and then finally did fragment apart in the opposite shoulder. She only went 20 yards but as you had said, there was no blood trail at all. There was not even a drop, but if it dies it is ok with me.

WOW! How much more can you ask for a projectile to do than that! If they are that accurate (I havent shot them over 75 yards) and are doing that much damage on a big animal like that I wouldnt even consider anything else. Who cares what the bullet looks like after that. Although the lack of blood trail has me stumped. How can they leave a hole that big and not have a blood trail. I had it happen on 2 deer. No blood on either of them for over 50 yards.