Knowing i'm right doesn't make me stubborn.

Giving up easily doesn't make you right.


Honestly, no one had to be right here. A PRB and a sabot will kill at 75 yds. Dead is dead. Just because the sabot will have more range than the PRB. Doesn't make the PRB ineffective at closer ranges.

Sorry Muley, but no one said you were wrong. Just that a lot more shooters feel the same as I do. You just won't admit that caliber for caliber, a saboted/jacketed bullet is a better projectile. Higher BC, better terminal performance, increased range, etc.
However, either one does have its accuracy potential. But that is dependant on the rifle's rate of twist.

Muley - looks as though we are a hit! 635 views and counting....:)

This will go over the heads of our younger members, but a lot of people were real fans of The Bickersons.

Please show me the quote that has me saying a sabot isn't more effective. I'm not that stupid.

I just don't think a sabot belongs in a sidelock. Especially, when the range is 75 yds. When I said a PRB is all you need. I'm talking about the distance the OP asked about.

Now, just admit i'm right, and go to your room.

Well....Personally, I feel a .50 prb would be a bit light for the moose I'm hunting next week. So, I'm going with a Precision Bullets 340 grain Dead Center sabot ahead of 100 grains fff Goex, in my GM 1-28 hawken drop-in with a custom thumbhole stock. It's still a sidelock, but shoots 3" groups to 100 yards with a home made ghost ring peep. Didn't have room for longer shots.
I had hoped to go with a .58 prb this year, but the Rice barrel I ordered in March still hasn't been delivered.
Ya gotta dance with the girl ya brung.
Paul

Whether a muzzleloader will accurately shoot a certain projectile is not a function of what ignites the powder, it is dependent upon the barrel...

A gun built to most accurately shoot roundballs within a good range of powder charges will have a slower twist (in a .50 usually 1-66) and deep, cut rifling (usually .012-.015 deep)...

A gun built for sabots would have button rifling (about .006 deep) and be rifled with a faster twist...In a .50 usually 1-28...

Now when Thompson Center came out with their muzzleloaders in the 70s they went with a comprimise of 1-48 inch, button rifling...These guns will shoot roundballs or maxi balls to acceptable hunting acccuracy but aren't the best for competitive target shooting...Now also realize that back in the 70s nobody had thought about taking a pistol bullet and putting it in a plastic sabot and shooting it in a muzzleloader...This came about later, in the 80s I believe and if not mistaken Del Ramsey of MMP was either the first or one of the first to do so....

So the real question is, what does your side hammer have as a barrel???

As you know Hawk. The original Hawken had a 1-48 twist.

I agree that a slower twist does seem to work a bit better, and it's what I use. However, some 1-48 twist barrels have amazing accuracy with a PRB. Shallow rifling and all.

Agree, the originals were also deep cut and they probably used lower powder charges than many want to today...I have also seen some 1-48, shallow rifling shoot well, but haven't seen too many using them in competition...That's why I said they may have decent hunting accuracy but seldom will the be as accurate with a range of powder charges as a deep cut barrel will be...

There are always exceptions...I sure wouldn't build a custom flintlock for balls and go with a shallow rifling...

Also...My .40 has 1-48 rifling, which is fine for a .40...My .54 has 1-72 so the rifling has to match the caliber...Since he has a .50 I was using 1-66 which is common for a .50 roundball rifle...

Yes, for target shooting the slow twist deep grove barrels can't be beat. It's all I use now, because I hate conicals, and have no use for barrels that shoot them well.

I'm about to buy a Don Stith Hawken kit. I'm undecided about the barrel maker I want to use. I have a choice of Getz, deHaas, or Goodoien. Any thoughts?

http://www.donstith.com/kit_carson.html