What is the ELD-M, Berger, TMK of muzzleloader bullets?

[Brandon.miller.4]

As the title states, what's the most violent muzzleloading bullet? Looking for maximum expansion on game and largest wound channels. 50 cal muzzy fyi.

 

[Chris in TN]

Pittman aeromax? Arrowhead NSR? Parker?

I can’t handle the recoil so I shoot saboted .40 Fury 225s in a smokeless .45. 59 grains of imr4198. That’s my ‘hot’ load. 2550’ from a 23” 1-18” mcgowen barrel.


ETA: with my kids hunting now I don’t even use that load anymore. We hunted with 33 grains of N110 this year and a Hornady SST.

FWIW the Hornady xtp pistol bullets will expand violently when pushed north of 2000’.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

Pittman aeromax? Arrowhead NSR? Parker?

I can’t handle the recoil so I shoot saboted .40 Fury 225s in a smokeless .45. 59 grains of imr4198. That’s my ‘hot’ load. 2550’ from a 23” 1-18” mcgowen barrel.


ETA: with my kids hunting now I don’t even use that load anymore. We hunted with 33 grains of N110 this year and a Hornady SST.

FWIW the Hornady xtp pistol bullets will expand violently when pushed north of 2000’.

Why not stick with the fury for the kids. IMO it’s a much better bullet than the sst

 

[Chris in TN]

Why not stick with the fury for the kids. IMO it’s a much better bullet than the sst

The Fury weighs 225 grains. SST weighs 200 (this is 40 caliber saboted in a .45).


I agree that the Fury is a better bullet. But deer aren't that hard to kill. The SST works fine for what we do with it.

ETA: My oldest hunted with my old .50 and 33,0N110 and a 250 grain hornady 452 XTP this year. Very good deer killer at the short ranges we hunt. Possibly better than the SST, IMO, if the shot is close enough to keep the speed up - which most of our muzzleloader shots are .

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I guess I’m just not a fan of a sabot, and don’t like an sst lol. I do understand trying to keep the recoil down. I’ve been working on it with mine.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

This would primarily be for western hunting. Idaho and possibly other states. What is your argument for or against sabots?

 

[LCguy]

Here's a Barnes I found on the off-side hide of a bull elk after a 127 yard shot. Not a super hot load either, 90 gr/v of Triple 7 FFG.

The more important question is which bullet shoots best out of your specific gun? You could buy the most expensive bullet out there, but if it doesn't group our of your gun, it's useless to you.

 

[Caseknife]

Idaho is not very liberal on Muzzy, might want to check the regs.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

This would primarily be for western hunting. Idaho and possibly other states. What is your argument for or against sabots?

Sabots are the weak link. You can push a sized bullet harder. If you’re not pushing it tho, it doesn’t really matter. At one time, a sabot also limited your options, but fury has stepped up along with Pittman. Once I had a die it was really a no brainer.