Sabots with Boolits? Anyone?

[phaessler]

Ok, here is my question, it may seem like common sense, but trapped inside in the rain here and curious of everyones opinion:
1) Shooting a CVA Kodiak Magnum inline
2) Use two (2) 777 50gr eq. pellets
3) Typically a Hornady green sabot with a 240gr XTP 44 cal bullet( copper condom :) )
Groups are typically 1-1/2" at 100yds.

Has anyone ever used and equivalent boolit? with unchanged accuracy results? weight for weight of the projectile it should shoot pretty close, or am I way off base. Have a few 240gr boolits I want to try, but thought I would throw it therefor thoughts and opinions.

I know the XTP are designed to expand over a wide range of velocities, but have never shot a deer yet that wasnt a thru and thru with it.

Pete

[mooman76]

I have never have got into the sabot thing but as long as the bullet has the same dementions especially the diameter for snug fit, common sence would say it would be pretty close to the same.

[Gunfixer]

I found that plain base boolits made the fit too tight, probably because they were .430 sized, I figured that a GC design with no check sized .429 should work just right. BUT I dont own or cast for a 44, I got my guns to shoot RB's and conicals, and the place I get to go next year is in a primitive area so I cant use sabots anyway.

[phaessler]

Thank you mooman and Gunfixer.
Gunfixer, been measuring and pushing the sabots with various bullets and your deduction is correct, the molded sabots dont particularly like the flat plain base boolits, but a gc type unchecked fits well, off to the range Monday and will see what I can see.
Pete

[rob45]

Using your own cast will work just as good. You might have to rework your load, but it will work, because I have done it. The thing to remember is sizing- experiment with a couple of different diameters to see what provides comparable loading pressure (the force required to get it down the bore). Upon loading, the new combination should feel the same as the one you've already been using.

The reason you may have to slightly rework the load is because- weight for weight, your cast will have slightly different dimensions than the XTP. The 240gr cast will be shorter than the 240gr XTP. Usually not enough difference to matter, but I do not know what your accuracy requirements are.

Try it out; it'll work. Do not lube your cast boolits when doing this. You want as much grip as possible when the rifling imparts the spin.

[phaessler]

Thanks for reminding that rob45, I noticed the difference in length on the boolit vs bullet. Proff will be in the puddin' I guess.

[kenjuudo]

I've had good results with the Lee 430-310-RF, cast of pure lead sized .430" and the green sabot over 85 gr. of Goex FF in a couple of Knight inlines.

jim

[Maven]

phaessler, You may want to look at MMP Sabots, http://mmpsabots.com The green high pressure ones work very well in my .50cal. Knight with the RCBS 250 gr. plain based Keith CB and 80 gr. FFg or Pyrodex RS.

[thebigmac]

I have a .50 Cal. "Black Diaond", using 95 gr. of 2F black powder. Green sabot with cast .40 Cal. 165 gr boolit. Put down a 6 pointer last year at about 80 yds. Kinda makes you feel good when you use your own boolits, and make a clean kill.

[curator]

Gunfixer is right about plain base boolits being tight to load. I use LBT .429-280LFN GC boolits made from wheel weight alloy, (minus the gas check) in generic (Bass-Pro) sabots. They shoot great and cost nearly nothing. The will also shoot clean through both shoulders of a white-tail deer at 75 yards propelled by 2-777 pellets. Accuracy is as good or better than with Hornady condum 44-240s. I run them through a Lee push-through sizer at .429 as soon as they cool, before they harden so they load easily

[phaessler]

Well, I did some sight-in, used my "reject" Lyman 429640, unsized and no checks, was holding groups at 1 1/2" at 100yds.
Took a nice big Doe on opening morning, and results were far better than the XTP, anchored on the spot and quick. Was over 80yds thru the front shoulders.
Satisfied to say the least.
Thanks all

[Lloyd Smale]

i just ran into something that doesnt jive with common thought. I bought a new thompson omega. First range session was shooting 90 and a 100 grains of goex pinicle and 90 and a 100 grains of 777. . i tried 250 and 300 grain 44 cast bullets both hard and soft and 260 300 and 350 grain 45 bullets both hard and soft and even a 420 4570 bullets sized down to 452. i use 44 and 45 knight mag sabots. With all loads i was lucky to keep 3 shots on a sheet of paper at a 100 yards. I thought the gun was a dud. Then i remembered it came with some jacketed plastic tipped bullets so i loaded them with 90 grains of goex and they shot into about 2 inchs at a 100 yards. I then took a run back home and grabbed a box of 250 grain .45 xtps as they were the only jacketed pistol bullets i had other then for the acp. I tried both goex and 777 and settled on a load of 90 grains of 777 which shot under an inch at a 100 yards. Cant figure out why my gun just didnt like the cast bullets as the other inlines ive had all shot them well. but this one sure doesnt. I guess my point is that just because a gun shoots a jacketed bullet in a sabot well doesnt gurantee it will shoot a cast the same.

[Underclocked]

Lloyd, you might try those cast bullets in Harvester sabots. Much easier to load and might help a lot with accuracy. Try the Crushed Ribs, you like 'em!