What a difference a different sabot makes.

[hubby11]

Still working with my Omega X7, trying to settle on a good hunting load for whitetails this upcoming season. I’ve settled on using the Speer 300 gr HPGD and will likely continue with BH209. The CCI 209Ms have been working pretty flawlessly although a little dirty. Seems to take me at least as long to clean the breech plug as the rest of the rifle. I may try the Remington STS if I can find any.
The main surprise is the sabots. I’ve for the most part been using Harvester crush ribs (black ones) for both the Speers and some Hornady XTPs (also 300gr). My accuracy was all over the place at first, but after a couple of range sessions, I am finally shooting at 50 yds –it took a while to get my scope dialed in.
After my last range report, Lemoyne suggested I try using the longer Harvestor sabots with the 300gr bullets and graciously offered to send me a few to try out. So the purpose of Friday’s range session was to see if there was any difference.
I shot two sets of five shots with everything being the same – 300gr GDHP, 90 gr BH209, CCIm primer, shooting at 50 yds with my X7 using a Simmons 4X scope (yes, I totally copied Semisane!). The only difference was the sabot.
First five were with the Harvester crush rib sabots.

Second Five were with the Harvester long sabots.

Now they might not look that different but consider the order of the shots. With the CRs, they were all over the place. With the long sabots, my first three shots were all inside of an inch circle. I really wanted to stop at three but felt I had to be honest. I almost think that shots 4 and 5 were the result of overexcitement and/or a hot barrel.
I want to test some more and play with the powder amounts (I’ve been using 90 gr exclusively) but am pretty sure that the long sabots are the way to go with the 300 gr bullets.
The only downside to the long sabots is that they are significantly harder to load, but not so bad that I couldn’t do it in the field.

Thanks again to Lee for the advice and the sabots to try.

Steve

[Semisane]

Good report Hubby. I haven't tried the long sabots yet in my X7. Looks like I need to do that.

[cayugad]

nice looking group there. Looks like the sabot made a good difference

[Screwbolts]

Nice shooting, I believe it isn't so much that you are shooting long sabots, as it is that they aren't the ribbed sabot. I shoot the Harvester Black Short sabots with my 333 gr. hard cast at an 85 to 90 gr. Bh209 equivalent load. IMHO - There is nothing on this continent that can survive your load of 90Gr V BH209 and the 300 gr Gold Dot bullet as long as it is placed somewhere near the Pulmonary Pumper..

[lemoyne]

-+? Sabots can be vary funny about what they shoot with in different guns. I have found that certain bullets such as the SW and FTX shoot quite well with the Short sabots certain others such as the Gold Dots have consistently grouped tighter with the Harvester 300gr + sabot; and then there are the 45 cal 240 gr the only way I could get them to shoot under an inch was by shortening the SBH. I believe the configuration of the nose of the bullet has something to do with it. I have been experimenting with the length of sabots in relation to the configuration of the nose for about a year now and things are starting to get interesting. Lee

[nchawkeye]

Sabots, and patches make a huge difference...Now, are you cleaning, drying and lubing the barrel between each shot so the barrel is in the same condition each time you shoot???

In the muzzleloading world this makes a difference, you are not only handloading but with all the left over residue from the previous the barrel needs the same cleaning, lubing and drying procedure each time...

[rem 700]

Wonder if the change (increase) in bering surface just worked better with the fast spin.

[bronko22000]

I've found the same thing with switching the sabots that came with the 300 gr SW bullets to the Harvester CR sabots. I reported this a couple months ago. And my results were even more dramatic than yours. Of course you didn't switch brands only styles and still got a significant improvement.
There are a lot of people out there that think all you do is throw a max charge down the barrel, seat the bullet, prime and shoot. I've found that each and every rifle is different and likes different combinations of bullet, sabot, powder, charge, etc to get the most out of it. Even between two rifles of the same mode.
Good report - and good hunting/shooting.

[lemoyne]

There are two major things that affect accuracy when it comes to sabots, granting that we have excellent sabots that are capable of doing the job they are designed for well.
First: the reason there is a wide range of thickness available in today's sabots is that the barrel makers for muzzle loaders are not only using gigantic tolerances different brands have different starting points. There for you have to find the right thickness for your particular gun.
Secondly: I have found that even when the sabots are the right thickness as an example the SBH, the 300+ Harvester and the MMP HPH24 are all the same thickness and all fit my TC guns and yet to maintain the level of accuracy I want I have to use the SBH with certain bullets the 300+ with certain bullets and the HPH24 gives best accuracy with a few and I have to change the length of some for certain bullets.
I believe that the wind off the nose of the bullet affects the way the sabot comes off the bullet and if it does not come off strait and bumps the bullet or drags down one side then the accuracy is affected. Lee

[bronko22000]

That is an excellent point (no pun intended) Lee. Only a very slight deviation on how the sabot comes offs could drastically effect accuracy out at the 100 yd + mark..
I've also found that the Harvester's seem very consistant in the amount of pressure it takes to seat them - unlike the ones with the SW bullets.
I have yet to try the MMP sabots but sooner or later I probably will get around to it.