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Muzzleloader Federal B.O.R. Loc REVIEW.

Ladys man

Ladys man

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Sep 30, 2008
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Knoxville,TN
I know this topic has been discussed many times but I can't find anything on the search engine.
Anyone have experience with Federal bor loc 270gr.
Ive always shot powerbelt 295hp and had good results just wanting to try something new hoping for better blood trials and less fragments in the meat.

Pulled this from my 8pt. Still didn't get a pass through but perfect mushroom.
 

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I'll be interested in the response I've used them last few years but didn't shoot anything so have no first hand knowledge. They look like great bullets that should expand very well.
 
I asked about these in the Muzzleloader Forum and did not get positive responses.

I too am looking for a new MZ bullet. First, I freely admit I am stuck in the past. I grew up MZ hunting with Hawkin side-hammers that threw huge chunks of lead in front of real black powder. I've moved up to an inline MZ, but still like to throw huge chunks of lead. I'm still using real black powder but plan on switching to 777 for easier cleaning. For years I shot the 295 Powerbelts due to their full 50-caliber size, ease of loading, and incredible accuracy. However, the 295 Powerbelts go to pieces on impact with a deer. Five broadside hits on does at close range, none produced an exit wound, none produced a blood trail, and all five fragmented into almost powder inside the deer. Everyone in my camp switched up to the 348 Powerbelts while I moved up to the 405 Powerbelts. Problem solved. Full pass-throughs, good blood trails. And then Powerbelt stopped making them (as of last year). They're only going to be producing their crap 295 and 245 bullets. Why, I don't know.

Again, I'm stuck in the past, and absolutely refuse to shoot a pistol bullet in a sabot out of my MZ. My MZ is 50 caliber and I want to shoot a 50-caliber bullet that punches completely through a deer. Many of the specialize saboted MZ bullets being produced will not do that at "normal" MZ loads. I also refuse to turn my MZ into a modern rifle by using ultra-hot loads are smokeless powder. If that's the way we are going, let's do away with MZ season and just go right to modern centerfires.

I've been searching for a new MZ bullet for several years, as the 348 and 405 Powerbelts became more and more scarce. I've not found one yet. I could always go back to pounding huge chunks of lead down the barrel with a hammer (literally), but I'm hoping someone comes up with a bullet similar to the Powerbelt - a bullet that is full-sized but only engages the barrel's rifling at firing.
 
BSK said:
I asked about these in the Muzzleloader Forum and did not get positive responses.

I too am looking for a new MZ bullet. First, I freely admit I am stuck in the past. I grew up MZ hunting with Hawkin side-hammers that threw huge chunks of lead in front of real black powder. I've moved up to an inline MZ, but still like to throw huge chunks of lead. I'm still using real black powder but plan on switching to 777 for easier cleaning. For years I shot the 295 Powerbelts due to their full 50-caliber size, ease of loading, and incredible accuracy. However, the 295 Powerbelts go to pieces on impact with a deer. Five broadside hits on does at close range, none produced an exit wound, none produced a blood trail, and all five fragmented into almost powder inside the deer. Everyone in my camp switched up to the 348 Powerbelts while I moved up to the 405 Powerbelts. Problem solved. Full pass-throughs, good blood trails. And then Powerbelt stopped making them (as of last year). They're only going to be producing their crap 295 and 245 bullets. Why, I don't know.

Again, I'm stuck in the past, and absolutely refuse to shoot a pistol bullet in a sabot out of my MZ. My MZ is 50 caliber and I want to shoot a 50-caliber bullet that punches completely through a deer. Many of the specialize saboted MZ bullets being produced will not do that at "normal" MZ loads. I also refuse to turn my MZ into a modern rifle by using ultra-hot loads are smokeless powder. If that's the way we are going, let's do away with MZ season and just go right to modern centerfires.

I've been searching for a new MZ bullet for several years, as the 348 and 405 Powerbelts became more and more scarce. I've not found one yet. I could always go back to pounding huge chunks of lead down the barrel with a hammer (literally), but I'm hoping someone comes up with a bullet similar to the Powerbelt - a bullet that is full-sized but only engages the barrel's rifling at firing.
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I was reading your post, most comments were talking about poor groups. Hopefully I don't have that issue. I watched several reviews from Ethan I love muzzleloading in you tube, they really seem to hold weight and expand well. He does several test comparing non sabot slugs.
 
Ladys man said:
I was reading your post, most comments were talking about poor groups. Hopefully I don't have that issue. I watched several reviews from Ethan I love muzzleloading in you tube, they really seem to hold weight and expand well. He does several test comparing non sabot slugs.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up on the I Love Muzzleloading YouTube channel. Some really great stuff. Man, I love those paper patch lead bullets from Buffalo Arms! May have to try those.
 
Pilchard said:
You guys should look into the Barnes muzzleloader bullets.

I don't understand the aversion to sabots.

