Bad Sabots

[martinfaw]

I put a new scope on my knight today and was trying to set it, my shots were all over the target, I had been grouping good with iron sights, 100 grains triple 7 240 gr. jacketedhp so I thought the scope might be bad.
I got to looking for my sabots that had been shot and all I could find was
small pieces I got a new pack of harvesters and my problem was solved, the shot sabots were intact just spread out.
My old sabots were green but I don't remember what they are but they might be 10 years or older.
Do they get brittle and go bad with age.

Martinfaw

[cayugad]

I've honestly never had sabots break into small pieces like you describe. I have had the blue sabots off the 200 grain Shockwaves all shed their petals but it seemed to have no effect on accuracy. This would be an interesting question for a company. Can sabots become brittle with age?

At least you discovered the problem soon and corrected it..

[sabotloader]

martinfaw

I haven't got the great answer, but since you said you were shooting Green sabots I am assuming they were 44's and again from your description age I am assuming there were the older type of plastic not the new polymere. So from those two assumptions I will indicate to you that Del Ramsey of MMP says that the older plastic sabot would not always stand to high pressure shots of T7, to much heat. Now add that to the age of the sabots and how they were stored and exposed to UV light it might all add up.... just speculation.

I have tons of "old" and new sabots that are stored in a cardboard box under the house in our "attic"and I have to tell you I have never had a real problem but they are stored in a somewhat damp and cool place with very little light.

[Triple Se7en]

ORIGINAL: martinfaw

I put a new scope on my knight today and was trying to set it, my shots were all over the target, I had been grouping good with iron sights, 100 grains triple 7 240 gr. jacketedhp so I thought the scope might be bad.
I got to looking for my sabots that had been shot and all I could find was
small pieces I got a new pack of harvesters and my problem was solved, the shot sabots were intact just spread out.
My old sabots were green but I don't remember what they are but they might be 10 years or older.
Do they get brittle and go bad with age.

Martinfaw

From the sounds of it, those sabots may be older than some of ourreaders here.... ie.... late 80's to early 90's. Probably purchased from a Ma & Pa huntng store& saton a shelf fora fewyears.

I just threw-out some old 54-cal sabots from the early 90's. Tried them in my former Cabelas Rolling Block around 1994.I stuck with the 310 gr Ballets conical because the sabot/bullet was a sub-par performerat 100 yards.

[AQUATECH]

A quick question? When you were shooting with
the Harvester sabots where did you find your spent
sabots? When I shoot them they are all approx.
the same distance from the muzzle & they all appear
to look the same. This is in no way a scientific
test but I think you can take from this that the
sabots are performing as they should.
Danny

[Triple Se7en]

Yep... around 25 yards away with a curled-open flowerflare look to them. No holes in the base cup- no petals missing.

[martinfaw]

AQUATECH

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Posts: 156
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A quick question? When you were shooting with
the Harvester sabots where did you find your spent
sabots? When I shoot them they are all approx.
the same distance from the muzzle & they all appear
to look the same. This is in no way a scientific
test but I think you can take from this that the
sabots are performing as they should.
Danny

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Some of the pieces of the bad sabots were from 10 yds. they looked like they just blowed up also a few bullets hit the target sideways.

Martinfaw