Bullet question

[CVAKodiak50]

Just had a quick question, I shoot fairly decent groups at 100yds with a 295gr pb plated hp. I’ve read on here that people recommend sabots, I have found a hornady sst low drag 300gr sabot. It says .50 cal sabot w/ .45 cal bullet, is this safe/recommended for a .50 cal barrel. I have done some measurements and on cleaned barrel my gun likes a .503 diameter bullet (I measured with bullet sizing kit from no excuses) anyways just wondering on opinions, I have heard sabots are tricky with some guns. Also I plan for western hunting (deer, elk) Any info is appreciated, thank you

 

[Blacksheep]

If your barrel says 50 cal on it you are good to go . You might want to pick up some Harvester black smooth sabots . The red sabots may be to loose for your barrel but you will only know that by shooting them in it . I personally use them and find them accurate and effective on deer .

 

[deermanok]

There's a large selection of bullet, sabot combinations out there.
I mostly shoot the Hornady XTP 240 grain bullets with the green sabot.
A fairly new favorite is the 245 grain TC Maxi balls, 45 caliber with the Harvester black high pressure sabot 50 caliber.
Depending on which western state you want to hunt, bullet and sabot combinations are not allowed and only lead conical bullets are legal.

 

[USMC2828]

If your barrel says 50 cal on it you are good to go . You might want to pick up some Harvester black smooth sabots . The red sabots may be to loose for your barrel but you will only know that by shooting them in it . I personally use them and find them accurate and effective on deer .

Fellow Harvester enthusiast here. I use the black crush rib sabots and love them. I used to be a power belt shooter until I found these bullets/sabots and was hooked by the quality, price, and performance.

 

[ElDiablo]

Those should work well in your 50. The 300 gr SST is a proven bullet and much better IMO than the Powerbelts you’ve used. Although, as stated, there are a couple western states where you’d have to use a full bore conical and not a sabot.

 

[WP79Vet]

Those should work well in your 50. The 300 gr SST is a proven bullet and much better IMO than the Powerbelts you’ve used. Although, as stated, there are a couple western states where you’d have to use a full bore conical and not a sabot.

X 2 - Check the regs for the western state(s) you'll be hunting very carefully. Here in MT, anything goes during our general any weapons season (Late October thru late November), but during the following Heritage ML season, only sidelocks with no sight enhancements (no lenses, luminous paint, fiber optics, red dots, lights, electric anything, etc) firing full-bore, all-lead (no plastic skirts) bullets with loose black powder (or substitutes, but no smokeless or BH209) set off by percussion caps (#11 or musket, no 209 primers) or flints are legal. WA has loosened up most of its ML season restrictions, but I know that OR and ID are still very restrictive.

If jacketed bullets and sabots are legal where/when you plan to hunt, you've got lots of choices. If I were gonna hunt elk with .50 cal sabots, I'd probably start with the .452 caliber 300 grain Hornady XTP - Mag bullet in whichever sabot gave the best loading and accuracy performance. It's built a little stouter than other .45 cal bullets so that it can handle .454 Casull velocities, so it should perform well on elk at ML velocities.

 

[snapbang]

I’ve read on here that people recommend sabots,

I think you may have misunderstood. We shoot all kinds of projectiles here. If you want heavy go to a 420 grain no excuses. (or bigger) My Bighorn loves them with pyrodex.