These bullets will pass through 99% of the time, especially at the short distances you write about on here @BSK

You could go up to their 300gr bullet but I don't see the need.
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Because I don't know anyone shooting the expanders who are seeing full pass-throughs at the speeds I will be shooting. My gun is not rated for high-pressure loads, nor would I want to shoot that.

And I don't want to be shooting a saboted pistol bullet out of my MZ. I've shot deer with pistol bullets at about the speeds I would be looking at from my MZ and I wasn't impressed with the performance.
 
I have tried many types of ML bullets and found the Hornady Boredrivers to be the most accurate. Hornady also makes a ELR Boredriver, but you likely need a fast twist barrel for those bullets to be stable. The 300 g Hornady SST was also an accurate bullet, but not as good as the two Boredrivers.

Every gun is different, but mine shot the heavier bullets better than the lighter bullets.

There are some very good videos on Youtube about ML bullet accuracy if you care to take a few hours to search and view them.
 
BSK said:
Because I don't know anyone shooting the expanders who are seeing full pass-throughs at the speeds I will be shooting. My gun is not rated for high-pressure loads, nor would I want to shoot that.

And I don't want to be shooting a saboted pistol bullet out of my MZ. I've shot deer with pistol bullets at about the speeds I would be looking at from my MZ and I wasn't impressed with the performance.
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What gun and type/volume of powder are you shooting? I have to imagine if it will handle a 405gr bullet, you could dump the same amount of powder and you'd be shooting faster at lower pressures with a 250gr copper bullet.

No idea how your groups would be.

For reference, I tried to develop a light load for my son to see if he could start shooting a muzzleloader. 60gr of blackhorn, 225gr Barnes XPB. I was curious how it would preform so I killed a doe with it a couple years ago. Zipped right through and the deer fell over in 30 yds. That thing is moving slow. Maybe I got lucky... sample size of one.
 
Currently, 90 grns FFFg behind a 405 grn Powerbelt. It's going about 1,500 fps. When I switch to 777, probably 80 grains by volume.
 
Your going to hate 777 due to powder fowling and reloading with sabots,I only ever had 1 deer go more than 50ft with a 295 powerbelt, most fall right there but I only shoot for heart/lung shots and you can pour the lungs out, I have had some pass throughs but that's not always the case, I had very little problems reloading PB, 209 load all day just clean well like normal and easy loading.
 
mike243 said:
Your going to hate 777 due to powder fowling and reloading with sabots,I only ever had 1 deer go more than 50ft with a 295 powerbelt, most fall right there but I only shoot for heart/lung shots and you can pour the lungs out, I have had some pass throughs but that's not always the case, I had very little problems reloading PB, 209 load all day just clean well like normal and easy loading.
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Unfortunately, we hunt very thick habitat. Often, 15 yards is your farthest shot option. In that environment, no blood trail means a very difficult tracking job even if the deer only goes 75 yards.
 
BSK said:
Unfortunately, we hunt very thick habitat. Often, 15 yards is your farthest shot option. In that environment, no blood trail means a very difficult tracking job even if the deer only goes 75 yards.
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I still think that the 325 Hornady FTX is your ticket, BSK. It's a tough, cheap bullet that will give you pass throughs. I've never NOT gotten a pass through with it. It doesn't fragment, and has plenty of mass. Use MMP sabots and they should work for you
 
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In keeping with the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid), after trying a few variations, I got the most accuracy using TS MaxiBalls pushed with 90 gr of your favorite powder. Generally get good blood trails, sometimes drop in their tracks, might run a short distance. Without looking I believe they are 370 gr.
 
EastTNHunter said:
I still think that the 325 Hornady FTX is your ticket, BSK. It's a tough, cheap bullet that will give you pass throughs. I've never not gotten a pass through with it. It doesn't fragment, and has plenty of mass. Use MMP sabots and they should work for you
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This is interesting, same bullet I shoot out of my 45/70. I may do some tinkering next yr.
Thanks
 
BSK said:
Currently, 90 grns FFFg behind a 405 grn Powerbelt. It's going about 1,500 fps. When I switch to 777, probably 80 grains by volume.
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Buy .458" Harvester sabots and then buy 400gr .458" Speer bullets


The 300gr Barnes Original .458" is badder than bad can be but you're hung up on 400gr bullets the 400gr Speer is your dawg.
 
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TNCharlie said:
In keeping with the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid), after trying a few variations, I got the most accuracy using TS MaxiBalls pushed with 90 gr of your favorite powder. Generally get good blood trails, sometimes drop in their tracks, might run a short distance. Without looking I believe they are 370 gr.
Click to expand...
I used MaxiBalls for years and years. Loved their performance on the range and on deer, EXCEPT how hard they are to get down the barrel. I've literally had to pound a second shot down the barrel with anything at hand, or ram the ramrod against the tree I'm in to get them to go down a fowled barrel. If it wasn't for the difficulty of loading in a fowled barrel (and even a clean barrel for that matter) I would still be using them.
 

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