I shoot a Remingon ML700, which I love (even though Remington abandoned us on this one). Anyway, I shoot 100 gr (2 pyrodex pellets) and Hornady .44 cal 240 gr XTP. This combo has served me well for a long time (since ‘97 or 98 maybe). Harvested probably 50+ deer with it. When I 1st set it up I used same grain charge in loose Pyrodex powder and the .50 cal 385 grain Hornady Great Plains bullet. Used to kick the snot out of everything I shot at. Nothing ever moved anywhere other than straight down. Some even flipped in mid air.
The sabot/240 gr bullet load does very well, accurate as heck and has killed every deer I pointed it at, but rarely knocks down the deer even a little. Originally I switched to get more range & accuracy with the lighter & faster bullet. That has worked as planned, and while most of my shots are sub 50 yards, I’ve taken around 6 or 7 deer btw 125-150 yards with relative ease.
Last year I shot a 6 point at 45 yards and the big blast of white smoke as usual obscured my vision, and when it cleared there was no deer laying there, and I had no idea which direction it went. It took a while to find it because I didn’t know where it went and it didn’t bleed a drop for the 1st 30 yards, it was about 40 yards away as the crow flies but it ran about 100 yds total to get to that point (had to blood trail it a while zig-zagging thru a briar thicket). I missed the days the Great Plains 385 would plant the animal. BTW, double lung & both shoulders blown apart, still traveled about a hundred.
I’ve been seriously thinking about giving up on the lighter loads to go back to the stopping power of the GP 385. I never really noticed an accuracy difference btw the 2 load/projectiles at the range or in the woods, though I never took the big bullet out past 100 yards.
Anyone else give up on the sabots and use a full bore size bullet again? I’m thinking about going back to the 385 Great Plains, or the CVA PowerBelt. I’ve become skeptical about the sabot for accuracy or distance fad. If that helps so much why doesn’t the 50 BMG sniper rifle use them, or bench rest 6.5 CM’s? I welcome all opinions & suggestions.
The sabot/240 gr bullet load does very well, accurate as heck and has killed every deer I pointed it at, but rarely knocks down the deer even a little. Originally I switched to get more range & accuracy with the lighter & faster bullet. That has worked as planned, and while most of my shots are sub 50 yards, I’ve taken around 6 or 7 deer btw 125-150 yards with relative ease.
Last year I shot a 6 point at 45 yards and the big blast of white smoke as usual obscured my vision, and when it cleared there was no deer laying there, and I had no idea which direction it went. It took a while to find it because I didn’t know where it went and it didn’t bleed a drop for the 1st 30 yards, it was about 40 yards away as the crow flies but it ran about 100 yds total to get to that point (had to blood trail it a while zig-zagging thru a briar thicket). I missed the days the Great Plains 385 would plant the animal. BTW, double lung & both shoulders blown apart, still traveled about a hundred.
I’ve been seriously thinking about giving up on the lighter loads to go back to the stopping power of the GP 385. I never really noticed an accuracy difference btw the 2 load/projectiles at the range or in the woods, though I never took the big bullet out past 100 yards.
Anyone else give up on the sabots and use a full bore size bullet again? I’m thinking about going back to the 385 Great Plains, or the CVA PowerBelt. I’ve become skeptical about the sabot for accuracy or distance fad. If that helps so much why doesn’t the 50 BMG sniper rifle use them, or bench rest 6.5 CM’s? I welcome all opinions & suggestions.