Sabot help.

[Shorty]

Will someone give me the lowdown on sabot classification? I shoot the short m&p as that is what savage tells you. Would like to understand this so I could make better choices..thx

 

[GM54-120]

Its all about fit. Ive seen MLIIs that would shoot good with a much smaller OD sabot but that is more rare. MMP HPH-12 is another good sabot but its LONG. You might like it better if shooting a 300gr bullet.

Shooting 458 bulllets you can try a MMP Orange, Harvester Black Crushrib or the new Crushrib for 458s. The BlackCR+458 will be the tightest of those 3 and many people love that combination.

 

[Shorty]

Thank you Gm54, I have learned alot lately. I found an old thread by Randy Wakeman who describes the sabots he used in ml2's also. Between the 2 of you I got a little work to do. As I read here before, should I use the half inch drill bit with Scott tape as a starter for my guns land to land diameter?

 

[GM54-120]

My old MLII liked the MMP orange 50x458 with a 325gr FTX and 63gr or Reloder7. HPH-12 and a 300gr 452 bullet is very close in loaded OD to that. Its no screamer but its easy on sabots and Re7 is very dependable as long as you got a 300-325gr bullet.

Just try to get around 40lbs of loading pressure. Put the MLII on a bathroom scale butt down. Push the bullet through the bore with the breech plug removed. Around 30-40lbs of force will get you in the zone. Powders like 5744 ignite a bit easier and you might be able to get away with a little less force but accuracy will be anyones guess.

 

[Shorty]

My old MLII liked the MMP orange 50x458 with a 325gr FTX and 63gr or Reloder7. HPH-12 and a 300gr 452 bullet is very close in loaded OD to that. Its no screamer but its easy on sabots and Re7 is very dependable as long as you got a 300-325gr bullet.

Just try to get around 40lbs of loading pressure. Put the MLII on a bathroom scale butt down. Push the bullet through the bore with the breech plug removed. Around 30-40lbs of force will get you in the zone. Powders like 5744 ignite a bit easier and you might be able to get away with a little less force but accuracy will be anyones guess.

Thanks for all the help Gm54. I called mmp today, talked to Connie. She knows their products very well. My barrel mics out at .501-.502, she is sending me appropriate sabots to try. But I do not understand why u would want to remove breech plug. Seems like you would not get your 40 lbs. Of loading pressure?

 

[GM54-120]

How you gunna get the sabot out without any powder in barrel? I normally dont bring a scale with me to the range.

 

[Shorty]

How you gunna get the sabot out without any powder in barrel? I normally dont bring a scale with me to the range.

Unscrew the breech plug?

 

[GM54-120]

I did, how do you think i took it out.

No reason to leave it in if you just plan to take it out to remove the sabot.

 

[Shorty]

O.k...now I understand what your calling LOADING PRESSURE, the amount of force to push the sabot down the barrel. I was thinking you where talking about the force you seat the bullet with against the powder charge! Thx gm., sounds like good reloading advice..

 

[GM54-120]

 

[Screwbolts]

What GM54-120 says, Yes use a bathroom scale.

I actually have an old analog Bathroom scale that I got at a thrift shop in my shop that I always load on when Just shooting at my range.

With a scale and the Breech plug removed you can easily check load pressure. I also use Reloader 7 in my Smokeless guns and find the above recommended poundage as the very minimum I want. I actually am looking for 50 pounds plus but I often hunt in near freezing and way below freezing temps. And during tour season my rifle never comes back in the house between days regardless of temps. So I want 50+, or a load that requires both hands and short strokes to push down the bore and a good palm saver to seat it with all I got smoothly on the powder charge.

I have knurled/rolled many a projectile between files to increase its diameter to reach the desired load pressure.

Your mileage may very,

 

[GM54-120]

Correct, your powder selection will change the amount of loaded force you want. The harder the powder is to ignite the tighter you want the sabot. Temps change how a powder burns so if its damn cold you want to make every effort to make it reliable. Re7 or even N120 is pretty reliable if you got a 300-325gr bullet on top of it.

N110 i can shoot with sabots that load easy in my NULA but its plug is also much different. Only rifle i ever had that like sabots "just tight enough" more than it likes really tight.

 

[Shorty]

Thank you screwbolts and gm54. I actually have a set of scales, I shoot from my back door, so yes this is great advice to an old fart that never quits learning.. thanks to you both...