CVA Slick Load Sabot 300grn question

dburt · Mar 12, 2017

Has anyone used these? I got some for super cheap ($5 for 15) and tried it out today with my new CVA Wolf. Decent accuracy even with open sights but I have a question about the sabot wads...should they be actually going through the target? 3 shots with 3 separate holes between .5" to 2" to the right that looks like it had to be the wad. Are they supposed to actually stay with the bullet? Muzzle loader newbie here, so excuse me if this is a dumb question.

MUP · Mar 14, 2017

Sabot is supposed to break away from the bullet soon after leaving the barrel. Did you look between the firing point and the target to see if you could find any of the other sabots?

mike243 · Mar 14, 2017

How close were you shooting sabots can carry some distance

MUP · Mar 14, 2017

I guess if he was shooting at 25 yds, the sabots very well could have gone thru the target.

dburt · Mar 15, 2017

I was shooting at 60 yards, so I just figured there's no way the sabot could go that far and penetrate...but, when I get home, I'll send a picture of the target. 3 shots at a new target, I have no other explanation. I was at my dad's and totally meant to go back and check but forgot. Argh, that's kinda easy case closing stuff right there. But I can have him check for me. So generally the sabot is detached from the bullet as it leaves the gun and doesn't fly with the bullet, right? I'd think otherwise the sabot would cause loss of accuracy.

dburt · Mar 16, 2017

Well my computer's dumb and won't let me upload the picture. But my dad checked and never found the sabots anywhere near the target. I'll do some more testing next time I hit the range and let you all know. My main reason for figuring this out is I'm wondering if it has anything to do with one review that, though accurate, there weren't exit wounds on the deer. If somehow the sabot is staying with the bullet my guess is that would significantly slow it down.

mike243 · Mar 17, 2017

I have had a few pass thru with the power belts in 295g but most of the time not and the deer don't make it out of sight,I don't mind not having a pass thru,all the energy dumped into the deer helps keep them from going far imo

dburt · Mar 17, 2017

Here's the target pic. It was a fresh target, first 3 shots on the gun, brand new. Open sights at 60 yards, haven't adjusted the sights - the lower right one was the first, and I believe hit a 2" sapling and splintered it, hence the elongated hole and inconsistency.

dburt · Apr 4, 2017

Just an update in case anyone was curious (like me). Had a chance to shoot it again at 25/50/100 yards to sight a new scope in, and didn't get any of those weird extra holes - every shot looked totally normal, and they are shooting nice and accurate. I really think that I might have hit that sapling 10 yards in front of the target and it was the splintering of that which caused the extra holes. Who knows. I did look for the sabots, and they broke apart right out of the gun...however, the base of the sabots, at least once, went at least 50 yards, as it was in front of the target. I guess that there's a possibility that the sides are breaking off and the base is remaining attached. I'll check at 100 next time to be sure. If so, bet ya anything that's why some people have reported no exits with these bullets, that's got to slow it down considerably.

mike243 · Apr 4, 2017

depending on the bullet a higher speed will cause them to not pass thru due to expansion ,when it takes x amount of velocity to make them expand and you don't reach that they will pencil thru,