Colorado: Legal Muzzleloader Projectile Choices

Picking the right and LEGAL projectile for your Colorado Big Game Hunt

Rather than give a long article stating which bullet is better, why, ballistics I am going to simplify it down to what down right works on big game and what bullet weight I would recommend and a max powder charge.

Not all projectiles are created equally and do have their limitations due to bullet design ( Hollow Point ), rifling twist, and alloy used.

We'll start off with the easiest projectile one could possible ever choose.

This projectile is the Patched Round Ball.

That's right, a simple round piece of lead wrapped in a .015 - .018 or .020" patch depending on the muzzleloader brand you are using. In Colorado, the minimum caliber when using patched round ball for Elk & Moose, is .54cal. This will be a .530" to .535" round ball. 

For Deer, Bear, Antelope you can use a .50cal patched round ball, legally. Minimum bullet weight in Colorado is 170 grains. A .490" round ball weighs 177 grains, so you are 7 grains in the clear. A patched round ball is not a projectile to underestimate when hunting big game! If you are shoot a .40cal or .45cal muzzleloader, you will obviously have to use a conical bullet in order to meet legal requirements.

If you do plan on using a Patched Round Ball, the recommended rifling twist is 1:48 and SLOWER. All of my Traditional Muzzleloaders have a 1:48 twist and my Kentucky flintlock has a slower 1:66 which can handle a 110gr 3fg black powder charge with no problem. I'd recommend starting with a 70gr 2fg or 3fg charge and see how that works as far as accuracy goes. I've dropped many elk and mule deer with my standard 70gr 3fg charge and they do not go far with a solid lung or heart hit.

Next we'll look at the most popular or easily found projectile you'll find at 99% of the hunting stores you walk into...

Powerbelt Bullets

Recommended Twist: 1:28 - 1:32 - 1:38 & 1:48

Left: Aerotip - Middle: Platinum - Right: Aerolite

Powrebelts, while they are a great shooting bullet, come with a very design flaw. That Flaw? Soft pure lead, a thin copper plating and greatly oversized Hollow Point that causes them to pan cake to the thickness of a quarter, IF, that bullet even holds together.

This is the #1 projectile that has the most limits on bullet weigh & power charge.

Starting with the lighter and more common 245 to 295gr Powerbelt Aerotip ( Green or Yellow tip depending on caliber ) These bullets are easily the scariest to use on big game, especially when shooting charges of 100 grains or more. I would never recommend more than 80 grains black powder or equivalent. Using to much powder with these bullets oftens results in very limited penetration into the vitals or not at all if you are a heavy bone shooter.

Recommended Powerbelt Aerotip for Elk - Moose and Big Bear:

348 - 405 - 444 Aerotip - Hollow Point & Flat Point

Max Recommended Loads for best killing performance: 90gr 2fg for the lightest. Once you get to the 405 and especially the boss hoss 444 flat point, don't even worry about having to use more than 100gr charges.

Remember, the old buffalo hunters of the day often used a 405gr projectile, propelled by 70gr black powder. Slow, BIG hunks of lead kill better than light weight bullets that fragment when they hit bone.

Powerbelt Aerolite

Recommended Twist: 1:28 - 1:32 - 1:38 & 1:48

This bullet was a huge favorite of mine when I used them in the field. They are made for deer size game ( Not elk or moose ) due to their new updated design to open up quickly and create a huge entrance hole while pushing bone & lead throughout the organs of the animal. We've tested them with outstanding results using 100gr Blackhorn209 on mule deer as close as 30 yards and ended up with One main bullet exit wound, and 3 rib exit wounds.

Available in 250 & 300 grain .50cal

These bullets were also designed for a standard 100 grain charge.

Powerbelt Platinum

Recommended Twist: 1:28 - 1:32 - 1:38 & 1:48

Now we are getting to the best Powerbelt have ever put out that actually holds together and penetrates deeply without over expanding and coming apart. The Powerbelt Platinum uses a much smaller hollow point, roughly the diameter of a toothpick. This allows the pure lead, copper wash plated bullet to expand, yet keeps it from over expanding like its sister,the Aerotip.

The Platinum is offered in three variety of bullet weights to meet your big game needs:

270 - 300  & 338

Recommended Power Charges : 90gr 2f for the lighest, 110gr 2fg for the heaviest. The 338gr Platinum is a stellar big game bullet and can handle even up to 110gr Blackhorn209 on big boned elk.

If I were going to be elk hunting, the 338gr Powerbelt Platinum with 100gr 2fg would be my choice.

Hornady FPB
Recommended Twist: 1:28 - 1:32 - 1:38 & 1:48

Hornady® FPB™ Muzzleloader Bullets are a full bore conical, a true .50 caliber bullet for use without a sabot.  Featuring a copper jacket and streamlined profile that eliminates the need for a sabot, these bullets make loading a breeze. Clean, convenient, and spot-on accurate, these 300 or 350 grain bullets are engineered to work flawlessly in all .50 caliber muzzleloaders. Hornady® FPB™ bullets feature Hornady® Flex Tip® technology for streamlined and aerodynamic function that maximizes bullet ballistics by compressing upon impact to deliver rapid expansion.

Upon impact, the Hornady FPB's flexible elastomer tip compresses into the nose of the bullet causing violent expansion at impact velocities from 800 to 2000 fps, creating extraordinary transfer of energy for quick, efficient kills and minimal tracking, if any. The Hornady® FPB™ 300 grain bullets are easy to load, deliver surgical-like accuracy and consistent, devastating performance. Why would you shoot anything else? The Hornady® FPB Muzzleloader Bullets come in a package of 15.

