Slow twist Hawken and sabot questions

[RickinTN]

Hello all,
Several years ago when my youngest son was still in high school I came by a Hawken style 50 caliber muzzleloader and gave it to him. He enjoyed shooting it on a couple of outings and then education and dating and marriage got in the way. Now that he is more settled he has decided he would like to shoot the rifle again. As I recall I shortened a 7mm Remington magnum case to throw 70 grains of FFF black and we loaded it with pillow ticking and a .495 round ball. I'm comfortable the rifle has 1-38" or so twist rate. While looking at supplies to re-stock for the rifle I ran across the Hornady green sabot. It is advertised as being a low pressure sabot which I think fits the bill for our application. I am now casting for handguns and thought these sabots with some of my 44 caliber 200 grain round-flat nose bullets or 240 grain 429421 could make a good combination with his rifle. Our goal is not top velocity, just a fun plinking load. I think he enjoys loading the reifle and the smoke as much as the shooting.Any advice or experiences with this sabot and a cast bullet of 200 to 240 grains is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Rick

[mooman76]

I can't give sabot advice but why not cut out the sabot and shoot conicals or patched RBs? That way you cut out the expense of the sabot. Also are you sure of the 1/38 twist? The Hawkins are usually 1/48. 1/48 usually doesn't shoot sabots well and the 1/38 would but would also shoot RBs and conicals well.

[fishhawk]

Depending on the brand of gun it could be even a 1-66 twist.

[RickinTN]

You fellows are probably both right. It's been a while since I worked with muzzlestuffers and the 38 vs 48 twist thing wasn't fresh on my mind. I'm thinking it is probably a 1-48" and we'll probably just stick with the patched ball as I recall they worked pretty well before.
Thanks,
Rick

[johnson1942]

as stated above you can get a exact answer if you know the twist rate as guessing at it wont do the math to give you the answer. you can make this gun shoot very well and you two can have fun with it but tell us the twist rate. thanks.

[rking22]

Rick, I have ball molds and I think a TC Maxi in 50 as well. That the nice TC Hawken by any chance?

[RickinTN]

No, Not the TC Cougar I once had. Several years ago a fellow liked it better than I did and he took it home. Not sure what brand this is and will have to get him to look as it's at his house. May want to borrow a round ball mold at some time depending on how serious he is about it.
Thanks,
Rick

[rking22]

Sounds good, no need to put plastic down it's throat anyway :)

[C. Latch]

I read this thread and went to mountain molds' online bullet design tool. If you try to design a bullet around the optimal twist rate, you end up with a .452 bullet of around 200-210 grains, depending on what all you do to shorten the bullet. In other words, I'd stick with a round ball, or maybe a 230-grain .452 bullet at most.

[quilbilly]

Green sabots with 429 SWC boolits shoot just fine in my 1-48 twist barrels but even better in my White Mtn carbine which I believe is 1-28 twist if memory serves. My load has been 78 gr of FFF Goex for either deer or elk for decades. I do prefer PRB if just hunting for deer, however.

[Wizwheel]

How about the Lee REAL 250 grainer, shoots good in my CVA Frontier. No sabot, just grease and shoot.