New to ML with 100 questions

[ElDiablito]

To everyone using Powerbelts- yes they shoot great at the range and you may have success on a deer or elk at 100 yards. The problem with them is at close range (and who would not prefer that?!). At high velocity at close range they tend to fragment upon impact resulting in less penetration. You will lose an animal to them if you use them long enough! Don't do that to yourself and an animal you wish to take home with you.

Amen! For the life of me, I don’t understand why guys are still using PBs with all the negative experiences talked about all over the web. Lots of better choices out there!

 

[RaggedHunter]

I didn't read the whole thread. So some info may be redundant.

But I have a CVA MRX 50 and here is what has worked great for me.

Fury universal fit bullets 325 gr. Excellent accuracy and terminal performance.
I shoot 120gr by volume BH209 which is the max load. I weigh my charges for more consistency so 84gr by weight = 120gr by volume. Make sure you don't weigh 120gr. That would be a real bad day.

This load shoots excellent out of my rifle and I have had great terminal performance.

The only thing different with my rifle is I swapped out the breech plug for the one that takes the variflame modules. I shoot this load using large rifle primers instead of 209 primers. Not sure if that would make much difference in accuracy or not.

This combination did the trick on this moose. The bullet hammered through the offside shoulder, recovered the bullet in a perfect mushroom under the hide on the off side. Bull stumbled and fell right where I shot him.

 

[Newbutold]

Nice

 

[Jon C]

Another newbie here but I decided to shoot BH 209 with FTX 325 gr. In a .52 cal…I think by the manual I have more powder capacity then the 50. But being a reloader for CF rifles, I always approach max load until I see case pressure signs then back off a small amount and look at accuracy. Will velocity give a good clue for max load? Will be using a labradar.

My experience I can’t get anywhere near max for accuracy. I’ve shot a ton of different bullets and it’s anywhere from 80-100 gr of triple 7

 

[Newbutold]

Welcome to the forum First, Powerbelts have a terrible terminal performance reputation - no way I’d consider shooting them at anything other than paper. The Boredrivers are a good bullet.

It’s easy to overthink this stuff when you’re new. I’d get yourself a volumetric measure and start with about 90 grains by volume. See what your groups look like and then move up in 5-10 gr increments. The max volume charge in that rifle for Bh209 is 120 gr.

And, the most important thing - use a witness mark on your ramrod to denote “loaded.” This will prevent double loading the powder, bullet or both. (Load the rifle and either use a piece of masking tape or a silver sharpie to mark the spot where your ramrod is at the muzzle.)

What are the other 99 questions?

I think we may be down to about 75 now