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405 grain cast bullets in a 50 cal MZ
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Afternoon every one.

I was wondering if anyone had tried shooting .458 caliber cast bullets using a sabot out of a 50 cal. front loader. I have a 405-457-f lee mold. These could be sized down, or left as cast if a sabot could be found to fit. With a proper charge 45-70 ballistics should be pretty easy to attain. maybe 1500-1700 fps. Would be a little cheaper than store bought bullets. Unless the sabot is a custom job. I guess then it would not really be worth it. Has anyone thought of doing this or done it? Even at trapdoor power these would make short work at close range on a white tail. M222
 
Posts: 14 | Registered: 10 September 2013Reply With Quote
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I've been doing some online looking and the biggest sabot cup I can find readily available are the ones to fit .451-.452 sized bullets. How hard would it be to size my bullets down to .452? You would lose some of the lube grooves but they are not going to make contact with the rifling. So would that work? I am doing this! It might be a bit before I have all the required gear but I will post back when it happens. M222
 
Posts: 14 | Registered: 10 September 2013Reply With Quote
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I have shot those a bit paper patched. Mine were the Lee Trap Door bullet with the hollow base. I thought there were sabots for .458. I can tell you that sizing down to .451 is going to make them not want to behave. At least they didn't in my rifle.
 
Posts: 985 | Location: Southern Idaho | Registered: 24 March 2002Reply With Quote
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Do you have any idea why they didn't behave sized down? Do you think it is weight to bore size compared to other muzzle loading bullets that are .451-.452 in size? Maybe a matter of twist and velocity or some other factor? You would think since it is in a sabot. The only factor would then be weight. Maybe that small lose of diameter would effect it. What twist does your rifle have? Mine is the 1.28, maybe a faster twist? If you do something like that like change the barrel which isn't possible on my gun, or building a front loader to shoot that bullet you are wasting your time. Just buy a 45-70.
 
Posts: 14 | Registered: 10 September 2013Reply With Quote
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I actually tried those bullets in two different rifles.
The first one was a 32" long Green Mountain .458 with a 1-18 twist.





I paper patched that bullet and sized it to .454 for that rifle. It shot okay at best. I was getting " groups or so sometimes better.




The second rifle I tried them in was my .451 Hawken with a 1-30 twist.



This rifle didn't like them. I normally use a 409 grain 11mm RCBS rifle bullet paper patched and sized to .446
That load shoots sub 2" groups at 100 yards easy. The trap door bullets just didn't shoot well.

When you size bullets that far down the bullet will have fins on the edges and the end. Sizing down from .459 to .446 is just too far I think.
Another thing about my shooting with paper patches. I use an over powder wad made of wool. For hollow base bullets I am starting to think that a guy needs a thick vegetable fiber wad instead of the wool. I think the wool wad gets pushed into the base and that allows the gas to go around the wad.

That bullet is a very accurate bullet. if it is loaded right. If you can get a .458 sabot I think it would be great.
 
Posts: 985 | Location: Southern Idaho | Registered: 24 March 2002Reply With Quote
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I'm not sure why you'd want a load with that much velocity and recoil to shoot "whitetails at close range".

I and my wife have killed herds of them with a 300 Gr XTP and just 80 Gr's of 777, getting about 1600 fps.

I'd save those heavy bullets for big bears or Bison.


One shot , one kill
 
Posts: 197 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 13 December 2002Reply With Quote
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I shoot a G Series Whitetail hunter all season. Don't use any sabots as I have never been able to get them to shoot very well. My bear bullet is 600 grains. Every thing below, including whitetail deer get a 460 grain bullet. Never had a complaint from game hit with big bullets.


Dave

In 100 years who of us will care?
An armed society is a polite society!
Just because they say you are paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you.
 
Posts: 899 | Location: Ammon, NC | Registered: 31 December 2013Reply With Quote
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I don't understand why anyone with a 50 cal would want to use sabots in the first place.
Hell, shoot full sized balls or slugs. Whole lot easier and sure cheaper if you cast your own as I do.

George


"Gun Control is NOT about Guns'
"It's about Control!!"
Join the NRA today!"

LM: NRA, DAV,

George L. Dwight
 
Posts: 5935 | Location: Pueblo, CO | Registered: 31 January 2006Reply With Quote
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Mauser, I have the same mold as you and plan to try these out of my CVA kodiaks. MMP makes a .458 sabot for .50 caliber bores. As cast with pure lead they are coming out at 420 grains. I will also be trying my .475 bullets with a .475 sabot by Harvester. I don't think any of these will perform as well trajectory wise as I would like, but I will try them anyways.

I will be trying some other .451 and .452 bullets. My supply of power belts has run low and I refuse to pay what they now cost.

I have everything ready to go test today but I may wait, it's a little wet outside. My mule deer hunt starts here the 27th.
 
Posts: 574 | Location: Utah | Registered: 30 January 2013Reply With Quote
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