Now this is a projectile I never really spent a whole lot of time on, and the #1 reason behind that is... They are a friggin SOB to load! The FPB is a hard lead alloy with a thin copper wash coating on them to prevent lead fouling in the bore. If you're  not shooting Blackhorn209, you better swab between shots, otherwise, you'll end up with one of these bullets stuck a few inches down the bore. I know Hornady advertises that they are easy to load, but when you break out in a sweat and your palm is sore after reloading a couple shots... It is simply unreal. Your mileage may vary!

Pros - Cons?

Pros: Shoot them with what ever powder charge you can safely shoot in your gun without fear of them exploding on impact.

Cons? Super hard loading in all of my muzzleloaders. 

A strong, sturdy short starter is highly recommended with these bullets in order to get them started into the muzzle. DO NOT FORGET IT AT CAMP WHILE HUNTING!

Hornady Great Plains Bullets
Recommended Twist: 1:28 - 1:32 - 1:38 & 1:48

If you want something cheap, easy to find and extremely accuracy, the Hornady Great Plains Bullet is a fantastic Do - All Big Game Projectile. Available in pure lead, 385 grains and a small hollow point, these bullets has shot amazing out of almost every rifle I have tried them in. Rifling twist of 1:28 to 1:48 have always grouped 2" or less at 100 yards with open sights. My best shooting load was with a Winchester X-150, 80gr Pyrodex RS and a 3 shot group that measured 5/8" center to center. Deer, Elk, Antelope, Bear... they don't stand a chance.

Now, because this bullet is soft pure lead, we do have a powder charge limit in order to control over expansion. I'd set a 90gr 2fg charge limit for this bullet from my experience in the field with this projectile.

$9.99 at Big R & Sportsmans Warehouse.

Some tighter bored muzzleloaders may need a short starter to pop them in the muzzle.

Another great, accurate and simple bullet is the Thompson Center Maxi ball. This bullet has no restrictions whatsoever. 370 grains of soft lead will put a smack down on all big game that it comes into contact with. A short starter may be needed to pop them into the muzzle of some tighter bores muzzleloaders, but it won't be much of a wack get them down the bore!

In my rifle, I don't shoot for the most powerful load. I shoot for the most accurate & consistent load I can find. When I cast my own maxi balls, I shoot them with 70gr 3fg or 80gr 2fg with stellar results on paper & game. These bullets are readily available at Big R & Sportsmans Warehouse for around $20 to $24 for 20 bullets.

Cons: Often times the lube is dried up and falling off. Not a huge deal as these bullets are over lubed and do not require much.

Next....Cream of the crop for Muzzleloading Bullets?

Thor Bullets:
Recommended Twist: 1:28 - 1:32 - 1:38 & 1:48

Easily one the best big game performing bullets you can buy today!

In 2008, I came across a link for a new muzzleloading bullet that was 100% Copper and opened up to just under 1" diameter when it was all said and done. I inquired about getting a small sample to test out and eventually, we took the 250gr Colorado Thor ( as it was called at the time ) to New Mexico for a mule deer hunt. We were using a CVA Accura .50cal with a 1:28 twist and 105gr Pyrodex RS. The first day of the hunt, my brother in law was the shooter and got excited at finding a small 3x3, he hit him with the range finder and received a 175 yard ranging. At the sound of the shot, the buck dropped! The aiming point was at his chin and the bullet dropped into his chest ( center facing ) and lodged into the spine, between the shoulder blades!

Actual recovered bullet from this hunt:

The Thor bullet can be pushed as hard as you can safely shoot in your muzzleloader. It does however require at least 90gr Pyrodex RS in order to function properly ( expansion ) Shoot the Thor with what ever charge is most accurate in YOUR muzzleloader. All my rifles love the Thor bullet with 100-105 Pyrodex RS or 100gr Blackhorn209. The Thor bullet will harvest ALL big game cleanly. Doesn't matter if it is an Antelope, a 500lb black bear or the Elk of a life time. If you, the hunter, can do your job, of course.

The Thor Bullet is now available in a One Size Fits All version! 247-250 & 300 grain bullets are available.

Cons: Thor Bullets are currently made by Barnes, on a limited production run. First come, first serve! Order months before hunting season, otherwise you may be out of luck. In the past 4 year, Thor sold every single bullet in stack, 3 months before hunting season started in September.

www.ThorBullets.com or Muzzle-Loaders.com in order to order.

More info on Thor Bullets found HERE

Federal BOR Lock Bullets

Recommended Twist: 1:28 - 1:32

An extremely user friend bullet! Fast, easy loading, 100% Copper, Available in 270 grains which is more than enough for elk and other large game. Perfect for deer and bear as well. Reliable, controlled bullet expansion. The base design actually does in fact scrape/cut fouling from the bore as you push it down. Upon ignition, the base slams up into the base of the bullet, flares up, seals and engages the rifling.

No Powder Charge restrictions - Push it as safely as your muzzleloader allows or until your accuracy falls off.

I've only tested a few packs and the accuracy was excellent at 100 yards with 100gr Blackhorn209. Very, very easy bullet to shoot accurately.

Harvester Sabertooth

Recommended Twist: 1:28 - 1:32

A little more on the pricier side at $16 per 12 bullets, is the Harvester Sabertooth Bullets. A copper clad lead bullet similar to Powerbelt Bullets, but with a more reliable reputation when used on big game. Available in only two weights of 270gr & 350gr. I have shot many of these bullets over the years and they performed very well in my torture tests. The thicker, harder plastic skirt however can be a little more difficult to load on a fouled bore, but they certainly are worth taking a look at. I would suggest the larger 350gr version for your bigger game such as elk,moose and large bear. 

No Excuse Bullets

Colorado Muzzleloading Rules & Regulations