what ML bullet/sabot combo?

A

axis223

New member
I'm going to start testing the Inline ML and need some advice on which bullet to choose as well as the sabot for each bullets?

Im shooting a cva optima v2 50cal. Looking for optimum accuracy and performance.

Hornady 45cal, 225gr FTX

Hornady 44cal, 225gr FTX

Hornady 44cal, 240gr XTP

Hornady 45cal 200gr FTX

Hornady 45cal (450 bushmaster) 250gr FTX

Hornady 45cal XTP 240-300gr
 
Which animal's vital organs do you intend to obliterate with said projectile(s)?


Personally, my go-to is a .495" round ball in a 0.015" greased pillow ticking 'sabot'. But that's not likely to work well with your fast twist barrel.

If I was in your shoes, I'd run the Nosler BTMZ for big game.
The BTMZ is a 300 gr .458" Ballistic Tip.
It's a well-constructed bullet in a good sabot, and has an excellent track record.
Nosler finally also released it as a component bullet for .458 SOCOM reloaders last year. Very good bullet.


My opinion on the Hornady stuff:
The FTXs have mixed reviews, and my own testing with .44 225s and 265s, and .458" 325s left me looking for other options. They would have worked on game, but expansion was too violent for my liking (even at velocities as low as 1,600 fps for the .458" 325 gr) and the lead core is very soft.

The .452" 250 gr FTX was designed as a muzzleloader bullet, and later adopted for .450 Bushmaster because of the working velocity. It's a good bullet, and a bit tougher than the 'handgun' FTXs. Not a bad choice.

If I had to choose a Hornady bullet to use, it would be the .44 300 gr XTP. It's a tougher bullet than the lighter XTPs, along with the extra mass.
The .45 cal 300 gr XTPs are probably as good, maybe even better, but I have no experience with them.
 
FrankenMauser said:
Which animal's vital organs do you intend to obliterate with said projectile(s)?


Personally, my go-to is a .495" round ball in a 0.015" greased pillow ticking 'sabot'. But that's not likely to work well with your fast twist barrel.

If I was in your shoes, I'd run the Nosler BTMZ for big game.
The BTMZ is a 300 gr .458" Ballistic Tip.
It's a well-constructed bullet in a good sabot, and has an excellent track record.
Nosler finally also released it as a component bullet for .458 SOCOM reloaders last year. Very good bullet.


My opinion on the Hornady stuff:
The FTXs have mixed reviews, and my own testing with .44 225s and 265s, and .458" 325s left me looking for other options. They would have worked on game, but expansion was too violent for my liking (even at velocities as low as 1,600 fps for the .458" 325 gr) and the lead core is very soft.

The .452" 250 gr FTX was designed as a muzzleloader bullet, and later adopted for .450 Bushmaster because of the working velocity. It's a good bullet, and a bit tougher than the 'handgun' FTXs. Not a bad choice.

If I had to choose a Hornady bullet to use, it would be the .44 300 gr XTP. It's a tougher bullet than the lighter XTPs, along with the extra mass.
The .45 cal 300 gr XTPs are probably as good, maybe even better, but I have no experience with them.
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Whitetail out to 200yards. I'm currently running 120gr of hodgdons 777 magnum powder and a 200gr tc shockwave and get decent accuracy at 100yards but the comboing of sabots and bullets helps lighten the cost and get a little better performance and accuracy. the tc didn't expand or exit on a buck i shot last year so i wasn't impressed by them.

the nosler bullet you mention-is it a actual ML bullet or is it a rifle bullet to be paired with a sabot?
 
Of the ones you mentioned I have had great success with the Hornady 240 Grain XTPS.

I later moved up to the 295 Grain Power belt Hollow points, but all jokes aside I don't think they have killed deer any better at 100 yards in.
 
The Nosler BTMZ was designed from the ground up to be a saboted muzzleloader projectile. It wasn't a 'repurposed' rifle bullet.
But since its finished diameter was .458" to fit off-the-shelf sabots, they held them to the same standards as their other bullets, and the working velocities are the same; it made a nearly ideal bullet for .458 SOCOM.

