Is tighter better?

[yoda4x4]

I went out verify my CVA Optima this past weekend. I typically shoot 250gr Hornady SST bullets with their supplied sabots. For some reason I was missing a sabot so I shot a round with a Harvester sabot (forgot which one it was). The first thing I noticed was that it took a little bit more force to load this combination that the Hornady sabot; it shot to the same POI as my SST's. So this got me to thinking. Is it possible that accuracy would improve as your bullet/sabot fitment is tighter? I understand that too tight would probably be a bad idea as would too loose. Any thoughts?

David

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

I lean towards a tighter fit when using sabots. Some report great accuracy with a loose fit but for me, firm pressure on the ramrod when seating works best.

Are you shooting the SST low drag with a red sabot? I tried those once in one rifle but they loaded too easy and accuracy was not there.

All my rifles, except one, prefer Harvester brand sabots. The one exception is getting a fast twist 45 barrel this spring :yeah:

 

[rangerod]

I also prefer a tight fit. It seems I get my best accuracy with a tight fit. I don't like to worry about the bullet /sabot moving off the charge with a loose fit.

 

[yoda4x4]

Yes, I'm shooting the SST with the low drag sabots. If I do my part, I'm getting roughly 1" @ 100yd accuracy.

David

 

[bestill]

In most cases tighter is better but i recently was proven wrong.
Traditions vortek ldr that absolutely shot terrible but as fit was loosened up started grouping very well.
I will contribute this to muzzle design and the easy start muzzle also seen this with triumph with same muzzle

 

[sabinajiles]

As others have stated, a general rule is that a tighter fit is better, but as also already stated, there are always exceptions. If the load will be used for hunting, you also need to consider the ease of reloading in the field. I think the important thing is not to get stuck on using only prepackaged bullet/sabot combinations. If you are using a prepackaged combo and it is giving you acceptable accuracy, great. But if you think your rifle should be shooting better, besides trying different prepackaged combos, there are bullet sabot combinations that are not packaged that may give you better accuracy. I have both a CVA Accura V2 and an Optima V2. While both of these rifles will shoot a variety of bullet/sabot combinations with acceptable hunting accuracy, the most accurate combination in both rifles, that I have found, is either a .430 Hornady 265 gn FTX and the smooth green Harvester sabot or a .458 Hornady 325 gn FTX and an orange MMP sabot, neither of which is a prepackaged combination. If I had stuck to buying off the shelf bullet/sabot combos, and had been satisfied with 2.5" 100 yd accuracy, which would be perfectly acceptable for my hunting, I never would have discovered these exceptionally accurate combinations that will shoot sub 1" 100 yd groups from my rifles. BTW, both of these combos load fairly firmly in the mentioned rifles but are not uncomfortably tight. Also, if you shoot a lot, buying bullets and sabots in bulk can save you quite a bit of money.

 

[GoexBlackhorn]

I went out verify my CVA Optima this past weekend. I typically shoot 250gr Hornady SST bullets with their supplied sabots. For some reason I was missing a sabot so I shot a round with a Harvester sabot (forgot which one it was). The first thing I noticed was that it took a little bit more force to load this combination that the Hornady sabot; it shot to the same POI as my SST's. So this got me to thinking. Is it possible that accuracy would improve as your bullet/sabot fitment is tighter? I understand that too tight would probably be a bad idea as would too loose. Any thoughts?

David

First off, what powder are you using? Are they pellets?
Once you answer, I'll explain it further.

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Yes, I'm shooting the SST with the low drag sabots. If I do my part, I'm getting roughly 1" @ 100yd accuracy.

David

That's good

One thing I never tried with the low drag SSTs was knurling them up before shooting, I didn't know about knurling then. Now, I knurl everything. I think it helps along with indexing the sabot.

 

[Grouse]

First off, what powder are you using? Are they pellets?
Once you answer, I'll explain it further.

I curious to know why finding the right bullet/sabot fit for your barrel has anything to do with the powder you use.

