Has anybody else tried .45 sabots useing .357 bullets out of their 45/70 and if so any accurate loads...?
About 4 years ago came accross some blue colored Hornady .45 sabots for shooting .357 bullets out of muzzleloaders. so I figured this could work in a 45/70 too..
Had some 200 gr Roundnose remingtons /Hornadys from my .357 maximum and some 180 spitzers also . Loaded up some rounds with three different kinds of powder and headed to our range. Initial testing was done at 25 yards to see if there was any accuracy potential and at that distance three loads shot under 0.70 inch for 3 shots .
Returned next day with more loads and the chronograph....having lost one chrono some time prior to this by an errant gas check, chrony #2 was armored somewhat and 100 yard testing was conducted.
About 20 different loads later, and about 60 sabot/bullets I had a few accurate loads at 100 yds. and many not so good with some included in the build up data as the chrony was not always registering.
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Ruger #3 ..22 inch brl..WW brass ..WW LRPrimers ..Scope on 9X.
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200 gr Rem RN .357...45.0 gr. IMr3031..1480..1461..1453..1450 fps 4 shots/100 yards. .. 0.97 inch
200 gr Rem RN .357....50.0 gr. IMR3031..1580..1600..1649..1601 fps 4 shots/100yds..2.20 inch.
A2400..24.0 grains. 200 gr, Hornady RN..1520 fps (1 reading only)...3shots/100yds/ 4.0 inch
A2400..28.0 grains. 200 gr. Hornady RN...no readings..3 shots/100yds/3.60 inch
A2400..32.0 grains. 200 gr Hornady RN..n/r...3 shots/100 yds 1.50 inch
IMR 4198..45.0 grains. 200 gr Hornady RN....1912..1908.,1902 fps..3 shots/100 yds/ 1.0 inch
180 grain Hornady Spitzer....55.0 gr. Reloder 7..1841..1868..1860 fps. 2 shots/100 yds/ 1.00 inch..3rd shot pulled and opened group to 2.25 inch.
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I'm pretty sure that as I'm seating the bullets into the sabots by hand that if a more uniform method of seating them to exact depth could be used, more of the loads would prove accurate.
Perhaps a piece of wood with small hole drilled through it for the tip of the bullet to stick through would aid in pushing the bullet down into the sabot base and could provide a more uniform seating depth.
Depending on the velocity, the sabots end up 15 to 50 feet down range and are somewhat flared at both ends !!
I don't at present have access to 200 gr RN lead bullets, but a local caster has a mold comeing for his newly acquired .35 Remington and then the process continues for sabot with cheap lead loads...........
As usual ,this is for those that like to find another thing the 45/70 can shoot and if you feel it's an unsafe practice please disregard.
hs45/70...........your mileage may vary
About 4 years ago came accross some blue colored Hornady .45 sabots for shooting .357 bullets out of muzzleloaders. so I figured this could work in a 45/70 too..
Had some 200 gr Roundnose remingtons /Hornadys from my .357 maximum and some 180 spitzers also . Loaded up some rounds with three different kinds of powder and headed to our range. Initial testing was done at 25 yards to see if there was any accuracy potential and at that distance three loads shot under 0.70 inch for 3 shots .
Returned next day with more loads and the chronograph....having lost one chrono some time prior to this by an errant gas check, chrony #2 was armored somewhat and 100 yard testing was conducted.
About 20 different loads later, and about 60 sabot/bullets I had a few accurate loads at 100 yds. and many not so good with some included in the build up data as the chrony was not always registering.
*******************************************************
Ruger #3 ..22 inch brl..WW brass ..WW LRPrimers ..Scope on 9X.
***************************************
200 gr Rem RN .357...45.0 gr. IMr3031..1480..1461..1453..1450 fps 4 shots/100 yards. .. 0.97 inch
200 gr Rem RN .357....50.0 gr. IMR3031..1580..1600..1649..1601 fps 4 shots/100yds..2.20 inch.
A2400..24.0 grains. 200 gr, Hornady RN..1520 fps (1 reading only)...3shots/100yds/ 4.0 inch
A2400..28.0 grains. 200 gr. Hornady RN...no readings..3 shots/100yds/3.60 inch
A2400..32.0 grains. 200 gr Hornady RN..n/r...3 shots/100 yds 1.50 inch
IMR 4198..45.0 grains. 200 gr Hornady RN....1912..1908.,1902 fps..3 shots/100 yds/ 1.0 inch
180 grain Hornady Spitzer....55.0 gr. Reloder 7..1841..1868..1860 fps. 2 shots/100 yds/ 1.00 inch..3rd shot pulled and opened group to 2.25 inch.
*********************************************
I'm pretty sure that as I'm seating the bullets into the sabots by hand that if a more uniform method of seating them to exact depth could be used, more of the loads would prove accurate.
Perhaps a piece of wood with small hole drilled through it for the tip of the bullet to stick through would aid in pushing the bullet down into the sabot base and could provide a more uniform seating depth.
Depending on the velocity, the sabots end up 15 to 50 feet down range and are somewhat flared at both ends !!
I don't at present have access to 200 gr RN lead bullets, but a local caster has a mold comeing for his newly acquired .35 Remington and then the process continues for sabot with cheap lead loads...........
As usual ,this is for those that like to find another thing the 45/70 can shoot and if you feel it's an unsafe practice please disregard.
hs45/70...........your mileage may vary
