MuleyFever
WKR
So has anyone gotten a pass through on an elk with any of the .50 conical bullets?
I tried to prove Mike wrong on this one and I couldn't. My Encore would not shoot conicals less than 4" group at 100 yards, but could do sub 1.5" inch at 100 with sabots. They're just not built for them. Now having said that, a 4" group will probably kill your bull just fine. I had a gunsmith offer to take off that QLA but I never went through with it. Might work.You may have a problem... The way TC bores their bores and then installs the QLA may effect the accuracy of a full bore bullet - other than a Power Belt. The plastic bottom of the Power Belt tends to keep the bullet straight. Next this is not to say that your rifle might not have a bore and QLA that are square, you will just have to some conicals to test it.
This drawing attempts to show the problem
I tried to prove Mike wrong on this one and I couldn't. My Encore would not shoot conicals less than 4" group at 100 yards, but could do sub 1.5" inch at 100 with sabots. They're just not built for them. Now having said that, a 4" group will probably kill your bull just fine. I had a gunsmith offer to take off that QLA but I never went through with it. Might work.
That is awesome! Very good to hear, I might have to break out my TC again sometime then.I was able to solve the QLA problems on my TC Omega by using the MMP Balistic sub base as a wad between the power and conical. It acts very similar to the skirt on a powerbelt, keeping the gas behind the bullet in the QLA section of the barrel. My 100yd groups shrunk from over 4" to less than 1.5 with a 460gr No Excuses bullet
How many grains of powder where you shooting with the 295g Power Belt?I would avoid Power Belts. 295g regular Power Belt on a deer largest recovered piece was 68g. Bull elk @ 40 yards with 295g Power Belt Platinum and had to put 2 in him still went 1/2 mile no pieces recovered no exit. The just don't seem to retain weight.
This thread has got me thinking about other possible legal solutions for Colorado. I did a quick google search and found that Barnes makes a Bonded bullet and a TTSX bullet for loading in a 50 BMG or maybe 500 Nitro Express. Can a muzzleloader shoot these projectiles safely? I ask this because I know they will penetrate given they are intended to shoot Cape Buffalo and Elephant at higher velocity than a muzzleloader, but in addition they are cheaper respectively than MZ bullets and in my opinion they would probably be more accurate.
Anyone done this/can this be done safely?
Yes. Do a search and you should find a thread or 2 on knurling bullets for the muzzleloader. You would want to run a base under the bullet to help seal the bore on ignition.
If you can load them safely (not hammering them down the barrel with a mallet) they are safe to shoot. However, you're working with a black/substitute powder rifle that is very low pressure and is limited to what velocity is possible. Chances are very good that the bullet performance will be very disappointing... ie.... FMJ low velocity performance.
The bullet needs to obturate in the barrel to engage the rifling and create a seal. Lead is great at this provided it isn't very hard. Copper is much harder than lead and brass is harder still. These rifle bullets have hard jackets with relatively soft cores that may "belly out" and engage the rifling when fired in a muzzleloader... or maybe not... some have had good results others have not. You can knurl the bullets to tighten them up in the bore. You won't get leading and you probably wont get a good seal either unless you use a wad of some kind to create the seal. So, this is a debated topic and others will have a different opinion than myself so the only way for you to make a determination is to give it a try yourself and see.
How many grains of powder where you shooting with the 295g Power Belt?
That seems like a lot of powder.. you consistently accurate? I shoot 250 grain aero lite bullets with 110 grains of blackhorn 209 from my accura v2 LR. Curious if the reason your getting so many fragments is due to the heavy powder load?210 was the best groups with my Accura
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That seems like a lot of powder.. you consistently accurate? I shoot 250 grain aero lite bullets with 110 grains of blackhorn 209 from my accura v2 LR. Curious if the reason your getting so many fragments is due to the heavy powder load?