Help loading sabots

VUPDblue · January 19, 2006, 11:16 PM

Anyone ever tried to load sabots in a rifle cartridge? I have been trying for a while to load .223 bullets in my .308 cases via a sabot. Problem is, I am having a hell of a time finding the proper seating depth of the sabot into the case. Does anyone have any advice on this? The function is just fine the way I have been doing it however, I cannot seem to produce consistent accuracy. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

mtnboomer · January 20, 2006, 05:37 AM

That probably has little to do with the sabot seating depth. The Remington Accelerator-line of cartridges has had a bad reputation through the years for inaccuracy. It is most likely more of a speed problem. The combination of the sabot and light bullet are causing the combined projectile to move too quickly down the bore causing the sabot to strip on the rifling. Whether you can adjust the speed to cause the sabot to grip the rifling is questionable.

**Bud Helms** · January 20, 2006, 06:28 AM

Even if the sabot "rifles" in the bore, there is still the problem of the sabot maintaining a firm grip on the bullet. As long as a normal bullet is used, it has a smooth surface contacting the sabot. So there is the problem of the soft sabot gripping and maintaining a grip on the bore's rifling at modern center fire velocities along with the problem of maintaining a fixed relationship between the sabot and bullet. In other words, there is an inherent problem getting the bullet to stabilize. The faster you send it out the muzzle and the tighter (faster) the bore rifling is, the worse the problem is .... in a sabotted round.

Seems like good way to send a bullet out ala smooth bore (or at best veerrry slow rifling). That could explain the accuracy problems.

The slower I loaded my .308 Accelerators (in a NEF Handi-Rifle), the more accurate they got ... to the point that I had a fairly accurate small critter load. But it wasn't as accurate as a good bolt action .22LR in the $200-230 price range.

FWIW.

January 19, 2006, 11:16 PM	#1
VUPDblue Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2005 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 1,981	Help loading sabots Anyone ever tried to load sabots in a rifle cartridge? I have been trying for a while to load .223 bullets in my .308 cases via a sabot. Problem is, I am having a hell of a time finding the proper seating depth of the sabot into the case. Does anyone have any advice on this? The function is just fine the way I have been doing it however, I cannot seem to produce consistent accuracy. Any advice is greatly appreciated. __________________ Silencers have NEVER been illegal !

January 20, 2006, 05:37 AM	#2
mtnboomer Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Location: Oklahoma by birth. America by the grace of God. Posts: 635	That probably has little to do with the sabot seating depth. The Remington Accelerator-line of cartridges has had a bad reputation through the years for inaccuracy. It is most likely more of a speed problem. The combination of the sabot and light bullet are causing the combined projectile to move too quickly down the bore causing the sabot to strip on the rifling. Whether you can adjust the speed to cause the sabot to grip the rifling is questionable. __________________ Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati (If all else fails - play dead!) Support the Second Amendment. Join the NRA > http://www.nra.org < Oklahoma State & Big 12 - #1 GO POKES!!!!!

January 20, 2006, 06:28 AM	#3
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	Even if the sabot "rifles" in the bore, there is still the problem of the sabot maintaining a firm grip on the bullet. As long as a normal bullet is used, it has a smooth surface contacting the sabot. So there is the problem of the soft sabot gripping and maintaining a grip on the bore's rifling at modern center fire velocities along with the problem of maintaining a fixed relationship between the sabot and bullet. In other words, there is an inherent problem getting the bullet to stabilize. The faster you send it out the muzzle and the tighter (faster) the bore rifling is, the worse the problem is .... in a sabotted round. Seems like good way to send a bullet out ala smooth bore (or at best veerrry slow rifling). That could explain the accuracy problems. The slower I loaded my .308 Accelerators (in a NEF Handi-Rifle), the more accurate they got ... to the point that I had a fairly accurate small critter load. But it wasn't as accurate as a good bolt action .22LR in the $200-230 price range. FWIW.