Sabot for Pr Dead Center .40/260g in Optima V2

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zach.trumble

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Went out shooting the pr dead center .40/260g in CVA Optima V2 with Blackhorn 209. Weighing charges at 70wtg and 63wtg.

Got about 2 to 3 inch groups at a hundred. I had higher expectations. Got on here and did some reading about Sabot changes. I was using the supplied orange sabot to bring the .40 up to the .50 cal gun.



The supplied sabot slid down the barrel pretty easy.

Which sabot should I use if I were to try something different? I don't know much about sabots so if you could include some specific names or links that would be helpful.

Thanks!
 

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Is there a reason you want to shoot the .40 out of your Optima? How about 44 or 45 caliber. I've never been able to get the 40/50 to shoot well. There are a myriad of choices with the bigger bullets especially the 45. There are lots of sabot choices also with Harvester and MMP. I shoot the Thor full bore 50 cal in my Optima with great results.
 
Try a 300 gr .452 Hornady XTP in a MMP HPH12 sabot (or other sabot that provides a good fit) over 100 to 110 gr (by volume) BH209.

This shoots good on my Accura, and other people have reported good accuracy from CVA barrels with similar loads.
 
As far as I know [not CVA fan] the Optima has a 1-28 twist that is a very long bullet for a 1-28 twist, Normally a 200 grain bullet is about the right length for a 50/40 combination. I use the Harvester 50/40 smooth in my Encore and 45/40 smooth in my 45 encore both with the Shock Wave 200 grain and the XTP 200 grain and am happy with the results for hunting deer I like the Lehigh Blood line 200 grain.
 
There are only 3 choices for a 50x40 sabot and you are using the largest OD already. Both the MMP blue and PR orange are both made by MMP. The Harvester 50x40 is only available in a crushrib and loads easier than the other 2.

A 1-28 twist is a little on the slow side for the 40cal 260gr. Increase the BH209 load and i would also try some Triple7 since it needs less pressure to burn properly.
 
rangerod said:
Is there a reason you want to shoot the .40 out of your Optima? How about 44 or 45 caliber. I've never been able to get the 40/50 to shoot well. There are a myriad of choices with the bigger bullets especially the 45. There are lots of sabot choices also with Harvester and MMP. I shoot the Thor full bore 50 cal in my Optima with great results.
I agree with rangerod. I believe you will be much happier with the accuracy of a .44 o.45 cal bullet and proper sabot. The current CVA barrels aren't very picky and will shoot a variety of .44, .45 bullets well, as well as a few .458 bullets.
 
Okay so learning experience. Somebody told me the 40 cal was the flattest shooting and that I should try it. Didn't realize that it might not shoot well out of a 50 cal gun. Since I have 3 packs of these puppies what would be my best chance of getting them to work well? Larger powder loads?
 
zach.trumble said:
Okay so learning experience. Somebody told me the 40 cal was the flattest shooting and that I should try it. Didn't realize that it might not shoot well out of a 50 cal gun. Since I have 3 packs of these puppies what would be my best chance of getting them to work well? Larger powder loads?

As GM154-20 said, work your way up with increasing BH209 charges, or try another propellant. You may need to settle for 3 MOA type accuracy, which is t anywhere near what the rifle can do, but plenty sufficient for killing deer.

Or you could consider selling your current batch of projectiles and trying something better suited for your barrel.
 
You could try putting a wrap or two of paper around the bullet and see if that snugs it up in the sabot. BH209 might not be getting the best burn in your loose fitting combination. Better burn will increase speed and pressure. More powder will increase speed and pressure. When a bullet in a sabot gets a really good kick in the arse, it swells slightly and tightens up a little more in the bore.

Personally though ive never had great luck with any 50x40 shooting as well as a 50x45 or 50x458. Cecil does offer a 44cal 260gr and a 300gr Dead Center.
 
GM54-120 said:
Cecil does offer a 44cal 260gr and a 300gr Dead Center.

I've shot them both and like them. The guy who set me up with the gun said the .40/260g would be flatter shooting, which as I'm finding out may be true when shot at higher velocities out of a different gun...

Maybe I have 2 packs of .40/260g for sale...

Here is the 50 yard target which had me excited at first.
 

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I have shot some Dead Center bullets in my fathers Optima . 185 grain and 200 grain both bullets shot right at 1 inch at 100 yards with Harvester 50 to 40 cal sabots . They did not shoot worth a crap with the supplied Dead Center sabots . This was with a light load of 75 grain by volume of Blackhorn 209 . At 50 yards they would one hole . With a 50 yard Zero they carried to 100 yards with very little drop . I was impressed i was after a light load for my father and my daughters .
 
Dougs136Schwartz said:
I have shot some Dead Center bullets in my fathers Optima.

Which caliber bullet?

Seems to be a consensus in this thread that the 40 caliber bullet out of a 50 caliber gun is not a good combination. I was kind of hoping that wouldn't be true because I bought a bunch of them.

They slid down the barrel fairly easily so I was hoping different sabot would tighten things up.

Were you using Harvester smooth or Crush rib?
 
GM54-120 said:
A 1-28 twist is a little on the slow side for the 40cal 260gr. Increase the BH209 load and i would also try some Triple7 since it needs less pressure to burn properly.

I thought 1-28 was fast twist?
 
1-22 or faster is what most of us consider fast in the 45s. 1-24 for a 50cal.

1-28 will be handicapped when we start talking about bullets an inch long or more. Measure one and run the numbers through a twist calculator.

BTW, like i said...there is no Harvester Smooth 50x40 sabot. Go look on their website. There is only the MMP 50x40 and the Harvester Blue Crushrib 50x40. The MMP 50x40 is around .003 larger than the Harvester so if you want tighter it aint gunna happen with the Harvester sabot.
 
GM54-120 said:
there is no Harvester Smooth 50x40 sabot

Thank you. Didn't know that. I do see that in your previous post.

GM54-120 said:
1-28 will be handicapped when we start talking about bullets an inch long or more.

Interesting. Trying to learn: the Barns 245g MZ is 0.9" long. It shoots well. It's a larger bullet all around, I assume since the copper is less dense than the lead.

What's the physics? Longer bullet must spin faster to maintain stability then? Talking to a music major here... :think:
 
zach.trumble said:
What's the physics? Longer bullet must spin faster to maintain stability then? Talking to a music major here... :think:

As a music major myself I'm not quite sure how I should take this. Spend about 20 more years shooting these guns and it won't matter if you passed the third grade you'll figure it out if you keep asking questions and pay attention.
 
I had a mold made to cast a 40- 225 grain bullet that I have had excellent results with. I have used this bullet in both 45 and 50 caliber guns with 1-28" twist. The farthest deer I shot with it was 150 yards.
 
Saxtonyoung said:
I had a mold made to cast a 40- 225 grain bullet that I have had excellent results with. I have used this bullet in both 45 and 50 caliber guns with 1-28" twist. The farthest deer I shot with it was 150 yards.

How long is it? What sort of grouping do you get at different distances? Obviously accurate enough to take down deer at 150. :yeah:
 

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