Sabot or not

[Yooper003]

Simple question sabot or not.pros ,cons. What do you shoot & why.

[nagantguy]

For me the question comes down to one thing- twist rate, most inline/modern front stuffers will have a twist rate that’s much more conducive to shooting sabots well over patched round balls or even full bore “minie” style projectiles. There are some that split the difference like powerbelt bullets. Many like to constantly experiment and others tend to find the sweet spot and stick with it. I’ve found in both my current smoke poles that regardless of what projectile I put in them I get the best accuracy from the harvester crush rib sabots. From 240 grain XTP to cast .430 Lee 310s the harvester sabots deliver the accuracy for me. Load easy, shoot straight and are not cost prohibitive what’s not to like?

[megasupermagnum]

I don't understand what you are asking? This seems like an incomplete question. A sabot is anything that surrounds a bullet in a barrel, or in big school words "a device which ensures the correct positioning of a bullet or shell in the barrel of a gun, attached either to the projectile or inside the barrel and falling away as it leaves the muzzle."

There are a few types used in muzzeloaders, the main ones today being either cloth or plastic, although technically a paper patch is a sabot, and rarely used. In the past all kinds of things were used including wood and leather.

I've shot plenty of the modern plastic sabot cups, and plenty of cloth patched balls. The plastic sabots allow you to shoot very undersized bullets, which make it easy to shoot cast pistol bullets from. The cloth patch is a classic, and works great to this day. The cloth patch allows a custom fit by changing fabric, as well as carrying lube, which makes shooting easier.

[Yooper003]

I guess I am just trying to start a discussion on this. I guess the most reasonable answer would be , what shoots the best in your gun. In my case I could find no difference in accuracy. Also I am shooting the sabot for .458 boolit so weight was close to bore size real. My MZ season opens today & I couldn’t decide what to load with. Finally went with the 320 gr.458 in sabot, just because it loads a little easier than real. I have 4 different bore size boolirs , 2 size sabots & 7 different bullets to use in them. Both cast & jacketed.

[BigAlofPa.]

I shoot Pa conicals for target in my flintlock and inline. Power belts for hunting in my inline. And patched balls in the flintlock for hunting.

[Woodnbow]

Patched round ball or bore riding lead bullets. The accuracy is every bit as good as the sabot bullets and the cost is much much less. I shoot nearly every day, there’s just no way I can afford to shoot powerbelts or sabots.

[megasupermagnum]

Patched round ball or bore riding lead bullets. The accuracy is every bit as good as the sabot bullets and the cost is much much less. I shoot nearly every day, there’s just no way I can afford to shoot powerbelts or sabots.

A patch is a sabot.

[cwlongshot]

Here is my take...

I have forever been a bugger is better for a hu ting bullet when considering diameter.


Since being able to hunt with conical bullets I have been shooting sabots. Good accuracy and killing deer fine. Then to Rifle season and wanting a big heavy 45/70.... One day I say huh what am I thinking!?!? Im carrying a 54 or a 50!! Why the fudge would I wanna hamstring myself with a smaller dia bullet!!!??

I bought a T/C Maxi ball mold then a Lyman Great Plains bullet
Mold and have t looked back. Some years back a shop was selling all its T/C made MAXI & MINI BALL bullets cause they lube dried out. I bought every one they had for 4$ a box IIRC. I AM STILL USING THEM!! Matter of fact Im re Lubing a box now to shoot/site Sunday!!

FULL BORE ALL THE WAY!!!

CW

[charlie b]

I also shoot full bore lead slugs, mostly paper patched but some lubed as well. BUT...the Lyman GPH barrel is a 1:32 twist. Just fast enough for 450gn slugs. These are sized for almost a slip fit in the barrel.

I don't like plastic sabots just cause they are so much harder to seat. Same with Powerbelt bullets.

I do not hunt, just shoot paper.

[rking22]

If m pretty much a dedicated PRB shooter. I played with the plastic sabots back in the early 80’s, for about a year. They cost more, didn’t kill deer any deader and left plastic in the bore. Also harder to load after a few shots as there is no lube to keep the fouling soft. Can’t see any reason to revisit my decision so have never looked back. I have considered building a cross patch bench gun, just to experience it. Never have as I don’t enjoy bench shooting, but I love the rifles. Nuts, I guess.

[freakonaleash]

A patch is a sabot.

