Redclub
Sabots definetly shoot a lot flatter than conicals. I shoot Barnes originals out of a Savage ,300 grain/458 dia. over 60 grains of vv120
What do you feel is your velocity with the load you have mentioned? Using a 300 grain bullet and 110 grains of T7, I am reaching1750/1800 fps and because of the lighter bullet getting really decent ballistics. With Dan's the 460's and 90 grains it only drops down to 1500 fps but the ballistic down range suffer greatly (other than energy).
But I like to shoot conicals its more fun.
Gotta agree there - they are really fun for me because they are new to me and I just like shooting... and it fits into the old BP saying "make abig hole" but again personally I like the little hole and a dead animal - I really want the bullet to do the damage on the inside not that much going in or coming out....
The reason powerbelts break up is because they are hollow points with a plastic tip plus they are a lot lighter.
I really do not know the reason they break up but they certainly can and have on many occasions. I have shot a lot of them at paper, clay pigeons, and rocks - they are accurate, i will say that, but I have seen to may break up. I shoot a lot of Gold Dots, Noslers, and XTP's all with hollow points, and really have not got that break up. On a shooting trip years ago to the rock pit I think I proved to myself the difference, when I got bored of shooting paper - I decided to shoot some of the basalt pit run rocks lieing on the floor of the pit. The PB's certainly hit the rock and made an impressive puff of grey/white smoke, but they disenegrated - could find anything other than little bits of lead not even bb size... then turn arond and shoot the same rock with an XTP and most often you would find the jacket with a little lead left but at least it held together. With the Nosler's - now that was impressive - they were rock crushers... Now I know shooting basalt is not anything like shooting an animal, but in my mind I do know what is the stronger bullet. You know since I just started shooting conicals - I have not conducted that same rock experiment with them - gotta do that... With the heavy conicals my GUESS would be they will break the rock but they will go puff also, will not find much lead in any significant sizes... just a guess.