Did a little testing this past weekend with my Knight. Shooting the 348 HP Powerbelt over 80 grns fffg T7 seemed to be the magic load.

How do you feel about this load on a bull out to say 125-150 max(preferably 50 )?

Have a Good One,

Reloader

Double lung shot should be just fine. Do not hit any bone however as the Powerbelt might come apart. I would not push it any harder than what you have now. I have had Powerbelts perform well on Elk but not when bone is hit. Usually can take a rib hit but not a shoulder.

I think I would try to get that Knight to shoot conicals, and heavy ones at that. Have read quite a few posts where those PBs came apart on densely-muscled animals like elk.

JMHO...

I am shooting a Paper Patched 500 S&W bullet out of my 1-28 twist Green Mountain. It is a 440 gr Lee bullet that pours 458 gr with soft lead.
Hornady great plains bullets 410 gr shoot good in my gun as well. With 100 gr of Pyrodex RS I am getting 1500 FPS. That is enough for elk, or anything else for that matter. Ron

i have never shot an elk with a mz, and i know powerbelts work for some people, but i hate them. i have had them fail to penetrate on itty bitty tennessee whitetails, and have read tons of reports of them being basically, crap. shoots pretty straight, blows apart on game. the larger ones you are shooting may be more dense than the lighter bullets, and may work better. if the state allows i would look to a saboted bullet like the barnes.

Have shot elk with powerbelts and with saboted bullets. Not happy with the effect of either. The big cows just get up and run away, after chasing the last one I am switching to heavy conicals if I get drawn again. If you can hold distance to 150 yards or less the conicals are fine. I try to not shoot over 100 yards.

One of the members of our group used 80 gr. of 2F Goex and a patched round ball to harvest a 4 X 5 bull at 65 yds. with a double lung shot from a T/C hawken. The bull went 10 yds and fell over dead.

I've also heard of the PBs failing, but it's always been the lighter ones. I cant imagine much of a difference in performance from a 348 grn PB to a 350 grn Conical, but I could be wrong. I really would prefer to stay in the 350 grn range and I like the fact that the PB has the plastic skirt. They are also fairly easy to load shall a second shot be needed.

I asked my outfitter what his clients use and he said the PB was the most popular. He also stated to use at least a 350 and I'd be fine.

My main concern is the 80grn charge being to light for the shots just over 100yds. I haven't chronoed it but I bet my 80grn fff T7 load is probably giving me at least the velocity of 100grn pyro loads.

I have some 350 TC conicals on hand but when using lubed bullets I like to use a wad and I'm not too crazy about the three piece load shall the need for a follow up occur.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

Reloader

Out of my MK85 I shoot 130 grains of 3F Goex Black Powder, over a 525 grain bullet that I cast. This is deadly on elk. My longest shot was 140 yards. The elk went sick when hit. He walked about 20 yards and fell over dead. This is a heavy load.

In my Long Range Hunter I shoot 130 grains of loose 3F Triple 7. The bullet is the Barnes 250 grain TMZ. This is a rifle I bought last year. No elk shot with this rifle. Three deer. Great results on all three deer. I have all this year coming to work on a cast conical load. I will try the 525's I cast. I cast these bullets from an RCBS adjustable Hotchkiss mold. So I can play with the bullet length and weight if I choose to.

I can not miss with these large elk bullets. I have about 300 pounds of lead that came from a fellow who redid church windows. It seems to be very good lead. And as I said I can not miss, it is HOLY lead. Tom.

HEAD0001: What bullet mould are you casting with? I have a MK85 in 54cal and am looking for something easier to load than sabot bullets.

I am using the RCBS, Hotchkiss Adjustable mold. I have never played around with the length of the bullet. I guess I just got lucky and hit it right the first time. The "Holy" lead weighs out at 525 grains. Tom.

quote:

Originally posted by HEAD0001:
I am using the RCBS, Hotchkiss Adjustable mold. I have never played around with the length of the bullet. I guess I just got lucky and hit it right the first time. The "Holy" lead weighs out at 525 grains. Tom.

Thanks for the reply where did you get the mold and what diameter is it?

I think I got it from Buffalo Arms, but it might have been Dixie. I am not exactly sure. I have had it for several years. It is a 50 caliber mold. I think they make it in 54 caliber, but I am not sure. Tom.