(Handloaders noticed and started buying the bullets, just to throw away the sabots. Eventually, Nosler admitted that requests for the bullet in 50 round boxes was a justified endeavor.)
 
Make two telephone calls and talk to both MMP sabots and Harvester Sabots. Both companies will spend some time recommending which sabot to use with your gun. There is not SAAMI specs on barrel dimensions for muzzle loaders and each company seems to actually use something just a bit different than the other. It's extremely critical to get the correct sabot/bullet fit for your barrel. They are familiar with what works best in most of the common guns out there and your is one of those. Do some research on sabots and you'll soon find that even with "50 cal" there are thin ones, thicker ones, some made for certain bullets, and a host of other variables. You need to find something that will fit your bore, not be too tight to load, and shoot well with the black powder or black powder substitute you select. It's really more complicated than you think. Don't waste your time with patch and ball if you're shooting an in-line. It's not that it won't work, its just that you've cut the potential of the gun way down by doing so. Those guns are made for conical bullets and stiffer charges of propellant.
 
Here is my .02..I have had a knight disc since 1997 and I was givin a 10 shot "card" of sabots labeled Knight, 240 gr hollow points.. Very good accuracy out to 100 yds ( here in NH you dont need more than that) Well, before long I was out and looking for more "Knight sabots" Went to the LGS and asked about those Knight sabots. The guy took out a card of em and said..Hey, all these are are 44 cal Sierra pistol bullets, buy a box of em "100" and get some sabots from Knight and your good to go. I did and have been using them with great results ever since. All deer shot were 1 shot kills and I did kill a nice 8 point in NC at 120 yds.
 
I use 250 grain SST's pushed by 100 grains of triple 7 and triple 7 primer but my dad uses Hornady XTP's and 100 grains of pyrodex and likes them. I think he said that's what came with his Knight rifle.
 
I use 250 grain SST's pushed by 100 grains of triple 7 and triple 7 primer but my dad uses Hornady XTP's and 100 grains of pyrodex and likes them.
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^ This. Hornady SST (same as T/C shockwave which is made by Hornady for T/C) with the low-drag sabot. Mine loves 100grn of loose 777.
 
Doyle is correct on his suggested load....if you're shooting a TC rifle. I own a couple of TC muzzle loaders along with a Savage ML2 and I've had other in-lines in the past. TC uses a very tight bore in their guns...very close to .500. If your gun slugs larger than that you might have to use a different sabot with that bullet to get a good fit. Again, talk to Del Ramsey at the sabot seller, MMP. You just can't put any combo in any gun and expect great results. Doing that and it just becomes a lottery on whether or not it'll shoot well.
 
I bought this Minnie from Lee, in my TC Inline, its more accurate then any sabet I've tried.

My rifle uses up to 150 grn pellets, but found 100 gr of BP works better. Only shot one mule deer with it but it went down like it was pole axed, with a Heart Lung shot.

http://leeprecision.com/mold-500-354-m.html

Dont be afraid to try casting your own bullets. Its cheaper and can often be more accurate.
 
My CVA optima shoots MOA (one ragged hole at 50 yards!) with a Hornady 300 grain SST with the included Sabot, and 2 pellets of 777.

I tried loose powder at first because people, and logic, dictate that the consistency would lead to accuracy. However, I just couldn't get it to shoot well. Switched to pellets, mind was blown by accuracy, and haven't looked back.

Other good ol' boys I have shot with while sighting in in the fall have said, "a muzzleloader ain't supposed to shoot like that!"

Last year was my first time I shot deer. One was found dead 15 yards from where I shot it (no blood trail and lucky to find the deer - not sure what happened). Second deer which was double lunged left a blood trail 30 yards long like someone had sprayed a can of red spray paint while walking through the woods.
 
My Son had excellent results on deer with Hornady 240 XTP w/sabot in his ML. I think around 100-120 grain equivalent of 777 or Blackhorn 209.
 
My Son had excellent results on deer with Hornady 240 XTP w/sabot in his ML. I think around 100-120 grain equivalent of 777 or Blackhorn 209.
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Not a bad combination with the Blackhorn 209 and 240 XTPS. My brother in law and I have had great success with that combination. We shoot TC In Line Muzzleloaders.
 
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