Bear loads

[bobcat30]

What sabots you guys using with success for black bear outta 50 cal muzzle loader? im now convinced the barnes mz 300gr are junk on bear didnt expand and left me tracking for a long ways. Any help will be appreciated thanks

[Baryngyl]

I have never used a sabot in my .58 yet, just used full sized lead round balls or Maxi-balls.

Michael Grace

[EFBell]

what kind of muzzle loader? what twist rate?

[bobcat30]

thompson center impact 1:28 twist 26 inch barrel.

[shot1]

The 295 CVA powerbelt with 100 grs. or so of your favorite propellant should shoot well. It does in most rifles. This bullet will get-er-done.

[EFBell]

Dump the sabot's and try a full caliber all lead minie bullet

[bobcat30]

the 338 gr platinum powerbelts shot real well in my muzzle loader should of stuck with them. But opted for the barnes mz expanders didnt expand for me entrance and exit were about the same size on a 396lb black bear. Do the power belts expand fast? Also do i really need the 338gr or will the 295 or 300 be just fine? Thanks again guys.

[bobcat30]

Dump the sabot's and try a full caliber all lead minie bullet

What do mean by all lead? And what brand or what? interested to try? New to muzzle loaders.

[EFBell]

There are many choices of minie balls (conical bullets) of all lead construction. They were the bullet of chice for muzzle loaders for a hundred years. In my opinion a larger full bore projectile at modest velocity will work better for you than a jacketed bullet of smaller diameter. Although you should get better expansion with an all lead conical at a full 50 caliber it really does not have to expand as much to get the job done. Advantages are easier to load, cheaper, and probably / possibly more accurate.

Example: http://tinyurl.com/2ws2ep7

[RandyWakeman]

What sabots you guys using with success for black bear outta 50 cal muzzle loader? im now convinced the barnes mz 300gr are junk on bear didnt expand and left me tracking for a long ways. Any help will be appreciated thanks


Nothing can live for very long with a 1/2 hole through their vital organs and they don't. If you were "left tracking" it was due only to bad shot placement.

See: http://randywakeman.com/BlackBearHunt2010.htm and http://randywakeman.com/2009_Minnesota_Black_Bear_Hunt.htm.

[bobcat30]

Had nothing to do with shot placement! All i was saying was the barnes mz expander didnt expand and was looking for a diff route in a bullet.

[EFBell]

I've had a lot of fun just playing around with different types of bullets and good old round ball in my 54 flintlock. I would not hesitate to shoot a bear sized animal with a big conical over about 75 or 80 grains of black powder.
I do use sabots in my 10 MLII for deer and would also give them a try for something larger if I was using that rifle.

For my 54 it's full caliber conicals all the way.

[RandyWakeman]

Had nothing to do with shot placement! All i was saying was the barnes mz expander didnt expand and was looking for a diff route in a bullet.


If you say so. As far as I'm concerned, you can't do any better than a TE-Z 290 or 300 gr. MZ-Expander. They open up down to 1050 fps or so and handily outpenetrate lead conicals . . . no contest.

Whether whitetail, large boar, kudu, warthog, black bear, you name it . . . MZ-Expanders have never failed to do a spectacularly good job over many, many years and many, many hunts. Bore size is a big downgrade.