anyone tried cast bullet/sabot combinations?

[john keyes]

I'm shooting a sidekick with MMP sabots and rem 240 gr JHP .44


thinking of shooting something like these with a sabot



if they work I wonder how the performance on whitetails and hogs will be

[Redhawk1]

I have used a few different cast bullets in my muzzleloader's. They work greats on deer, hogs and I am sure black bear would not be a problem either.
I am just surprised more muzzleloader shooters don't use them.  The cost compared to factory put together bullets and sabots is getting expensive. Buying bulk hard cast bullets and sabots is a big cost savings, and they work every bit as good as the factory packaged sabots and bullets.

Just like anything else, all you have to do is find the right combination of bullet sabot and powder.

[davem270win]

I've used the Cheap Shot Sabots, and they've worked pretty well for me.

[bilmac]

I shot quite a few deer with a 50 cal and sabot. I had a bullet mold for a 205 gr 44 flat nose that I used in a 44 mag, so I cast pure lead bullets in it and used them in the sabots. Had good luck with the combination, but recovered only one bullet, which was kind of an embarassing deal. I had my boss over for supper one evening. He was also a hunter. We were chowing down on some deer steaks when he found my bullet. It was about the size of a quarter and not much thicker. Right in the middle of a steak. He must have thought I was some butcher to miss that bullet. Now I don't keep bloody meat, no sense ruining good meat with bad. I guess this proves the old addage that when you are shooting big slow moving bullets you can eat right up to the bullet hole. Why was it my boss who had to prove it though.

I just went out and found the bullet, I keep every recovered bullet. This is the note I put with it. 42798 cast dead soft and hollew pointed. Fired in 50 cal ML 70 gr pyrodex. Deer at 75 yd lung to found in ham. It weighs 205 gr. Max dia is about .75" and is 5/16 " thick.

If I were you I wouldn't shoot hard bullets. At ML velocities use as soft as you can get. If you can't buy soft ones, get a chiep Lee one cavity mold and a hand dipper and make your own. You don't need to make large quantities, or size them or lube them so you will need very little equipment.

[alsaqr]

A few years ago i bought some .429, 240 grain semi-wadcutter bullets from Midway.  They shoot well with the Mag Express sabots.  Have never used them on game:   Will try one on the next hog.     

[nrb]

Several years ago, I tried several cast lead .44 and .45 against jacketed hollow point bullets, both with sabots. Tests were done at 50 and 100 yds. Overall, the jacketed bullets of similar weights were more accurate than the cast lead bullets. One hundred yard groups of casts were 3-6 in and jacketed were 2-4 in in both rifles. As I do not have my notes with me, this is a summary.

best,                 nrb

[john keyes]

I had my boss over for supper one evening. He was also a hunter. We were chowing down on some deer steaks when he found my bullet. It was about the size of a quarter and not much thicker. Right in the middle of a steak.

I had my boss over for dinner and he wondered why my dog kept staring at him and watching him eat.

 


(thanks for the replies fellas)

[Huntsman1]

Well, I started to cast my own last January after hunting season '08. I was dissapointed with my 300gr SST's, yes they dropped the deer in its tracks but al I ever recovered was a copper cup. So I bought me a Lee C452-300-RF bullet mold. I tried some loads with different wieghts and sabots and finally after much frustration I found a load that my TC Encore likes;
-Harvester E-Z Load Premium High Pressure sabot, 45 cal 300gr or more.
-110grs Triple 7 FFG powder
-PR Bullet Vari-Flame Primer adapter (Federal Match small rifle primers)
 and the Lee cast bullet.
 At 100yds my groups are just under 1"  , I recovered some and they mushroomed nicley so my lead mix is good, lets' see a "smackdown" on a deer this fall 

I am also using an MTM Predator rest and a Nikon Omega 3-9x40 scope