# Muzzleloader sabots?



## nauti boy (Aug 3, 2008)

Anyone have problems with sabot's passing through deer and not expanding or transfering energy to deer. Last weekend had daughter for first gun hunt. 50cal TC shorkwave 250 gr, 100gr 777. She nailed a doe at 40 yards. Light blood trail for 15 yards then dried up. Searched the porperty and did not recover the deer. Had a buddy earlier same load small entry and even smaller exit through lungs. Looking for hollow point bullet that will mushroom. Not really need for long shooting.


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## Reel Bad Habit (Feb 9, 2007)

I had the same problem, went to Powerbelt Hollow Point 295 Gr. No problems, lots of dead deer. Good luck.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

I was having the same problem shooting the PB AeroTip and also the Platinum bullets they don't expand well. PowerBelt makes an all lead you might try. I have been shooting the Precision Rifle Extreme elite HP and they are doing a much better job. They fly alot better too. Same hole shots at 50 yards. Bottom line lead will give you much better expansion.


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## TheBiteIsOn (May 12, 2007)

just my 2 cents worth..i shoot the shock waves, omg what a hole, no problems with finding blood, usually find a couple organs with the blood lol.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Your experience seems unusual for Shockwaves.

Shockwaves have a reputation for fragmenting and not going through a deer but that is at velocities from 1800-2300 fPS.

If you are loading down a MZ for a youngster try using an all lead bullet or a hollow point like the Barnes Expanders


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## labman (Sep 13, 2008)

I shoot the cabelas presicion rifle x-tended range sabot out of 45 cal,and love them they are all lead good expanision and good blood trails to,havent had a deer go over 60 yards.


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## brewkettle (Sep 7, 2006)

I have been using the 210 grain Shockwaves with two 777 pellets out of my T/C Pro Hunter for the past 2 years. Both deer harvested with with it have been of the "BANG--Flop" variety. I have been very satisfied with them.

From my rifled barrel 12 guage, I have been using the Hastings 3" impact discarding Sabot for 5-6 years. Confident up to 100 yards shots with a 1 1/4" entry hole just plain Knocks them down. I'll bet I've killed 8 or 9 deer with the Hastings and I can only remember one that ran and that was only about 75 yards. The rest were ALL Bang--Flops. I highly recommend them!


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## fishhunter24 (Jan 17, 2005)

i use hornedy 44 mag bullet 240 grain and never had a problem with them. it is alot cheaper to buy a box of them and them buy a bag of the of the green plastic sleelves.


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## Dawitner (Apr 25, 2004)

Barnes Spitfire hollowpoints. DRT


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

fishhunter24 said:


> i use hornedy 44 mag bullet 240 grain and never had a problem with them. it is alot cheaper to buy a box of them and them buy a bag of the of the green plastic sleelves.


AMEN to that..... I started shooting 44 mags a couple years ago and will never go back. At $.25-$.35 a shot you can afford to experiment a bit more and your bullet choices are endless. 

Normally it is a problem with too much expansion rather than not enough. 44-50 cal hole though a deer =dead deer if placed right. Generally it is with too much expansion that you tend to loose deer as it may only get one lung or not penetrate muscle and bone to hit vitals. I used to have horrible problems with the 195 gr powerbelt HP bullets doing that. The 295s seemed to have better mass to carry through better. My BIL shot his first deer broadside at 10 yds right behind the shoulder. Half hour later we tracked it and kicked it up and it was still running. Came back the next day to find it and he did have a perfect broadside shot but it only penetrated enough to take out 1 lung and the slug was flat as a nickel. Deer can go a long ways with 1 good lung......Bullets are designed to have a certain mass retention and expansion at designed velocities. Be careful of rapid expanders as the tend to do well at long distances and slower velocities but are very poor performers at close range and high velocities. Just my .02


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