Rookie Powerbelt Question?
09-19-2009, 09:30 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Western New York
Posts: 639
Rookie Powerbelt Question?
I thought the purpose of using a sabot is to us a smaller projectile as well as not having the bullet directly touching the rifling therefore reducing lead fouling. With the powerbelts since direct contact is made w/ the rifling isn't there excessive fouling left behind which inturn after several shots would affect not only accuracy but possibly damage the rifling. I know swabbing between shots doesn't seem like it would remove fouling ground into rifling?
09-20-2009, 07:05 AM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,585
At least their is no problem finding a better bullet. The FPB by Hornady or the Thor if you need to shoot conicals and any good sabot-ed bullet is an improvement If you must use PB's then keep your load down to 80 gr for any under the 348 gr as they often fragment if you load them up.
09-20-2009, 08:26 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Mesa, Arizona
Posts: 986
You missed a couple things in your idea of how the muzzleloading rifle works. The muzzleloader requires that the bullet be smaller than the bore to be loaded or at least be small enough and soft enough that it can be loaded. The sabot makes the bullet able to be loaded as it is softer and will be cut by the rifling as loaded easier than a lead bullet. It also seals the gas after firing so that the bullet can be pushed out correctly. In center fire cartridge rifles the bullet is usually a few thousands larger than the bore and will seal the gas as it is forced into the rifling. A muzzleloader with a solid lead conical or one like the Powerbelt requires that the bullet swell up on the firing pressure as the base of the bullet accelerates faster than the nose of the bullet thus fitting the rifling of the barrel to assure a seal and accuracy. Contact with the barrel of either lead or the coating on bullets will not damage the barrel although they may leave residue that has to be cleaned from time to time just as the sabots may leave plastic residue with the same cleaning requirement. Hope this helps.
