Fun rounds to shoot and DEVISTATION to varmints.

I have been using sabots for many decades. First remember using them when they were available in loaded ammunition from Remington back in the 80s. I first started reloading with sabots about 20+ years ago but foolishly was loading the standard ammo such as 30-06 and 308. I found that there was 0% velocity increase between the two. (You can destroy your crony if you are not careful with this stuff. Placing a thick piece of polycarbonate in front of the crony is HIGHLY recommended.)

Just in the last 5 or 6 years I started loading smaller cartridges with the sabots and that is where these loads really excel. Because of the large base area and the plastic sabot the acceleration through the barrel is much faster than the overpowered OE chambered 22 such as the Swift and 22-250. The two rounds which I have had the best results with are the 7.62x39 and 7.62x45. Since I do not have one I cant say 100% but I imagine that the 30-30 would also be fantastic with these.

The main thing is, to use very fast powder. I actually prefer the discontinued IMR SR4759 but anything in that burn rate +- works well. This fals into the burn rate category of A-4100, Enforcer, Lilgun, N-110, 2400, H110, W296. These are the magnum pistol powders.

Now obviously you will not have "tack driving" accuracy with the sabots but with the low recoil slightly muffled sound and mega fast velocity with such small cartridges they are a blast to shoot. I love to use the Z-Max bullets for this because they are very inexpensive and if you use this to shoot varmint, they are devastating.

I have gotten velocities in the low to mid 4K with the 7.62x39 and 7.62x45 with a 22" barrel. These are rifles built onto M93 small ring Mausers using the Numrich 7.62x39 barrels. These barrels I also rechamber to the 7.62x45.

I do find this as a true dual purpose rifle. Especially the 7.62x45 with which I have taken many wild pigs and whitetail. One of my rifles in the 7.72x45 is out west in Montana being used for Mulies. Using the sabot loads is the perfect solution to all the low power 30cal cartridges. If you want to try something new and you have not tried the sabots, give them a try. You will get a blast out of it and it is not expensive to do. No special equipment needed. I use my standard reloding dies. Because of the sholder which is formed at the front of the sabot. I do not even have to change my seating depth on the seating die. These are also a blast in my Mini-30

The picture shows the two cartridges next to the 308Win for comparison.

If you wanna have fun with someone, start loading 300bo with sabots and see if they get the irony...

That would be ironic. I actually think that the sabots would be quicker. Not as accurate but get down range faster. The 300BO never even crossed my mind. The 30M1 Carbine would be another good one. I definitely would never load it in anything larger than the 308Win. I know that it was a total waste in my 30-06 even though it shot nice and was surprisingly accurate.

Back in the sixties and seventies a major ammo maker used to sell them for .30 cal cases and it used a .224 diameter bullet. I don't think they took off too well as they were only around for a couple of years.

John from MD said:

Back in the sixties and seventies a major ammo maker used to sell them for .30 cal cases and it used a .224 diameter bullet. I don't think they took off too well as they were only around for a couple of years.

Click to expand...

Yup, Remington Accellerators..

The sabots are still available:

https://www.eabco.net/Accelerator-Type-Sabots-for-30-Caliber-Cartridges-100_p_13645.html

The 30-06 Accelerators were the ones I did start with back then. As stated, they shot well but were not what was expected from the 06 cartridge. They are of much better use in the small 30cal cartridges. That is when they come into their own. There is also available a 50cal sabot for a 30cal bullet. Where I think I might try it is in my Thompson Contender pistol with 14" barrel chambered in 307Win. Just to see what it will do. I at this point would not even begin to guess what powder to use for that load. Because of the 14" barrel I load the cartridge with AA2200 and 150gr bullet. This at least burns mostly in that short barrel. When I shot it with a standard load out of the book for the 307 I had a muzzle blast about 2' long. Now it is only a couple of inches. This is what you will notice when you load the sabots with a powder that is too slow. Either a huge muzzle flash or a LOT of smoke. It will almost appear like you are using black powder.

This is where I buy them. They are the least expensive and you have everything you need on the website.
http://www.sabotreloadingpro.com/products

Remington Accelerators, got em around some where, 30/06, 308, 30-30
does numbers on varmints. a 220 Swift loaded with some 50-55 gr Blitz
bullets do a number also, the trick is loading them so they don't come
apart once they exist the barrel, hit a blade of grass "puff" but they do
make things interesting....


-Rock

Yes the Z-Max bullets are rather thin walled but they do stay together. I use both .311 and .223 Z-Max bullets because I got a really good buy on them a few years ago and bought 2k of each. But the sabot rounds are a blast. I'm pushing around 4k on the 7.62x39 and about 4.5k on the 7.62x45. If you take a look at the specs for the 300H&H and other magnum loads with a sabot it is between 5k-5.5k that is crazy. I cant see some of these bullets staying together at those speeds. Plus burning all that powder. WOW is all I can say and I consider anything over 4500 a waste. I shoot my 7mmSTW at those velocities with 140gr projectiles and the sound is to behold.

the 17 Remington does a number also, that little "rice sized" bullet
also bullets made from 22 LR cases with a "BB" placed in the tip when
forming the hollow point does a number, or one piece of steel shot.
the bullet just flies apart.

-Rock

Back in the early 60s my dad converted a BB rifle to use 22cal starting caps. I wish he still had it. When we lived in India we shot feral dogs and cats with it. You had to hit them in the head though. I just like the idea of the sabot. But since it was mentioned before about the irony of using them on 300AAC, I kinda thought about it and it might actually make sense in it's own weird way. Only one barrel and having the advantage of both 5.56 NATO and 300AAC with just the swap of a magazine. Now that I just said that I think that is kinda-kool.

Gunny

what is the benefit or drawback between sabots and a gas check?

I have a box of 30-06 factory rounds somewhere called Accelerator rounds. They are a factory loaded 30-06 case with a saboted 223 bullet. I have never ran them through my rifles but I bet they are really fast.

Those are the ones I started out with. They were loaded to 4300FPS. So not as fast as they could have been. I was surprised how accurate they were. I used to shoot at glass insulators on telephone poles with those back in the 70s. Yes I was young and stupid. I had no problem hitting the insulators at about 100y so the accuracy was acceptable.