Help selecting a bullet

Bowhntr

Beginner
Jan 9, 2007
29
0
Ok folks here is my deal....Hopefully, I'll be hunting mule deer in Colorado this fall with my muzzleloader. Ol' Betsy is a 50 caliber Hawken rifle that shoots great but really prefers the sabot load that I have cooked up. Problem is Colorado does not allow sabots. What are ya'lls ideas about a good 50 caliber NON-saboted bullet for a slow twist?
 
A maxi-ball style bullet is probably your best bet. You can also look at the Powerbelt bullets, but I don't know if they will work in your rifle or are even legal in CO.
 
My traditional T/C .50 does real well with the good old 385 gr Hornady "Great Plains" hollow point. Accurate and hard hitting. I took a couple of mule deer with it back in the 1990's when my buddies and I were all into muzzle loading. Both deer dropped very quickly, the bullets penetrated completely through, and judging from the wound channels, opened up pretty good too.

They're easy to use, shoot well, and work well on game.

Regards, Guy
 
Have shot some 320 grain T/C Maxi Balls in my traditions .50 cal. Hawken. They shot rather well with 100 grains of Pyrodex.
 
I've shot maxi-balls out of it before and wasn't real pleased with the accuracy. It was fair but I'd like something just a little better. I am eyballing the TC maxi-hunter of the Hornady FPB just to see how they do.
 
Glad to hear things are working out. I believe as much in his products as I do in Nosler's Accubonds and Partitions. I had the first kill in the world with his 215 gr. QT bullet when he first started making them prior to the Dead Centres. It was a caribou at 100 yards. I shoot 260 Dead Centres in front of 110 BH209. Shoots 2 in. at 200 yds. Good luck with your conicals. :grin:
P.S.: They aren't cheap up here either :roll:
 
I have used both the maxiball and the maxihunter. Non of my shots have been over 100 yards. I have a Lyman Trade rifle. First shot is 100 grains of double ff and rest are at 90. I am running out of BP and will probably switch to triple 7.
 
Powerbelts are THE bullet here in Colorado. In faster twist .50 cal rifles the go to load is 100 gr Tripple seven behind a 338 or 348 gr Powerbelt. I've this load shoot under an inch in several rifles. In a slower twist rifle I'd try the 223-245 gr powerbelts.
 
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