# how did your muzzleloader bullets perform



## hoytshooter (Apr 7, 2009)

was just wondering how your muzzleloader bullets performed now that its all over I was testing and evaluating my sons he's only 5 Knight disc 45 this year and shot 3 fifty grain pellets behind a knight solid copper 175gr bullet with winchester 209 primers. I finally had a shot worthy of trying this combo out and was not disapointed it was on a 2.5 to 3.5 yr old doe moving through the woods at about 65 yards. the bullet entered about 1/3 from the back of the rib cage and exited the opposite shoulder exit wound was about the size of a racket ball..was quite pleased with the results, doe traveled 16 yards and piled up. while gutting i found the heart to be split in half


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

I tested out a load that shot great at the range and had no kick for my son next year. 50yd Shot with 50Grs(Yes 50) of loose Pyrodex and a 230Gr 44 Mag HP in a hornaday sabot sleeve. Complete pass through. I swear there is virtually no recoil with this load. It was shooting sub MOA at 50 yds at the range. Exit wound was about the size of a quarter which is what I wanted to see. Good wound channel and excellent penetration.


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## Angler ss (May 15, 2008)

I shoot 90 grains of blackhorn 209 with the hornady sst 250 grain bullet. I shot a doe broad side at 125 yards the shot was high and hit the back bone the deer droped dead.The bullet took out a huge piece of the back bone and still passed through the other side of the deer.I think the Hornady sst 250 same bullet as TC shockwave is a very good bullet when shot at a slow velocity.
Angler ss


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## BuckeyeHunter (Nov 5, 2008)

I'm mixed on the 250 grain shockwave with 100 grains pyrodex. Shot 2 deer with it, 1 was broadside from about 180 yards. The deer died within 20 yards so I have no complaints and it was dead on accurate but there was NO blood trail at all. Not a single drop except where it fell, just a dead deer 20 yards away so I wasn't thrilled about that. The entry and exit were small as well but it was a double lung so it didn't matter much.

The 2nd deer was a doe quartering away from about 35 yards. She left a river of blood and died about 20 yards away as well. I actually found the bullet stuck in her skin on the exit. It went through her vitals, through her shoulder on the way out and still was nearly intact. In fact it barely even mushroomed but it did stay together well enough to go through everything so in that regard its good.

My bottom line on the shockwave is highly accurate, great energy retention but I don't know that it expands enough for my taste.


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## hoytshooter (Apr 7, 2009)

casualfisherman great post had wondered how low you can go and be safe in powder thanks for the post will have to try that in my 45 for my son keep up the posts


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## buckeyeguy (Aug 20, 2006)

I was pretty pleased with my load package this year. I shot my TC Omega with a 200gr TC Shockwave Sabot and 100gr (2 50gr 777 pellets). The accuracy was superb on the range and performed extremely well on two 2.5yr old does. The one I shot at 70 yds had a complete pass through and she ran only 10 yds and fell dead. My buddy used my gun the next morning and shot his doe at 50 yds with a complete pass through and she ran 20 yds. 

I liked both pass throughs. Both were shot at the rear crease of the shoulder and exited at the rear crease of the other shoulder. The exit hole was approx 150% the size of the bullet. Personally I don't like to have HUGE expansion because I have had issues with it ruining a lot of meat on the other side.

In all, I was pleased enough with this load I will not change for next year.


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## Bass&Bucks (Jan 12, 2009)

Extremely happy with my bullet/powder combo. I shot 2 50gr. pyrodex pellets behind a 240gr. Hornady XTP hollow point. Combo was shot out of my new t/c omega and all i can say is those hornady's are fantastic bullets. Shot two does and both dropped where they stood. First doe at 100 yards and second right at 120 yards. Fantastic accuracy and great expansion. And the hornady's are easy in the wallet also


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## center pin daddy (Apr 15, 2004)

+1 on the Hornady XTP JHP 240 gr. Very accurate, superb expansion, economical = dead deer.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

BuckeyeHunter......I read an article once that said the balistic tipped bullets such as the Shockwave bullet was designed for thicker, tougher skinned animals such as elk. That could be why your getting complete blow through with no expansion. I'm no expert by the way, just what Ive read. I personally dont think you can go wrong with Hornady's XTP bullet. Thats what I load for my .44 mag. You can get them in the little packs with sabots for your muzzle loader or save a ton by buying them in bulk. Just buy them in .44 caliber and then buy your sabots seperately. You get 100 that way for the same price you spend to get 50 or less of the prepackaged ones.


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## mrtwister_jbo (Apr 7, 2004)

cva hunter,245gr powerbelt an 90gr of loose pyrodex powderthat combo killed 2 this yr a 8pt at about 45yrds dead in its tracks,an a doe at 75yrds ran about 50yrds double lunged both were pass thru( i didn't even pull a trigger lol)let one friend use it 1/9 an another friend an fellow ogf'er that i hunted with on 1/12 couldn't get his gun 2 go bang so after he pop's 3 caps an no bang:confused i said if you are going 2 kill one u r going 2 have 2 use mine an he did lol an made a fine shot.gun is sighted in 2''high at 50yrds.
twister


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

hoytshooter said:


> was just wondering how your muzzleloader bullets performed now that its all over I was testing and evaluating my sons he's only 5 Knight disc 45 this year and shot 3 fifty grain pellets behind a knight solid copper 175gr bullet with winchester 209 primers.
> 
> hs-Just a word of caution. I have a owner's manual that came with one of my muzzleloaders that says "only magnum("Magnum" stamped on the barrel) rated rifles should 'ever' shoot a 150 gr. powder charge"-and that was in a .50 cal. rifle!
> You did it in a .45 w/ a relatively light slug! You run a serious risk of blowing up a barrel/receiver with that much powder. Also, I have a Knight inline and as far as I can determine, they never made a "Magnum" rifle. Be careful, buddy!


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## BuckeyeHunter (Nov 5, 2008)

BassBlaster said:


> BuckeyeHunter......I read an article once that said the balistic tipped bullets such as the Shockwave bullet was designed for thicker, tougher skinned animals such as elk. That could be why your getting complete blow through with no expansion.


I'd never heard that, thanks. I was actually thinking that if I ever do hunt Elk I'd take my TC because I trust its accuracy more than my Ruger 270 as sad as that may be.

Here is a picture of the bullet I found stuck in the 2nd doe. Keep in mind it went through a rib, the heart, the shoulder bone and all the muscle etc and that much of it is still left.


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## hoytshooter (Apr 7, 2009)

cj not sure which knight you own but the owners manuals for both of my disc's show a charge of 150 grains as being max. on knightrifles.com they list the same in faq. my 50 cal has been digesting 150 loads since 1998 and its still shooting great. i appreciate the words of caution though


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## General (Oct 28, 2009)

I shoot a knight wolverine 209 with 110 grains (2-30's and a 50) and shoot powerbelt 245 grain hollow points. shoots 1 inch high at 50 and 1 inch low at 100. Dropped what must have been a 4.5-5.5 year old doe last year and a 2.5 year old this year. The one i killed this year went in right behind the shoulder and darn near blew off her opposite front leg. It slice the heart in 2. The hollow point Powerbelts shoot great for me


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