.40/.50 sabots vs a .45 and .40 bullets?

josh...just josh · 01-03-2011, 08:30 PM

I'm getting the itch for a new muzzleloader again (you guys probably don't know what thats like do you?), and I can't help thinking that I want a .45 again, if just for something different. The problem is, a .50 should be able to shoot everything the .45 can, plus the plethora of .430, .451, .452, and .458 bullets that the .45 cant. But I wonder how well the thick .40/.50 sabots work compared to a gun shooting .40/.45.
So I know that on paper, the .45 should shoot .40 bullets much better than a .50 would. The thinner the sabot, the better bullets should technically work, but things don't always work out the way they're supposed to in the real world. The only info I have been able to find is smokeless guys having problems with blowing sabots. Does anybody have any experience shooting .40 200 gr sst's or 195 gr barnes expanders in a .50? .45's produce higher pressure, but does that necessarily mean less velocity in a .50?

moridgerunner · 01-03-2011, 09:10 PM

I've shot some precision elite .40/50 250 gr. sabot bullet combination-they are very accurate.

oldsmellhound · 01-04-2011, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josh...just josh

I'm getting the itch for a new muzzleloader again (you guys probably don't know what thats like do you?), and I can't help thinking that I want a .45 again, if just for something different. The problem is, a .50 should be able to shoot everything the .45 can, plus the plethora of .430, .451, .452, and .458 bullets that the .45 cant. But I wonder how well the thick .40/.50 sabots work compared to a gun shooting .40/.45.
So I know that on paper, the .45 should shoot .40 bullets much better than a .50 would. The thinner the sabot, the better bullets should technically work, but things don't always work out the way they're supposed to in the real world. The only info I have been able to find is smokeless guys having problems with blowing sabots. Does anybody have any experience shooting .40 200 gr sst's or 195 gr barnes expanders in a .50? .45's produce higher pressure, but does that necessarily mean less velocity in a .50?

.40 cal bullets can be very accurate in a .50. I've used the .40 cal XTP with success. Because they produce higher pressures, .45's do produce higher velocities than a .50 with the same powder charge.

lemoyne · 01-04-2011, 06:03 AM

I don't know where your information is coming from but the 50/40 has been the most accurate in two of my guns. In the Triumph the 200gr 40 caliber Shock Wave and in the Endeavor the 200gr -40 caliber Lehigh They have both shot under a minute of angle for me when I am shooting well enough. Also there have been posts of other people here from time to time that indicate I am not the only one that's having very good results with them.

falcon · 01-04-2011, 06:43 AM

My .50 caliber CVA Mag Hunter is sighted in for the 200 grain SST bullet. It makes three bullet holes touch at 75 meters when i do my job right.

Chasam60 · 01-04-2011, 02:54 PM

I have shot PR QT-40,Shockwaves,and XTP's.All were accurate.Never shot one at anything but targets.Load the XTP hot and shoot water jugs if you want to have some fun.

Charlie

Gm54-120 · 01-04-2011, 05:29 PM

I havent shot many 50x40 because i only had the Harvester 50x40CR sabot and too many failed. Plus i already had 2 45s.

Ive shot plenty of heavy 54x45s though and they are just as accurate as my top end 54x50 loads. So i have no doubt a 50x40 can shoot very well.

Now ive got some 50x40 MMPs to play with this year but only one 50cal left.