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Hornady Bore Driver bullets
- Thread starter BSK
- Start date
BSK
Well-Known Member
I saw a lot of deer lost to round balls. Terrible penetration and even worse accuracy. Plus, you need a slow-twist barrel.
BSK
Well-Known Member
I absolutely will not shoot a light 45-caliber pistol bullet out of a 50-caliber rifle.
You're been given multiple options that just plain work but you're too stuck on a full bore option. There's entirely too much difference between manufacturers on muzzleloader barrels. TC used to run bigger than a cva. There isn't really a standard unlike rifle barrels, or even custom barrels. There's a reason sabots are popular. You can get them to fit a tight barrel or even a loose barrel. Pistol bullets work because they were designed to work closer to that velocity range. I have no idea why powerbelts are junk, but it pretty common to see them shoot very well but they don't perform well on an animal. Most everyone raves on Barnes, and I just wasn't impressed with them.
PickettSFHunter
Well-Known Member
Lehigh defense controlled fracture and be done with it. Yes they take the scary sabots though
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2015
- Messages
- 3,179
Barnes Expander 300gr.
Barnes Originals are monsters. I've used the 300's from my muzzleloader in the past. I'm not sure what it would take to stop one but I'd bet money no animal in Tennessee would. I can't imagine what a 400 would be like penetration wise.
My Encore works perfect with a .452" Black Harvester Crush rib and .458" bullets. I know they make .458 specific but the regular ones work in mine.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
Don't you shoot a TC Omega? If so, I do as well with the max load of BH209 powder. I use the
Parker Productions Jacketed Ballistic Extreme 250gr. Extremely accurate. Haven't shot a deer with it yet though - I switched to this combo last offseason
Parker Productions Jacketed Ballistic Extreme 250gr. Extremely accurate. Haven't shot a deer with it yet though - I switched to this combo last offseason
That's a great bullet as well
I should probably sit this one out, but….
This test was prepping for a Colorado mule deer hunt.
I shot the regular bore drivers through 3 different CVA platforms (4 guns) and a TC. All of them grouped extremely well. Most liked 90-100 grains of BH the best. They also load easy even after several shots.
I took the round out local and killed a few deer just to see the actual performance on meat. I killed a a buck and a doe at roughly 90 & 125 yards. Both hits were pretty well textbook lung hits with pass through. No complaints, test passed.
I settled for a max charge of powder for my Colorado rig. I figured with my sight limitations I would take the increased velocity. I hit my Colorado buck center shoulder at 100-110 yards and dropped him, but the aftermath looked like he was hit with a grenade. The bullet was in hundreds of slivers and only a small section of the base made the offside hide.
I say they preformed acceptable at slightly lower velocity on a little less bone. They far exceeded power belt and borelok. I would stick with Thor or furry if I was a serious no sabots fan.
This test was prepping for a Colorado mule deer hunt.
I shot the regular bore drivers through 3 different CVA platforms (4 guns) and a TC. All of them grouped extremely well. Most liked 90-100 grains of BH the best. They also load easy even after several shots.
I took the round out local and killed a few deer just to see the actual performance on meat. I killed a a buck and a doe at roughly 90 & 125 yards. Both hits were pretty well textbook lung hits with pass through. No complaints, test passed.
I settled for a max charge of powder for my Colorado rig. I figured with my sight limitations I would take the increased velocity. I hit my Colorado buck center shoulder at 100-110 yards and dropped him, but the aftermath looked like he was hit with a grenade. The bullet was in hundreds of slivers and only a small section of the base made the offside hide.
I say they preformed acceptable at slightly lower velocity on a little less bone. They far exceeded power belt and borelok. I would stick with Thor or furry if I was a serious no sabots fan.
348Winchester
Well-Known Member
BSK, what is your aversion to the pure lead Powerbelt 348 grain hollow point. They have worked very well for me.
Wiley
Well-Known Member
That is the only muzzleloader bullet that my son and I have shot since I started using them in 1996 I believe. They shoot to almost 1 hole at 100 yards out of every ML that we've owned. We've never lost a deer in all the years we've used them. Below are pics of the only two 300gr MZ Expanders that I have ever recovered. All others were pass throughs.
This one went through a sapling of about 2" in diameter before going all the way to just under the far side of the hide on a doe at about 40 yards. The wood from the sapling is in the void that was the hollow point and it caused the bullet to cave in instead of mushroom outward. I actually sent this pic to Barnes with the story of that foggy morning.
This bullet was recovered from just under the far side of the hide of a 6 point that I shot at 143 yards.
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Bad habit
Well-Known Member
100 yards. Went in behind left shoulder quartering towards me. Found deep inside the right hind quarter. They shoot great in my NULA muzzleloader. First time to use them. I think I will buy more. I haven't weighed the bullet. 161 lb 10 point.
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