Sabots & Projectile combinations

campns · Aug 25, 2014

I have recently acquired a TC Impact 50 cal.

While talking to a co-worker he had stated that I really need to try many different combinations of projectiles and sabots to find out what works best for my rig.

So I ask for all of the Thompson Center owners out there, what combinations do you use?

i'm considering trying:

Harvester Muzzleloading 50 Caliber Crushed Rib Sabot

Hornady LEVERevolution Bullets 450 Bushmaster (452 Diameter) 250 Grain Flex Tip eXpanding

Blackhorn 209 Black Powder Substitute @ 90 – 110 grains by volume seems to be the window of the best performance from what I have been reading.

Any thoughts on Sabots?

Thoughts on Projectiles?

Anyone just practice with round balls in an inline? if so at 50 cal with wadding or with Sabots.

Thanks in advance

Melnic · Aug 26, 2014

There was a thread here talking about Powerbelts (with mostly poor results).
As far as accuracy goes, I've tested 250grain TC shockwave and Traditions SST smackdowns out to 200 yards and both were nearly the same POI and grouping with 100grains of BH209 in my CVA wolf. I have not put it on a chrono, but when I went from 2 White Hot pellets to the BH209, I did not even have to change my scope. As a matter of fact, I have not touched my scope since last December and shot the CVA last week with the BH209/SST combo using a tripod and it was within an inch or so @ 100yards.

I have not tried Patched Round Ball (PRB) in an inline yet, thought I read the groove depth and twist (fast on an inline) would not be liked by the PRB.

campns · Aug 27, 2014

Melnic said:
There was a thread here talking about Powerbelts (with mostly poor results).
As far as accuracy goes, I've tested 250grain TC shockwave and Traditions SST smackdowns out to 200 yards and both were nearly the same POI and grouping with 100grains of BH209 in my CVA wolf. I have not put it on a chrono, but when I went from 2 White Hot pellets to the BH209, I did not even have to change my scope. As a matter of fact, I have not touched my scope since last December and shot the CVA last week with the BH209/SST combo using a tripod and it was within an inch or so @ 100yards.

I have not tried Patched Round Ball (PRB) in an inline yet, thought I read the groove depth and twist (fast on an inline) would not be liked by the PRB.

Thanks for the insights on the round ball.

outrider58 · Aug 27, 2014

The problem with sabots is, they build up vinyl in your bore.....
after a while, accuracy fades..solution, carburetor cleaner sprayed into the bore.
Cleans it right out.

IndispensableDestiny · Aug 29, 2014

Vinyl in the bore is a non-issue.

You may want to try some MMP Orange sabots and .458 caliber bullet. For example a Hornady, Barnes Original, or Remington. Less plastic between the bullet and the bore helps keep the sabot intact and true while zipping along the barrel.

Clovis · Aug 29, 2014

I've tried a few sabots in my Omega and some power belts. The power belts were easier to load and good enough to hit deer, but would ALWAYS require a second shot. Accuracy was alright with all of them, but between the cost and the difficulty loading and somewhat poor results in the field I thought it could not be worse to try something different.

Now, roundballs.

.495 ball, 018 prelubed T/C pillow ticking patch (I think it was/is 018), two .50 caliber wonder wads (sold as lubed) 80 or 90 grains of 2F GOEX black powder. I tried one wad and found it improved the group, two made it even better. Note, very little kick (recoil), pleasant to shoot compared to sabots and power belts. I'm not going back to anything other than roundball they will kill deer to 100 yards and a bit more. I guess you can try lowering your charge to practice if you want but I have not tried that so far. Have fun

outrider58 · Aug 30, 2014

campns said:
I have recently acquired a TC Impact 50 cal.

While talking to a co-worker he had stated that I really need to try many different combinations of projectiles and sabots to find out what works best for my rig.

So I ask for all of the Thompson Center owners out there, what combinations do you use?

i'm considering trying:

Harvester Muzzleloading 50 Caliber Crushed Rib Sabot

Hornady LEVERevolution Bullets 450 Bushmaster (452 Diameter) 250 Grain Flex Tip eXpanding

Blackhorn 209 Black Powder Substitute @ 90 – 110 grains by volume seems to be the window of the best performance from what I have been reading.

Any thoughts on Sabots?

Thoughts on Projectiles?

Anyone just practice with round balls in an inline? if so at 50 cal with wadding or with Sabots.

Thanks in advance

I've been pushing 250 Gr. T/C shock waves with 150 Grs. of Hodgdon Tripple Seven through my T/C 50 for the last 7 or 8 years. Shoots great! :thumbsup:

Melnic · Sep 5, 2014

Did a test again on my CVA wolf today.
The Traditions "plinker" all lead HP sabots grouped much better than the Power Belts.
3 shots of the Plinker were all touching holes @ 50 yards. The Power belts were about 3" groups.
Good thing is I did not need a short starter for the Power belts. They would be fine for hunting at short range but Not something I'd want to use in my gun @ longer distances.

Donald1818 · Nov 23, 2014

Clovis said:
I've tried a few sabots in my Omega and some power belts. The power belts were easier to load and good enough to hit deer, but would ALWAYS require a second shot. Accuracy was alright with all of them, but between the cost and the difficulty loading and somewhat poor results in the field I thought it could not be worse to try something different.

Now, roundballs.

