Can I use the Lee 457-340-F in a 50 caliber muzzleloader?

[kingstrider]

Well I traded for an T/C Encore and was wondering if I can use one or two of my existing molds. First is the Lee 457-340-F which I use in my 1895GS. Seems like this would be a hard hitter but I cannot find sabots to fit it.

I also have the Lyman 44 Devastator mold and can find sabots to fit but was wondering if anyone has tried this in their muzzleloader.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
You are going to have to know the thickness of the sabots... Cannot help you with that But if you email the manufacturers some will respond with the info. If it fits you sure would have a heavy boolit to launch about.
I shoot Round Ball out of 12 gauge and using Winchester shot cups (soft plastic) I am not concerned with up to .005 compression on the wad going out the choke... and shotgun barrels are thin compared to ML barrels. But then you have to be able to start it going down down.
If the boolit is a bit undersized a few turns with teflon tape will aid that. I tried masking tade but it tends to start to unravel slowly sometimes.

[Onlymenotu]

most of your 50 cal muzzleloaders that shoot sabots shoot 44 cal or 45 cal ( .451 or .452) the only manf that i know of that makes a sabot for the .457-.458 is MMP (http://www.mmpsabots.com/) look at the bottom of the page at the ORANGE 3 pedal sabots,,,, but as for loading 451/452 sabots with a 457 boolit and stuffing it down the barrel it's all about the compression,,,,,,, I'm not sure you could stuff it down the barrel .... it would depend on barrels lands and groove depths.... another option would be size the boolit down till you could get it to load..... Good luck

[Underclocked]

I like that bullet for 1:28 to 1:32 twists but sized to .451 for full bore use in .45 caliber muzzleloaders. Sizing the bullet would certainly make it usable with more sabots (and allow you to get better priced sabots).

[wiljen]

MMP makes an orange sabot for .458 bullets. (mmpsabots.com) the 340 or the Hammer style both work fine with those. With the standard black sabots, you'll probably have to hammer them down the bore.

[kingstrider]

MMP makes an orange sabot for .458 bullets. (mmpsabots.com) the 340 or the Hammer style both work fine with those. With the standard black sabots, you'll probably have to hammer them down the bore.


Doh! I don't want to hammer them in so will have to try the smaller mold. Anyone try the Devastator in a smoke pole before?

[corey012778]

you could also try the harvester crushed rib sabots. they fit up to 458. I have tryed them with about the same size boolit. I was shooting them out of an knight and it was loose.

http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/staticpages/highres/448726.jpg