Originally Posted by
Gm54-120
Hold a bullet/sabot in a barrel upto a light sometime. Its hardly sealed. You would need a hammer to load a sabot that measured full groove diameter.
Gm54-120,
I dunno if this simulates an actual loaded condition, or even if you can simulate such a condition. The possible compression of air within the barrel, plus the eventual compression of the powder, might flare the very edge of a sabot enough to cause a seal. This would be more possible with shallow rifling, of course. But if you did this, then removed the breech plug and powder, this might allow the sabot to "relax." Its plastic, after all. I can't think of a way to prove this.
OldBob