.50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question

fishteach · 05-21-2008, 12:55 PM

Hi All,

I am curious if anyone has tried to use sabots for the .50 BMG in their .50 caliber muzzle loader to shoot .308 sized bullets. My curious questions are:

1) Can it be done and is it safe to do?
2) How different would it be from shooting saboted .44 or .45 bullets in a .50 muzzle loader? If they can do it in the .50 BMG, why not in a .50 caliber muzzle loader?
3) How accurate would it be?
4) What kind of powder loads?
5) Where does one get .50 BMG saobts?

Thanks, Brett

armedandsafe · 05-23-2008, 09:10 PM

That might be an interesting study, as the .50 ball weighs about 180 grains, as do my 30-06 favorites. I wonder if they would stabilize at the low velocities of the ML?

I have no idea where to get the sabots.

Pops

Dan70 · 05-24-2008, 05:32 AM

Here's one place to get them http://www.maadigriffin.com/sabots.htm.

fishteach · 05-25-2008, 06:09 AM

Anybody want to go in on buying some sabots? The webpage says you get 1,000 for $90 plus shipping I'm sure.

armedandsafe · 05-25-2008, 05:18 PM

Quote:

1,000 for $90 plus shipping

Actually:

Quote:

1,000 .50 Caliber Sabot Accelerators at $90.00 delivered in USA

I'm in for 100 and will pay shipping from the person who orders. I'll send a $10 bill and a prepaid mailer to whoever volunteers to do the order.

Pops

armedandsafe · 05-25-2008, 05:29 PM

I just emailed JNS to ask the actual diameter of the sabot with a .308 bullet installed. I'm thinking that it might be larger than the nominal bore of the .50 ML and therefore be very hard to load. If it is actually .50 or slightly smaller, it would probably work. I'll let you know what they answer.

Pops

bunnyhunter12 · 05-25-2008, 06:02 PM

Quick question.

How does this work? Could I pick up some of the .30 cal sabots, load them with .22 cal bullets and then reload some 7.62x39mm and fire them from my SKS?

If so this may be the answer to a major problem I've been faced with. I've wanted to get into coyote hunting but the law around here says you must use a .22 center-fire which I don't have and can not afford right now. I'll have to check with the Wildlife Department to see if it's legal, but finding another use for the SKS would be so sweet.

JohnK3 · 05-25-2008, 10:21 PM

Theoretically, Bunny, yes. *However*, make sure you find good load data before you try. Need to make sure the pressures are kept below recommended for the SKS.

fishteach · 05-26-2008, 05:55 PM

I checked and the .50 BMG sabots measure .510, so would they work? Brett

armedandsafe · 05-26-2008, 08:17 PM

That is going to be a really tight fit for a muzzle loader. I think it could be made to work, but getting it down the barrel might take some leanin' 'n' grinnin'. A differently shaped rod tip would also be desirable, to account for the shape of the 30 cal bullet. Hmmmmm

I can lathe/mill a ramrod tip with the approximate profile. Fishteach, are you saying you have a supply of those sabots? If so, would you sell me a dozen or so? I would be willing to experiment.

Of course, if we get a response from JNS, they might be willing to sample me enough to try it on all 5 of our .50s.

Pops

fishteach · 05-28-2008, 05:38 AM

I do not have a supply, but a while back there were some for sale on *********.com. I emailed the seller the same question I asked here. I dug up his email response and he had measured the outside diameter of the sabots at .510, which is the same as the 50 BMG. If I had any I'd know if this worked - or not. :-)

armedandsafe · 05-29-2008, 09:22 PM

I just got word that my first message to JNS did not get read. I sent another, hoping the holiday get them loaded up too much to get to it.

Pops

350Rocket · 10-10-2008, 02:26 PM

quote-
"1) Can it be done and is it safe to do?
2) How different would it be from shooting saboted .44 or .45 bullets in a .50 muzzle loader? If they can do it in the .50 BMG, why not in a .50 caliber muzzle loader?
3) How accurate would it be?
4) What kind of powder loads?
5) Where does one get .50 BMG saobts?

Thanks, Brett"

1- im sure it could be done, maybe unorthodox, but if you can get it down the barrel, itll definately come out!
2- only problem after fitting the sabot in the barrel, is how well the sabot holds the new bullet
3-not accurate, nope, possibly like a smoothbore. even if you had a "fast twist" muzzleloader barrel (1-28" twist), a twist for a .30cal is 1 in 10"..... tumbling bullet right out of the barrel. (ive tried something similar) according to the Greenhill equation, your .30 cal round would have cut to a length of .3"-.325" to be stabilized with a 1 in 48" twist hawkins barrel.
4-same as manufacture reccommended to start out with, generally 100-150. although i dont know why sabot to .30?, velocity and black powder doesn't work too well.

it sounds like what youll have is an innacurate, low velocity, short range .30cal, but a whole lot of fun! let me know if it works

edge · 11-22-2008, 06:49 PM

Sorry I am so late to this conversation, but I do have experience doing this.