Technically a sabot is a wooden shoe..... :veryconfu I have never shot anything but a patched roundball or shot out of a muzzleloader.

[OverMax]

I have shot sabot from two side lock rifles. 45-54. I found having a well placed ball on target showed little difference in dispatching a paper bullseye or quarry in both ball and sabot. Only difference incurred >recoil! A whole lot more felt with the 54 and sabot.

[godzilla]

My experience was with 50 cal TC hawken. It was awful, had to beat them in! Just off the shelf 50 cal various brands. Never looked into custom sizes but I could not get the run of the mill ones down my barrel without a hammer.

[megasupermagnum]

My experience was with 50 cal TC hawken. It was awful, had to beat them in! Just off the shelf 50 cal various brands. Never looked into custom sizes but I could not get the run of the mill ones down my barrel without a hammer.

What are you talking about? Patched balls? Maxi Balls? Powerbelt?

[charlie b]

Probably sabot.

There are different brands of sabot that work better than others. The ribbed ones (Harvester) are easier to run through the bore.

Powerbelts can be a real pain as well. But, again, there are several versions and some work better than others (at least for me).

[725]

I've had great success with both, depending on the rifle. Fast twist get the sabot (my in-liners) and PRB's for the slow twists (Bobby Hoyt's 1 /60 twists). Although I like 'em both, I have more fun with the PRB's. PRB is awesome for taking 'em down. When it's a meat hunt and I don't want to fool around, it's the in-liners with the T/C 250 gr. Shock Wave.

[longcruise]

Technically a sabot is a wooden shoe..... :veryconfu I have never shot anything but a patched roundball or shot out of a muzzleloader.

Yùp, from the dictionary: "a kind of simple shoe, shaped and hollowed out from a single block of wood, traditionally worn by French and Breton peasants."

[AntiqueSledMan]

Here's my 2 cents worth,

I'm currently shooting a Lyman Great Plains Hunter in .50 Caliber (1 in 32" Twist).
When I started hunting with this rifle I purchased the Power Belt "295 GRAIN / HOLLOW POINT PURE LEAD".
They seemed to shoot fairly well, but were spendy when I could find them.
Then I switched to my RCBS 45-300-FNGC cast bullet sized to .458" stuffed into a MMP Brand "Orange HPH Sabot".
I am very happy with this combination. This allows me to use the same bullet in my 45-70 as my .50 Front Stuffer.
After I started using this combo, we experimented with other cast bullets in other rifles,
A LEE "452-255-RF" unsized with a Harvester "H5045SB" in a Thompson Center Hawken, 1 in 48, 50 cal" Twist, good results.
A LEE "452-200-RF" unsized with a Harvester "H5045SB" in a Lyman Great Plains Rifle, 1 in 60, 50 cal" Twist, good results.
Also the RCBS "45-300-FNGC" sized down to .455" in a Harvester "H5445SB" in a Lyman Great Plains Hunter 1 in 32, 54 cal" Twist, good results.
I am sold with the Sabot, they work fine for me & my hunting party.

AntiqueSledMan.

[godzilla]

What are you talking about? Patched balls? Maxi Balls? Powerbelt?

What I thought were sabots. The plastic sabots that accept the jacketed pistol bullets you see at the box stores.

[RU shooter]

I shoot a prb due to twist in my barrel . My brother and dad have inlines and shoot powerbelts . They also have TC hawkens for late season flintlock and shoot full bore maxiballs . They all kill deer so take your pick depending on your rifle . Shoot what works for you

[dondiego]

I guess I am just trying to start a discussion on this. I guess the most reasonable answer would be , what shoots the best in your gun. In my case I could find no difference in accuracy. Also I am shooting the sabot for .458 boolit so weight was close to bore size real. My MZ season opens today & I couldn’t decide what to load with. Finally went with the 320 gr.458 in sabot, just because it loads a little easier than real. I have 4 different bore size boolirs , 2 size sabots & 7 different bullets to use in them. Both cast & jacketed.

Hunt with the one that is the most accurate.

[quilbilly]

I use the sabots for elk and long range desert mule deer. Using the same boolits in the sabot as my 444 marlin (50 cal to 429 with a 265 gr SWC) my range with iron sights is extended about 50 yards from the PRB I use everywhere else. Accuracy-wise, that rifle is more accurate than I am with those sabot'd boolits which is why I named the rifle "Sweet Thing".