Bullet & bore ?

[M T Pockets 000]

Didn't want to take away from poorhunters post. From what he was saying I am asking a question or two of my own. I know that the majority of inline Black Powder rifles are 50 caliber. I also know most shoot a 45 bullet with a sabot. My question is why? Why not a 50 cal bullet that will fit the rifle bore?. I shoot smokeless now. A converted 45/70 hunter. I use a .451 Parker extreme or a .451 Hornady XTP. I use the powder and a felt patch with the bullet. Why are there no 50 cal bullets designed to fit the 50 cal rifle bores? Just seems to me if a 45 cal can be made to fit without a sabot a 50 cal should also. But what do I know

 

[poorhunter]

There are several full bore options available. I'm not exactly sure why the sabots are the most popular, but I guess because they are more accurate…or at least used to be. Seems like the technology and metal mixtures are making full bore bullets more popular, but I don't really know the answer as to why they aren't more common.

 

[Remi]

Sabots will squeeze down or bump up to help with differences in bore size. To get copper full bore bullets to fit takes some trial and error finding the right combo. Full bore options are usually heavier which increase recoil as well.

Sabots are load and go for the most part. Sabots allow for a variety of bullet types and weights to be used. I can shoot .40 - .475 diameter through my .50 by changing sabots. I can switch from 300gr .45 Harvester Scorpion to 300 gr .44 Harvester White lightning and cut my drop from 12" to 6" at 200yds while improving sectional density for penetration.



Speed produces expansion, expansion produces trauma, trauma means blood trail. A good constructed .44-.45 cal bullet that expands, retains weight, fully penetrates, it's easy to see why they're popular.


Muzzleloaders typically give poor blood trails because people shoot heavy bullets that don't expand at low velocity. Minimal tissue disruption and small wound path.


I've killed them with round balls, full bore conicals and sabots and pistol bullets.


Lots of good options all around now, full bore or sabot.

 

[ROVERBOY]

I have mostly shot .50 calibers since I started muzzleloading in 1988. I started out shooting round balls and saboted Hornady 200 gr. .44 bullets. But, I've shot several full bore conicals over the years. Hornady Great Plains, T/C Maxi-Balls, T/C Maxi-Hunters, and even shot another that I can't remember the name. They hit hard but, 100 yards or so is about max range.

 

[Farm manager]

Cast your own full bore bullets for just pennies apiece and give them a try. With the price of the modern bullets (sabot or belted) costing what they do, a decent melting pot and a bullet mold would not take long to pay for itself.

 

[ROVERBOY]

I've been shooting Maxi-Hunters the last 10 years or so. An older gentleman I know casts them. 350 gr. and pure lead, they expand to about an inch diameter, if a shoulder or neck shot.

 

[dogsled]

My experience with Blackhorn (and this is in their literature) is that the sabot loads are needed to get a tight enough fit for good ignition. I experimented with the lead 50 cal and Powerbelts when I switched to Blackhorn, and neither worked reliably. They would basically fizzle out the end of the barrel. The Powerbelts (which I loved with Pyrodex) would work in a dirty (after one shot) barrel, but would not seal good enough with a clean barrel. I have since settled on the Harvester crush rib sabots which allow me to use different bullets as Remi mentioned in his post.