.495 ball, 018 prelubed T/C pillow ticking patch (I think it was/is 018), two .50 caliber wonder wads (sold as lubed) 80 or 90 grains of 2F GOEX black powder. I tried one wad and found it improved the group, two made it even better. Note, very little kick (recoil), pleasant to shoot compared to sabots and power belts. I'm not going back to anything other than roundball they will kill deer to 100 yards and a bit more. I guess you can try lowering your charge to practice if you want but I have not tried that so far. Have fun

Roundballs, i am a new shooter.
the first time i took my gun to the range i shot round balls, and out of about 20 shots i only had 2 on target. this weekend im trying some sabots to see if there is any change.

d

Melnic · Nov 23, 2014

Donald1818 said:
Roundballs, i am a new shooter. the first time i took my gun to the range i shot round balls, and out of about 20 shots i only had 2 on target. this weekend im trying some sabots to see if there is any change. d

What gun?
What patch & lube?
What diameter ball?
What distance?
Offhand or supported?

This will tell us if you have a problem or if you just need to adjust something.

Donald1818 · Nov 23, 2014

Melnic said:
What gun?
What patch & lube?
What diameter ball?
What distance?
Offhand or supported?

This will tell us if you have a problem or if you just need to adjust something.

I have a cva optima, i read this morning that they might not like round balls because of the twist rate. i think the cva is 1:28

ball dia is .490 i think
at 25 yards i was hitting the target but no grouping
at 50 yards i was not hitting the target at all, too high, two shots were high and centered but off target. worked on scope adjustment but i kept turning it down and not much was happening.
bench shooting at the range, my aim was pretty consistant, i think.

sometime soon ill try the sabots, just got a box in this week.

thanks
Don

iH8DemLibz · Nov 23, 2014

A round ball and patch generally needs a 1:66 twist rate to work properly. With your 1:28 twist rate, the patch and ball WILL NEVER grab the rifling and the ball will leave that barrel with no spin whatsoever.

Lead slugs, like TC Maxi Hunters and Minnie Balls, generally need a 1:48 twist rate. They have more area along the length of the lead slug to grab the rifling.

Your muzzle stuffer WILL REQUIRE a bullet and sabot combination due to the fast twist rate.

The above twist rates are approximate.

PS: CVA Power Belts are absolute junk and should be taken off the market.

Melnic · Nov 23, 2014

You were using patches right?

Go get some of the TC sabots or traditions Smackdowns and try again.
With a 100grain load and 1" high at 50 you should be pretty close at 100.
Blue loctite the scope ring screws.

Donald1818 · Nov 23, 2014

Melnic said:
You were using patches right?

Go get some of the TC sabots or traditions Smackdowns and try again.
With a 100grain load and 1" high at 50 you should be pretty close at 100.
Blue loctite the scope ring screws.

yes i was using patches, although i noticed online the other day that the patches come in different thicknesses, so at this particular moment i dont know how thick they were. something i grabbed at bass pro the other day.

thanks
don

Melnic · Nov 23, 2014

I have had better luck making my own patches for my sidelocks.
But for that inline you have , go sabots.
It's what it was designed for.

Donald1818 · Nov 23, 2014

Melnic said:
I have had better luck making my own patches for my sidelocks.
But for that inline you have , go sabots.
It's what it was designed for.

is there any special advise for cleaning the gun when using sabots?
im just wondering about the plastic melting in the bore.
I tried looking at Youtube for the answer to this question, but didnt find anything helpful

Thank you
Don

iH8DemLibz · Nov 23, 2014

They're designed so they won't melt in the bore.

Clean with hot, soapy water when you're done shooting.

Light coating of oil and put away.

Melnic · Nov 23, 2014

At first I used the pre soaked cleaning patches from Basspro now I use patches soaked in a cleaning formula called moose milk for my inline. There are solutions for dissolving plastic buildup I you are worried about it but I don't knoe how effective they are .

The patches are convenient if you want to clean and cool the bore at the range to check your zero on a clean cold bore shot.

Clovis · Nov 23, 2014

Donald1818 said:
I have a cva optima, i read this morning that they might not like round balls because of the twist rate. i think the cva is 1:28

ball dia is .490 i think
at 25 yards i was hitting the target but no grouping
at 50 yards i was not hitting the target at all, too high, two shots were high and centered but off target. worked on scope adjustment but i kept turning it down and not much was happening.
bench shooting at the range, my aim was pretty consistant, i think.

sometime soon ill try the sabots, just got a box in this week.

thanks
Don

Yeah, the fast twist rate is not "supposed" to work with balls...
Curious about how much powder you were using, a lighter charge may help.
Was the rifle already sighted with some projectile, or was this your first shots?
Also, I use .490 in my sidelocks and have no trouble, but used the .495 in the Omega because I had heard you need a tighter fit for the faster twist.

Good luck with your rifle.

Donald1818 · Nov 24, 2014

Clovis said:
Yeah, the fast twist rate is not "supposed" to work with balls...
Curious about how much powder you were using, a lighter charge may help.
Was the rifle already sighted with some projectile, or was this your first shots?
Also, I use .490 in my sidelocks and have no trouble, but used the .495 in the Omega because I had heard you need a tighter fit for the faster twist.

Good luck with your rifle.

this was the first thing i decided to shoot from the gun, it was bore sighted at the range but after a few shots i was realinging the scope to compensate for the poor performance of the ball and now i know the scope is way off, i started off using a 50gr charge for the first few shots, just to learn the gun, then i moved into 100gr and tried to work on accuracy. once i figured out that there was a performance issue i did one last shot at 150gr just cause they said the gun could handle that , then i left for the day, i had fun shooting but didnt hit a darn thing.

picked up some sabots this week, various Grains. will try again in a few weeks.

thanks
don

Sabots & Projectile combinations

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