Powerbelt Aerolite Bullet Recovery Testing

A few weeks ago, I got some samples of the New Powerbelt Aerolite Bullets to test out in both 250 grain and 300 grain. I normally shoot bullets in this weight range so i was very interested in seeing how these new bullets shot, but most importantly, how they performed in the sand trap.

I first started out with the CVA Optima shooting a 100 grain volume charge of Blackhorn209, set everything up in a 5 gallon bucket and took a shot.


With that first test done in the video, i wasn't to happy at recovering the bullets in the condition that they were in. The wound channel was huge, the size of my first as you could see in the video but the question is, how would they actually perform on game?

Wet news paper is torture on bullets, especially soft lead bullets, i don't think the wet news paper - gallon jug of water were the greatest to test in, but i had to see how the bullets held up in that kind of media.

Doing some more testing Feb 19th 2011, i used my nephews CVA Wolf with the 300gr Aerolite Powerbelt, 100gr charge of Blackhorn209, CCI 209 Magnum primer and set up my recovery bucket at 100 yards. I lined the front of the bucket with 2" of damp news paper and filled the rest of the bucket with damp sand to stop the bullet.

Note " Broken section of bullet was done by me in order to clean sand out from under that section so i could weigh the recovered bullets weight accurately.

This media worked out much better and gave me a real idea of how the bullet would perform on game at 100 yards. Notice i put in bold "100 yards" After recovering the bullets, i am a bit worried how they'd perform with that load at say, 25-75 yards with a Frontal Chest - Shoulder shot.

The first recovered 300gr Aerolite with the Ballistic Tip still attached to the bullet weighed 287 grains recovered and with fairly thick center mass.

The other bullet on the other hand lost its Ballistic Tip which in return allowed the bullet to "pancake" flat and be very thin and brittle towards the middle of the bullet. That bullet weighed a respectable 275 grains, but scary thin overall.

Will this hurt the performance on thin skinned animals such as a Deer or Antelope? No, most likely not, but i do like a bullet that holds thick center mass to get complete penetration into the vitals.

The Aerolite runs a new Over sized hollow point with in truth, confused me when i first read about it, as i have always felt they needed to either reduce the hollow point or just get rid of it completely. Soft lead mushrooms easily, even just by throwing it up against a wall, it will deform.

Going on Three years now i have been experimenting with my own insert for the powerbelt bullet which is made from hard Wheel Weight lead and uses a threaded shaft " Current Ballistic Tips - Aerotips use smooth shafts"

The idea with the Threaded Shaft is so that when the soft lead of the Powerbelt starts to mushroom on impact, it will actually squish into the Threaded Insert and bond to it and hold the Aerotip - Ballistic Tip in the center of the bullet and limit the bullets expansion to a certain point. Whats this all mean? Well, rather than having your Aerotip - Ballistic Tip turn sideways and cut into the soft lead, weakening it, its now going to stay center when it impacts Game and retain more energy as the bullets not going to pancake flat.
My Inserts were originally made for the Lead - Copper Series Powerbelts. I used Hard Wheel Weight lead and as soon as i dropped them from the mold i made, they went directly into a bucket filled with ice cold water and sat in that cold water for 24 hours to harden. My Inserts however did sit flush with the face of the bullet, simply as i do not have the tools to cut the Aerotip shape into the mold.

Pictured Left - 245gr Powerbelt - Threaded Insert

A very popular Powerbelt comes in 245gr Grain but with my testing, its safe charge is only 80 grains Pyrodex RS or equal. And thats for distances 50 yards and above. Using the Threaded Insert that i used to make, You could use a 100gr Pyrodex RS charge and shoot safely from 20 yards on out to how ever far you can see and that bullet would only lose an average of 6 to 8 grains at 20 yards.

Another great Powerbelt thats very popular is the 295gr Powerbelt In both Hollow Point and Aerotip. I made a special insert for this bullet but left it longer so it would act like an Aerotip " Looks nothing like the Aerotip but its purpose will be shown" Note 1 shows the Hard Wheel Weight Lead, spread across the soft lead, forming a protective "skin" over the soft lead to protect it and to keep it from over expanding. This Insert was one of my first experiments and did not get the cold water treatment which hardens the lead greatly.

Getting back to the Powerbelt Aerolite, Accuracy has been outstanding And while this is a new bullet, i am just doing my job in testing new products for you, the buyer - supporter of Powerbelt Bullets. While i am concerned about the overall performance on actual game i feel that shooting into wet news paper, phone books, ballistic gel and what other media you could think of, just does not give an accurate and honest Review of this bullet. I love how this bullet shoots but to voice an open concern about the Ballistic Tip.

As part of my love and compassion for both Powerbelt bullets and Product Testing - Reviewing I felt that it is up to me to get out in the field and test the New Powerbelt Aerolite this season. As of Feb 18th 2011, i sold my .54 Lyman Great Plains rifle to fund the cost of a New Mexico deer tag, If Drawn, so i can have the opportunity to not only harvest a big northern New Mexico Whitetail - Mule deer, but a chance to film it on camera and do an in the field Product Test - Review using the new 2010 CVA Optima, Blackhorn209, CCI 209 M Primers, Konus 3-10x44 Scope and the New Powerbelt Aerolite in 250 grain.