 

[ronlaughlin]

........ Is it possible that accuracy would improve as your bullet/sabot fitment is tighter?......

Not necessarily......maybe......maybe not.

In my Omega(s) i have always used crush rib sabot. Recently after switching to 0.451 bullets from 0.452 bullets, the crush rib seemed too loose. This had me try short black sabot, instead of the crush rib. After dozens, and dozens of shots i grew tired of how hard it was to load the rifles, and how they didn't seem as accurate as they once were. Switching back to the easier loading crush rib, my rifles started shooting a tad more accurately. A pleasant side effect is, loading the rifles is more enjoyable.

This isn't the first time i grew tired of how my rifle loaded, and switched to a easier loading sabot. Why i punish myself, i don't know, i just don't know.




side note.......There is a myth that Blackhorn requires a tight fitting sabot/bullet to reliably ignite. This has probably led to some believing, one needs a tight, uncomfortably hard to load, bullet/sabot.

 

[yoda4x4]

Re: RE: Re: Is tighter better?

I went out verify my CVA Optima this past weekend. I typically shoot 250gr Hornady SST bullets with their supplied sabots. For some reason I was missing a sabot so I shot a round with a Harvester sabot (forgot which one it was). The first thing I noticed was that it took a little bit more force to load this combination that the Hornady sabot; it shot to the same POI as my SST's. So this got me to thinking. Is it possible that accuracy would improve as your bullet/sabot fitment is tighter? I understand that too tight would probably be a bad idea as would too loose. Any thoughts?

David

First off, what powder are you using? Are they pellets?
Once you answer, I'll explain it further.

I'm using 100gr (by volume) of BH209.

David

 

[Grouse]

i]side note[/i].......There is a myth that Blackhorn requires a tight fitting sabot/bullet to reliably ignite. This has probably led to some believing, one needs a tight, uncomfortably hard to load, bullet/sabot.

I agree 100%. Ive pushed down saboted bullets with one finger and had no issues with Bh209 igniting, including light bullets.

 

[GM54-120]

Certain loads and bullets have shown a slight edge in accuracy in my guns and some not so much. Bullets like the Barnes SOCOM or Sptifre MZ seemed to like them tight. Other flat based Barnes liked them slightly tighter but not as tight as the BTs did.

The Parker BE didnt seen to care in my NULA. It shot very well with a Harvester smooth or the MMP short.

 

[Lee 9]

My experience is that too loose or too tight will both open your groups my rule of thumb is that if it slides down the barrel using only 2 fingers to hold the ramrod and push it down it is too loose if I can not push it down with both hands on the ramrod without struggling with it is too tight.

 

[doulos]

Well I definitely think you can be too tight. When I first picked up a Encore loading was a bear with MMP hph12 and the thinner hph 24. Accuracy was only so so. I tried the MMP 3 petal sabot and BINGO. Loading was much easier. And accuracy was much better. With 90-100 grains Blackhorn its not too hard to be consitently shoot 1.5 inches or better at 100 meters with a 250 grain XTP

 

[Squeeze]

The gun Im using this year ( a Knight .50) I always shot with a crush rib or an HPH -24, and something in a 300 grain. This year, Im shooting Bloodlines with the supplied red sabot, which is much tighter than the loads I was using. The thing is, at 100 yards, my POI is the same. The tight bloodlines, scorpion PT, XTP's, self cast sabots, and Nosler partition 300 grn .452. ALL shoot the same POI at 100 with a 70 grn weighed load of BH. THAT, I love (any sabot combo)

I also, must say, I may just be stuck on bloodlines for a while. I neck shot a 7 pt this year (bang flop) at about 70 yards,
and the bloodlines impressed. I could see entrance and exit, and a little cluster of where the petals broke away and exited. I found ONE petal just under the skin at exit. ALl in the small part of neck just behind the head. Love the terminal performance. The neck shot was on purpose, but unusual for me. (long story there) But I think I'll be using both again.
( was a state cull hunt on a refuge, I lucked into by knowing the right people, and shooting non lead. [bloodlines] ML season hasnt started here yet)