I was thinking and would it work if I took a .40 cal 155 gr.JHP pistol bullet and put it in a 45/40 sabot. I can get 100 bullets for $7 and 100 sabots for $15. I think these would make a cheap plinking load. Do you think a 155 gr. bullet will work for deer? I will be using around 100 grains of powder.

Thanks

Die Hard

A 155 grain bullet will do the jobfor deer IF the velocity is right,he bullet is constructed for hunting, and the range is appropriate for the velocityh and bullet construction(the 150 grain 30-30 is a proven deer killer).

You would need to do a little research on the bullet and be very disciplined in using it for hunting with a muzzle loader.

Why limit yourself when there are so many really good heavier bullets available?

While like Semisane, you could try it, and if accurate should work for deer, why not go with the 10mm 200 grain XTP. A little larger. Just as cheap to shoot. And they are known deer killers. Try and push them with 90 grains and see what happens.

I shoot the 200 grainout of a .50 caliber rifle instead of a .45 caliber like you want to do. I get the sabots from MMP and they work great.



This was at 50 yards with open sights. The hits in black circles are a 460 grain conical. I was really seeing how hard I could push these 200 grain XTP. As you can see, I was shooting them with 120 grains of Pyrodex RS and I am sure a deer could never take one of them, placed in the right spot.

I've thought about trying some of thos MMP sabots with a .40 calliber,195 gr. barnes expander. With a hot charge of 777, it should be a devestating combo.

The Speer .440 patch ball Wieghs in at about 165 grains . I was telling a guy after shooting some patch balls in a 26" .45 , as I remarked about how fast and flat they seemed with 90gns . He looks at me all dumb like " Hello 45-70 !?" . I'll bet that ball was clikking 26-2700 . You may see 3000 with 120 .

If I had to guess the velocity of that 200 grain XTP with that powder charge I would guess it somewhere around 2000 - 2100 fps.

Thanks guys I will use the 155 gr JHP for plinking and varmints and stick with 195 gr. Barnes ExpanderMZ's for deer. What do you think the velocity would be with a 155 gr. bullet and 150 gr. of pyrodex? Would it be safe to shoot that lite of a bullet with that much powder.

Die Hard

diehardhunter

I think you are asking can you use a 40cal - 155 grain bullet in a 45/50 cal sabot? If that is the question - I would say NO - the 40 cal bullet would be way to loose in a 45 cal sabot, but MMP does make a 40/50 cal sabot that would work.

Also I am not sure that you would like the 155 grain bullets even for target practice - at ML ranges. At 50 yards they might hang in there just fine. You do not say which bullet it is but if you look at the velocity the bullet was design for and the velocity that an ML will/can shoot it - it just might blow up on contact. You can get get a 100 Hornady-200grain 40cal/10mm XTP's that will shoot just fine and will work for target practice and for hunting deer, hogs, and ground squirrels just fine. 100 of them would probably be $12/13....

If you want to shoot 45 cal pistol bullets then another inexpensive bullet would be the Hornady 250 grain XTP. It will shoot well and it has dispatched a lot of deer.

I prefer Speer .452 - 250 grain Gold Dots - but they are more expensive.

Good luck - have fun

Evidently, you had way too long of a drive today and need to get to bed. I don't think that is what the question was.

That is one of hornady's package loads . They shoot good out of my 209x45 Encore , but you have to find the right load . If your plunking you should have the time to play with this load .
Charlie