Idaho ML bullet

[338win]

I'm assuming I will be graciously accepting my late season idaho ML tag any day now.

Out of curiosity what bullets are people running for idaho?
I looked into powerbelt lead but they seem too soft for elk bones.
Has anyone had luck with great plains .50 cal bullets out of inlines?

I'd like to find a good shooting heavy non round ball that has enough hardness to not disintegrate on a scapula.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Doesn't Idaho need to be all lead? If so the PB wouldn't qualify.

A NoExcuses conical will take out elk easily. Good price too.

Come buy our muzzle loading bullets. They are simply the best available.

No Excuses has been manufacturing quality muzzle loading bullets for more than 25 years. We have literally set the standard for other bullet companies.

www.muzzleloading-bullets.com

 

[huntid73]

Idaho allows the standard lead Powerbelt bullet, just not the Copper jacketed ones. https://idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/weapons/muzzleloader

 

[Muley_Stalker]

That's a confusing law if Powerbelts are legal.

First off the Powerbelt copper isn't a jacket but a thin copper wash. All it does is keep lead fouling down. It has no effect on performance.

Second off. The law says it has to be an all lead bullet. How can the cup on the bottom of a Powerbelt be called all lead?

"4..Is loaded with a patched round ball OR a conical, unjacketed projectile comprised wholly of lead or lead alloy. No sabots."

 

[huntid73]

That's a confusing law if Powerbelts are legal.

First off the Powerbelt copper isn't a jacket but a thin copper wash. All it does is keep lead fouling down. It has no effect on performance.

Second off. The law says it has to be an all lead bullet. How can the cup on the bottom of a Powerbelt be called all lead?

"4..Is loaded with a patched round ball OR a conical, unjacketed projectile comprised wholly of lead or lead alloy. No sabots."

Powerbelts are made here in Idaho too which is funny. I know they got a lot of questions on them, so that's why they created the graphic on that page I linked. I can't remember the justification on why the lead with green belt was legal, but those ones are 100% fine in ID.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

They should be. It's really just a lead conical.

 

[BAKPAKR]

They should be. It's really just a lead conical.

I agree with this. The plastic part doesn’t seem to be anything other than a fancy wad between the bullet and the powder.

I have only shot one elk with the lead Powerbelt. The 348 gr HP flattened out pretty significantly at over 100 yards. If I were going again, I would check out other options. I think they used to make a non-hollow point version but I am not sure they do now. In the “old days,” I took a couple of bulls with Maxi-balls.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

They make some flat nose over 400gr. It should knock the snot out of an elk.

 

[Paul in Idaho]

I have had very good results from the Hornady Great Plains in my .54 and would guess the .50 version would be just as good.

If I remember right the odd Idaho law that makes the copper coated Powerbelts illegal is a leftover from when the laws changed to limit muzzleloader hunts to traditional-style only a long time ago. Most of that was reversed but the "comprised wholly of lead or lead alloy" wording remained in place.

 

[MT Bound]

I've nocked the sh!t out of the deer with the powerbelts, if I were using them for elk I'd go with the 405 grain, that will pack a whallop. Although I just looked at their ballistic charts and they don't have anything for the 405's, I'd call them bet they have something on record

 

[338win]

As luck would have it I didn't draw idaho. One day when I get that tag I will checkout the 405s

 

[oxn939]

Can someone help articulate why Idaho explicitly prohibits you from shooting your food with any substance other than one of the most widely studied carcinogens in the world? All onboard with the irons only etc, but that one seems silly.

 

[winmag]

I would shoot a round lead ball before I shot a powerbelt. At least then I would have no delusions about the capabilities of my projectile.

+1 for No Excuses

They should be. It's really just a lead conical.

I just came up with Powerbelts new marketing campaign. Legal in Idaho because the plastic base doesn’t do anything anyway!

 

[aci07]

The lead rule is an attempt to keep muzzle loaders from becoming an arms race. I can tell you the 295gr and the 350gr powerbelts shoot about the same in a cva wolf. 295grs get the job done, and so do the great plains 450gr in the .54 cal. I got some fed. bor-lok to try out- I'm going to pull the plastic points out of them and see how they do at the range.

 

[Knight.54]

Lookin to Parker Productions, an Idaho company.
Bob is a hell of a nice guy and his hydra-con bullets in .54 are elk thumpers.

 

[Seahawk]

I am a new guy here and cant start a post but am in need of assistance! Brand new to Muzzy and drew an Idaho Antelope, I know great way to start my muzzy career on a speed goat anyway couldn't get my CVA NW legal gun so ended up going with a Traditions Buckstalker...issue is I have been ALL OVER the planet looking for Caps and Bullets, Muzzleloader.com sent me Schuetzen caps and powerbelt bullets. Caps don't fire and Traditions just told me those bullets are really bad for this gun...I have a month to find RWS 1081 caps which seems impossible and some better bullets ie Federal Borelock or Hornady? Any ideas out there?

 

[choc dogs]

Seahawk, where are you coming from to hunt Idaho?

 

[Irrelevant]

Every time I see this thread title,


I initial think it's about Idaho Mullets

 

[Seahawk]

I am in Boise) and I use to rock a great mullet in the 80s

 

[choc dogs]

I have some CCI caps we can make a deal on if they might help you out and I'm sure I've got some 50 or 54 cal old school maxi balls, maybe even round balls, whichever might help you out, if it would. I'm in south meridian, if you wanna try