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Shockwaves

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
So I switched to the Shockwaves last year after having shot a doe square in the shoulder with a powerbelt at 40 yards and watched her run over a half mile to the next woods. Jesse's write up about the performance also has me pondering a change.On Saturday, my Niece shot a big Doe at 60 yards with an Aerotip and that deer ran across 3/4 of a mile of open fields, bedding numerous times. It made it to propery we didnt have permission for. While finding out who owned and and driving to their house, the locals who had permission drove out to her and jumped out of their truck and grabbed her up. To me, it appeared the shot was on the shoulder but a touch low. Never dreamed she would have went more than 50 yards. On Sunday I shot 2 coyotes with the Shockwave 250 gr aerotips. One of the dropped due to me taking it through the shoulders. That bullet never mushroomed but I figured it was because it was a smaller game. The other yote made it over a couple hundred yards to another woodlot. Like everyone mentions, they shoot friggin amazing. I have a little 50 cal Wolf with a 3x9 Nikon scope, and that thing is a tack driver. It groups amazing at 50 and 100 yards. Just courious about what others shoot and how they fly and perform on game
 

bigten05

*Supporting Member*
3,675
151
knox county ohio
I shoot shockwaves also and have always had good results. The buck I shot this year dripped in his tracks when I gutted him I found the bullet complete mushroomed like it should but I could see and entrance on the outside of the deer. The shoulder on the inside was destroyed the. I've never found one completely intact but got me thinking If I didn't drop that buck where he stood would I have been able to find him with no visible wound o the outside since I'd didn't pass thru it's hard to tell. I shot sst for one year wounded a deer with them and found a pack shockwaves at the house next deer I shot at fell in its tracks. I wasn't impressed with the sst so I went back and haven't had any issues since.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
I much prefer the Barnes Expander all copper bullets in all of my MZ's, smokeless or with traditional black power substitutes. They are just flat out the best performance on game bullet I have ever shot, through the sweet spot, through the shoulders, stem to stern, it doesn't matter. They work at a wide velocity range so work with any of the Muzzleloaders and propellents

Other than that I really don't have a preference:D
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I had similar issues with the shockwave and switched to the SST. I'm also thinking about moving towards the Barnes TMZ that Iowa is shooting. That was some of the most impressive blood trails I've ever seen.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
Hornady makes and supplies the same bullets to TC. Different color tips and the sabots are different manufacturers but the bullet, non bonded versions, are the same bullet and will offer identical terminal performance.
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
I've used Hornady XTPs for awhile. Never seen this before but when my buddy shot his doe the other day, at about 20 yards, the bullet was stuck in the opposite leg. We actually recovered it which was cool. It expanded well and was all in one piece but I'm surprised it wasn't a pass through at that distance. Shooting 100 grains of triple 7 (pellets) but I usually shoot pyrodex.

The shot tore the heart in half and shattered the opposite side leg. Deer went 40 yards or so.

These use sabots also and load fairly easy.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
What I fight, is getting the damn things loaded! Do they make a good bullet that doesn't take a dead blow hammer to get seated?

Of course there is an easy solution to your problem. I have worked through similar issues with a lot of guys that had the same problem with either a tight barrel or fouling from dirty powder making reloading almost impossible or the dreaded crud ring from Triple 7.

Most of their problems were solved as easily as just buying a pack of the HPH 24 sabots.

The Barnes Spit-Fire-t-EZ is another likely fix. The EZ is for easier loading. They have reduced the sabot thickness to address tighter fitting barrels. If those work for you you get the best of both words, a Very good all copper bullet and easier loading.

For $12 for a pack of sabots you solve your problems most likely. Use the .452 bullets you already have just switch out the sabots to the HPH 24's. What took you so long to ask for help?:D

http://www.barnesbullets.com/muzzleloaders/spit-fire-t-ez/

The big difference between Black HPH/12 and HPH/24 is that the HPH/24 is .002” smaller in loaded diameter (the diameter of sabot with a bullet inserted). With a .452 diameter bullet the HPH/12 is .507-.508” diameter, the HPH/24 is .505”-.506” diameter. If you have a tight loading rifle you may want to choose the HPH24 or if you have a very tight rifle, consider our 3Petal-EZ.

http://mmpsabots.com/store/black-hph24-sabot/
http://mmpsabots.com/store/black-hph12-sabot/
http://mmpsabots.com/store/black-3petal-ez/
 
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huntn2

Senior Member
6,090
157
Hudson, OH
Of course there is an easy solution to your problem. I have worked through similar issues with a lot of guys that had the same problem with either a tight barrel or fouling from dirty powder making reloading almost impossible or the dreaded crud ring from Triple 7.

Most of their problems were solved as easily as just buying a pack of the HPH 24 sabots.

The Barnes Spit-Fire-t-EZ is another likely fix. The EZ is for easier loading. They have reduced the sabot thickness to address tighter fitting barrels. If those work for you you get the best of both words, a Very good all copper bullet and easier loading.

For $12 for a pack of sabots you solve your problems most likely. Use the .452 bullets you already have just switch out the sabots to the HPH 24's. What took you so long to ask for help?:D

http://www.barnesbullets.com/muzzleloaders/spit-fire-t-ez/

The big difference between Black HPH/12 and HPH/24 is that the HPH/24 is .002” smaller in loaded diameter (the diameter of sabot with a bullet inserted). With a .452 diameter bullet the HPH/12 is .507-.508” diameter, the HPH/24 is .505”-.506” diameter. If you have a tight loading rifle you may want to choose the HPH24 or if you have a very tight rifle, consider our 3Petal-EZ.

http://mmpsabots.com/store/black-hph24-sabot/
http://mmpsabots.com/store/black-hph12-sabot/
http://mmpsabots.com/store/black-3petal-ez/

Mine is was the Triple 7. As soon as I switched to Blackhorn 209, I have no issue.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Mine is was the Triple 7. As soon as I switched to Blackhorn 209, I have no issue.

I love that stuff! I'm afraid to see what Lundy has to say about it as he knows every issue, positive and negative, with all possible muzzle loading components. :)

FWIW, I enjoyed shooting Powerbelts for several years with absolutely no negative results. I think some folks may not have matched up the right bullet with the powder load they shot. That's my guess anyway as I never had one explode on impact likely due to me never loading a muzzle loader to the max powder recommendations.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Thanks for the input Lundy. I also believe Lundy has posted lots of "stinky" worthy ML answers. I'd rather see it as a Sticky though.
 

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
Like Beener, I have had very satisfying results with shockwaves on deer.
I will never use any power belts for the rest of my days.
 
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