Vance
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Post by Vance on Oct 24, 2021 19:09:43 GMT -5
I am wondering about the usefulness of sizing bullets used in sabots. I notice that using Harvester bullets and sabots, that every once in a while one goes down the barrel with more force needed than the norm. I’m not sure if the inconsistency is due to the sabot or bullet ? I also believe this accounts for my occasional fliers? Eventually I want to get into a .45 and go sabotless but for now I’m trying to learn all I can about this new avenue for me in muzzle loading fun. Attachments:
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Post by Richard on Oct 24, 2021 20:38:55 GMT -5
Of they are too tight then you needn
to size them. If too loose, then you will need to knurl them to fattten them up.
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Vance
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Post by Vance on Oct 24, 2021 21:18:28 GMT -5
Most are just right but every now and then say 1 in 10 I notice a distinct difference in the amount of pressure to get it down the barrel. Taking much more force to seat the bullet.
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Post by buckeye68 on Oct 25, 2021 3:04:26 GMT -5
I am wondering about the usefulness of sizing bullets used in sabots. I notice that using Harvester bullets and sabots, that every once in a while one goes down the barrel with more force needed than the norm. I’m not sure if the inconsistency is due to the sabot or bullet ? I also believe this accounts for my occasional fliers? Maybe it’s your powder combo making your barrel dirty that causing your occasional flier and or hard loading? |
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Vance
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Post by Vance on Oct 25, 2021 7:51:56 GMT -5
I don’t believe so, I’m using Blackhorn 209. I’ve shot upwards of 20 rounds in a session and found the last to load the same as the first. In fact my best groups are always towards the end of a shooting session. It’s just a random tight fitting one and I can almost always count on it to be a flier from the rest of the group.
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ronc
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Post by ronc on Oct 25, 2021 15:45:37 GMT -5
Sabots are produced from multiple molds and they are not all necessarily the same diameter, they can differ. I use a caliper to measure the bullet sabot assembly and group accordingly or discard. Using harvester sabots I usually find some that are off, MMP's were worse, especially in a 50 cal, I found them varying up to .004". You might try measuring them and if that's the case with yours, see how different they load. I hope this helps...
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Vance
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Post by Vance on Oct 25, 2021 16:20:22 GMT -5
Sabots are produced from multiple molds and they are not all necessarily the same diameter, they can differ. I use a caliper to measure the bullet sabot assembly and group accordingly or discard. Using harvester sabots I usually find some that are off, MMP's were worse, especially in a 50 cal, I found them varying up to .004". You might try measuring them and if that's the case with yours, see how different they load. I hope this helps... This is what I have been suspecting, and the bullets themselves may have the same issue. I will have to try measuring them both to see what's going on. |
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Vance
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Post by Vance on Oct 25, 2021 19:58:58 GMT -5
So I just got home from work and broke out my digital caliper. I found that the Harvester White Lightning .44 cal were measuring .4285” on average out of about 50 bullets I found 4 that went .429” But almost all of them if I rotate them and measure multiple sides I would find a .0005” flat spot or out of round.
I then measured the green crush rib sabot right at the bottom and was seeing .498”-.501”, again with the same out of round issue. This measurement is hard to say how accurate it is, since your measuring soft plastic that can flex depending on how tight you run up the caliper against it.
Still thinking the sabot is the weak link, which I’m sure most of you already figured out long ago?
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ronc
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Post by ronc on Oct 25, 2021 21:32:25 GMT -5
I find bullets to be spot on usually. I measure the bullet-sabot together on the petal about half way. You develop a feel for the same pressure on the calipers, I rotate to the next set of petals on a 4 petal sabot and try to be consistent. Put together groups of like sized loads and feel how they load and see how they shoot. It doesn't make that much difference when it's only .0005", you probably wouldn't be able to tell the change in loading pressure but more than that, like 2 or 3 thousandths will be very noticeable. Sometimes the supplied sabots aren't the best ones for those bullets in your gun, if not, try others. Once you know the size combination your barrel likes and keep them consistent, accuracy improves. It's a journey...
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Post by smokelessk on Oct 26, 2021 3:39:33 GMT -5
Interesting. I no longer use sabots BUT I do find the above information interesting. No doubt related to the same experience with sabots I had once upon a time. And that said, someday I will be using them again for 40 caliber bullets in the 45. So, good information to know!
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Post by hillbill on Oct 26, 2021 3:48:06 GMT -5
Trying to measure bullet .diameters with calipers is very spotty at best, A good digital Micrometer is needed for the task.
I would push them all down the barrel in one session and discard the tight fitting sabots, JMO.
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shoop
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Post by shoop on Oct 26, 2021 7:20:47 GMT -5
If you are shooting Black powder make sure you swab your barrel once and a while, I can get far more than 10 shots without running a patch through them but this may be your problem
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ronc
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Post by ronc on Oct 26, 2021 11:59:23 GMT -5
Interesting. I no longer use sabots BUT I do find the above information interesting. No doubt related to the same experience with sabots I had once upon a time. And that said, someday I will be using them again for 40 caliber bullets in the 45. So, good information to know! I don't use them now either but I used them for many years and still help others using 40 cal bullets in a 45 barrel, all using smokeless powder. The smooth blue Harvester sabot has been the most consistent I've found in size and works well in most all barrels unless they're really loose. Checking them for consistent size and lightly knurling them seems to helps shrink group size. |
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Vance
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Post by Vance on Oct 26, 2021 19:25:27 GMT -5
If you are shooting Black powder make sure you swab your barrel once and a while, I can get far more than 10 shots without running a patch through them but this may be your problem No, Blackhorn 209 only. |
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