Sabot deformation

[Steelheader323]

Today I got some range time with my T/C scout pistol .50 cal..I figured I would try some 225 grain Barnes xpb bullets paired with harvesters smooth green sabots. Groups were ok. I was at 25 yards and could keep them within 2” and that for me would work for whitetails out of a tree stand here where I hunt. But what got me was the recovered sabots. First 2 were with 55 grains of Swiss ffg…the other 3 are 80 grains of Swiss ffg. It’s almost like the short barrel causes a ton if pressure to be expelled onto the base of the sabot, anybody ever seen this?

 

[sdporter]

80 grains seems way too much for a pistol, to me anyway. Looks like the plastic was almost melted to be curled back like that. They are very uniform in shape though.

 

[deermanok]

You definitely want to back off on the powder with that pistol.
Too heavy of a charge could crack the stock.
50 grains is probably the top end for a load.
I only load 45 grains of 3f Swiss in my CVA mountain pistol.
I very confident that I could kill a deer with it at close range, under 30 yards.

 

[sdporter]

https://www.vintagegunleather.com/gun-manuals/pdf_T/thompson_scout_carbine_pistol.pdf
I am shocked. TC actually lists loads of up to 110 grains with a Maxi Ball out of the .50 scout pistol…. That seems like a STOUT load from a handgun.

 

[deermanok]

Wow, can't imagine shooting a heavy load like that.
80 grains in my Optima pistol seems like a lot.

 

[Steelheader323]

The scouts are very well built. Even with 80 grains and a 225 grain bullet the recoil isn’t that bad. I’ve seen heavier loads shot with it, in fact the person I bought the pistol from who is a very well known me every here loaded it with a paper patched bullet. I’ll try backing the load down to 50 grains and see what I get..if all else fails I’ll try a different projectile

 

[deermanok]

Please disregard the comment I made about cracking the stock.
Somehow I was thinking about the Patriot pistol.
The Scout pistol is indeed very well made and robust.
Many years ago, a friend of mine bought one, his first black powder gun. He was asking me how much powder I put in my rifles? 90 to 100 grains was my answer.
The next time I saw that guy, he was mad at me and said why did you tell me to put 100 grains of powder in my new pistol!
What are you talking about? I said.
He went on to say that he loaded up the pistol with a 100 grain charge. When he pulled the trigger, the gun flew out of his hand and went flying some distance away.
He decided it was a good idea to scale back on the powder charge.

 

[Scotts98rt]

The 2 on the left look similar to what I got with 90gr. By volume of bh209 in my optima v2 pistol w/240 gr. Xtp.

 

[Matthew323]

I second the motion on the robust build quality of the Thompson/Center Scout pistol.

I can remember when my 1stGen .54 caliber pistol showed up. Not only was it built for massive powder charges, but the grip was as close to an original Colt Bisley grip as you could get back in those days, before Ruger introduced the Bisley Blackhawk revolver.

The Bisley grip is considered to be the best available, when shooting heavy recoiling pistols.

 

[ported45]

Never heard (or seen) of sabot skirts fold over like that!

Would be interesting to hear from Harvester about that.

 

[HC]

I suspect muzzle blast is causing it.

 

[Steelheader323]

I suspect muzzle blast is causing it.

Agreed, I feel harvester will tell me to back the charge down and inspect the sabots til they look correct

 

[jlynch75]

I used 55grs of Pyrodex in my CVA 50cal.

 

[jims]

Interesting, have never seen sabots like that.

 

[HC]

QLA might be causing the deformation if the rifle has one?

 

[southdakbearfan]

QLA might be causing the deformation if the rifle has one?

I was kind of thinking that, letting gases push it out just prior to exit.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I'd like to know how well those sabots and bullets fit in the first place????????
To roll that sabot, there's someplace where there's too much room and still a lot of pressure.
The skirts are WAY open on the first two?????

 

[Steelheader323]

QLA might be causing the deformation if the rifle has one?

The scouts both rifle and pistol don’t have a qla? At least none of mine do

 

[Steelheader323]

I'd like to know how well those sabots and bullets fit in the first place????????
To roll that sabot, there's someplace where there's too much room and still a lot of pressure.
The skirts are WAY open on the first two?????

They weren’t terribly tight. I could load them by holding the foregrip of the pistol pointing it away from me while using my other hand to push the ramrod towards me. I am thinking it’s just too much powder in such a short barrel I guess. I’m tempted to shoot them through my chrono and see if they are Even close to what I would think they would be according to Thompson centers suggested loads in the manual

 

[Steelheader323]

The scouts both rifle and pistol don’t have a qla? At least none of mine do