Bullet Shrapnel

I am fairly new to the muzzleloader world(4 years in). So far 3 black bears and one white tail buck. Each time my powerbelt bullet broke up like shrapnel. Caused lethal damage and all animals were dispatched quite quickly. Is this normal with a muzzleloader? I use a cva wolf and white hot powder and powerbelts. I expected a mushroomed bullet or passthrough but each time the bullets broke up. The lethal damage did it's job but there is also considerable damage to the meat. I feel as though I have to carve out more meat than with bow or shotgun.

A number of years ago I used Powerbelts and found the same thing on the deer I shot with them. Lead chunks we all through the meat.

Maybe it is time to look at using another bullet?

I have had the same experience with plated bullets, not sure what the cause was but I beleive it could have been related to tolerances in the bore or too hot a charge.

I have only used .300gr Hornady XTP bullets with my savage 10MLii. I nicknamed them bang flop bullets. :)

In my experience they have held together nicely with no fragmentation. I kept the bullet last year that was just under the hide on the buck I shot, and it performed perfectly with no fragmentation.

Which type of Powerbelt bullets do you use. I remember hearing the exact opposite about Powerbelts - no expansion and they behaved like FMJ bullets. I think that was about the Aerotip bullets.

I've been using Hornady 250 gr SST and they work fine. I have not noticed any fragmentation.

I also used to use Powerbelts, but was having an issue with the odd flyer that I couldn't solve so switched to Precision Rifle sabots and haven't looked back. I remember 1 deer I shot full frontal with a green skirt Powerbelt bullet and I found the skirt embedded under the skin of the rear inner thigh with pieces of the bullet throughout, but major hydraulic damage in the chest cavity.
John

I think it has a lot to do with shot placement. I use 250 grain Thompson Shockwaves and have had the same thing happen. A perfect ribcage/lung shot usually doesn't do much damage. If I tapped a shoulder blade or caught a piece of the front leg, then I've had that same fragmentation. Pieces of the copper plating migrate everywhere, causing major damage. The plastic ballistic tip is usually found in the carcass as well. I should probably try a different bullet but I'm so happy with the accuracy of the Shockwaves I've never tried. I imagine a plain lead bullet with no copper jacket would solve the problem?