Sabots vs Lead?

[buglin4bulls]

Just curious now that you can shoot sabots how many of you are still shooting lead. My dad has been shooting the no excuses bullets and the question always arises are the sabots truer flying and more deadly? Thanks in advance.

[bobcat]

Only real advantage I see with sabots is you can use a lighter bullet, with less recoil. You don't really gain anything, performance wise. More velocity yes, but lighter bullet. Might shoot a little flatter. Having said that, I do use sabots myself, a 250 to 300 grain bullet is much more shoulder friendly than a  450 grain full bore conical.

[Sabotloader]

Just curious now that you can shoot sabots how many of you are still shooting lead. My dad has been shooting the no excuses bullets and the question always arises are the sabots truer flying and more deadly? Thanks in advance.

About the only thing that I can say about the use of sabots and copper/lead projectiles vs. big lead is you can shoot a lighter projectiles with greater velocity creating the energy to equal big lead and the shoot flatter.  Greater velocity also reduces the time in flight of the projectle.

There is a reason that most modern hunting is done with the newer copper lead, copper, or brass projectiles vs. the lead of yesterday. But none-the-less -> lead will do the job...

 

[busterbrown]

Bobcat and Sabotloader are both right. All will get the job done.

[buglin4bulls]

Thanks guys, Shooting those 450's does take it's toll on the old farts shoulder. I think I will buy him some bloodlines in the 275/300 range and see how they perform. I appreciate the input.

[Gunfire]

I heard somewhere that the sabot or Powerbelt skirts would leave a plastic residue in the barrel.  Any truth to that or just nonsense?  If so, is it hard to remove? 

[Forrestrover.02]

After shooting several sabots yesterday, I cleaned my ML and didn't see any plastic residue.

[huntnnw]

not to include todays technology ..get bullets that stay together! there is a night and day difference in the penetration of a Barnes 300 gr vs a 450gr all lead..not even close at ALL!

you gets guys out there who dont spend the time with their muzzy and learn them..they think more powder= more speed! each lead bullet has a max velocity it should reach..u over push a all lead bullet you will get a pancake effect and good bye mr elk

[Gunfire]

Thanks Forrestrover.  I'm sure it was some guys shooting traditional lead balls that told me that about the plastic.  Their theory was that if Davy Crockett didn't have it, neither should we.

[Sabotloader]

After shooting several sabots yesterday, I cleaned my ML and didn't see any plastic residue.

The new formulation of polymere being used by MMP and Harvester do not leave much plastic behind unless they are shot with such a load that they melt.  Plastic fouling is a thing of the past for the most part....

This is the bullet I am shooting... it will pancake if it hits enough steel or basalt rock..

[Dan-o]

After shooting several sabots yesterday, I cleaned my ML and didn't see any plastic residue.

The new formulation of polymere being used by MMP and Harvester do not leave much plastic behind unless they are shot with such a load that they melt.  Plastic fouling is a thing of the past for the most part....

This is the bullet I am shooting... it will pancake if it hits enough steel or basalt rock..

What are those?

Thanks in advance.

Dan

[Sabotloader]

Dan-o

This paricular bullet is a .458-305 gr. DOA - Made by Lehigh Defense.  They are actually a bullet built for a 45-70 rifle.  They are also availble in a ML edition and marketed by Knight as a Bloodline bullet - .458-300 gr. DOA.



Here is some information about the bullet.

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I have used the ML version for years hunting elk, but switched to this one this year after reading about the success that the 45-70 guys were having with it dropping Buffalo.

Knight also offers a .458-275 gr. DOA which I use during deer season - it is an excellent all-around bullet...

[Heredoggydoggy]

If I didn't have so many solid lead projectiles, I'd try Sabots.  when I shot Skeet years ago, most of us got the bore brushes that were designed to remove the streaks of molten wad-plastic from the barrels.  I don't think blackpowder gets as hot as modern powder, and plastics have come a long way since the stone age.