Question on TC sabots

[Bob the Cynic]

Does anyone out there know much about TC sabots?  I bought a box of the .50 cal 250g shockwave spirepoints to try out and I notice that the sabots are different from the one that come with the 240g xtp's.  They are both black, but the XTP's have longer, thinner petals than the sabots that came with the shockwaves.  The XTP's are much easier to load as well.
 
I guess it isn't a big deal really.  I saw the black sabots and assumed they would be the same.  I'm headed to the range tomorrow so I' guess I'll find out how they shoot.

[Vapour]

Are the XTP's .40 cal or .45 cal?  The 250 grain shockwaves should be .45 cal.  If the XTP's are .40 cal that would require a thicker sabot.

[Bob the Cynic]

Ahhh, I didn't think of that.  They are .45 cal near as I can tell.  They are the same diameter as the shockwaves at least, but neither package says anything other than that they are for .50 cal muzzle loaders.
 
Anyway I just got back from the range and the shockwaves shot much better.  At 50 yards I got one ragged hole, half inch group.  At 100 yards it opened up to 1 3/4 inch, two holes touching and one that snuck out there a little bit.  I  suspect that has more to do with me than the gun though.  I was using 100g loads of both T 7 pellets and Pyro pellets.  The pyro shot a little better.
 
I've noticed that in my gun at least the tighter fitting sabots tend to give me better groups.
 
Has anyone out there used the shockwaves on deer?  How'd they perform?