ORIGINAL: Semisane
You'r right about that, Chap. Without a reference point I would have been wondering.
I have a pack of HPH-24 sabots, and Sabotloader was kind enough to send me a sample pack with 4 each of HPH-12s, Harverter Shorts, Harverter Longs and HPH 3 Petal EZs. My next range session will be five 4-shot groups withthose and 75 grains T-7 FFFG and300 grainGold Dots. Should be an interesting comparison of sabot effect.
So many load combinations, so little time. I love this stuff.
Sabots make a huge difference. I bought packages of all those different kinds to test. I like the crushed rib, but with my new savage, they are loose. The HPH-12 are the right tightness. Remember the phrase "The tighter the sabot, the tighter the group, to a point of having to pound the ramrodown." So I believe the right sabot for for each different bullet is the right way to do. Very few of the supplied sabot is "just right" for a given gun, you gotta play with it to get great accuracy. Hunting accuracy, 3" at 100 yards can be done with most sabots, but great accuracy (< 1.5") at 100 is only achieved with excellent sabot, load and bullet combo for a given gun. Not all bullets work in a givne gun, although some guns were designed around a certain bullet, like the 10 ML 2 ML from Savage was designed arount the XTP bullet, most Savage 10ML2 shoot that bullet very well.
Chap Gleason