First problem is you will not get a 0.510 sabot down the bore without modifications.
Most 50 caliber muzzleloaders measure about 0.501
As 350Rocket wrote, your twist will be too slow!

I solved this by switching to a 45 caliber 1:14 twist barrel and shooting smokeless powder.
My bullet of choice is the 150 grain Accubond and while the .50 caliber sabots are cheap, I prefer to machine my own.
The following are machined and pre-rifled for an exact bore fit:

However, I have modified some BMG sabots for using Hornady SST's

edge.

05-21-2008, 12:55 PM	#1
fishteach Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Steep Falls, Maine Posts: 15	.50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question Hi All, I am curious if anyone has tried to use sabots for the .50 BMG in their .50 caliber muzzle loader to shoot .308 sized bullets. My curious questions are: 1) Can it be done and is it safe to do? 2) How different would it be from shooting saboted .44 or .45 bullets in a .50 muzzle loader? If they can do it in the .50 BMG, why not in a .50 caliber muzzle loader? 3) How accurate would it be? 4) What kind of powder loads? 5) Where does one get .50 BMG saobts? Thanks, Brett -->

05-23-2008, 09:10 PM	#2
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question That might be an interesting study, as the .50 ball weighs about 180 grains, as do my 30-06 favorites. I wonder if they would stabilize at the low velocities of the ML? I have no idea where to get the sabots. Pops

05-24-2008, 05:32 AM	#3
Dan70 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: GA Posts: 111	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question Here's one place to get them http://www.maadigriffin.com/sabots.htm.

05-25-2008, 06:09 AM	#4
fishteach Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Steep Falls, Maine Posts: 15	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question Anybody want to go in on buying some sabots? The webpage says you get 1,000 for $90 plus shipping I'm sure.

05-25-2008, 05:29 PM	#6
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question I just emailed JNS to ask the actual diameter of the sabot with a .308 bullet installed. I'm thinking that it might be larger than the nominal bore of the .50 ML and therefore be very hard to load. If it is actually .50 or slightly smaller, it would probably work. I'll let you know what they answer. Pops

05-25-2008, 06:02 PM	#7
bunnyhunter12 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 1,090	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question Quick question. How does this work? Could I pick up some of the .30 cal sabots, load them with .22 cal bullets and then reload some 7.62x39mm and fire them from my SKS? If so this may be the answer to a major problem I've been faced with. I've wanted to get into coyote hunting but the law around here says you must use a .22 center-fire which I don't have and can not afford right now. I'll have to check with the Wildlife Department to see if it's legal, but finding another use for the SKS would be so sweet. __________________ Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei~ Official motto of Newfoundland If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government --and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws. -- Edward Abbey in Abbey's Road, p.39 (Plume, 1979) -Smitty

05-25-2008, 10:21 PM	#8
JohnK3 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 1,636	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question Theoretically, Bunny, yes. However, make sure you find good load data before you try. Need to make sure the pressures are kept below recommended for the SKS.

05-26-2008, 05:55 PM	#9
fishteach Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Steep Falls, Maine Posts: 15	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question I checked and the .50 BMG sabots measure .510, so would they work? Brett

05-26-2008, 08:17 PM	#10
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question That is going to be a really tight fit for a muzzle loader. I think it could be made to work, but getting it down the barrel might take some leanin' 'n' grinnin'. A differently shaped rod tip would also be desirable, to account for the shape of the 30 cal bullet. Hmmmmm I can lathe/mill a ramrod tip with the approximate profile. Fishteach, are you saying you have a supply of those sabots? If so, would you sell me a dozen or so? I would be willing to experiment. Of course, if we get a response from JNS, they might be willing to sample me enough to try it on all 5 of our .50s. Pops

05-28-2008, 05:38 AM	#11
fishteach Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Steep Falls, Maine Posts: 15	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question I do not have a supply, but a while back there were some for sale on *********.com. I emailed the seller the same question I asked here. I dug up his email response and he had measured the outside diameter of the sabots at .510, which is the same as the 50 BMG. If I had any I'd know if this worked - or not. :-)

05-29-2008, 09:22 PM	#12
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question I just got word that my first message to JNS did not get read. I sent another, hoping the holiday get them loaded up too much to get to it. Pops

10-10-2008, 02:26 PM	#13
350Rocket Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fort Campbell, Ky Posts: 14	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question quote- "1) Can it be done and is it safe to do? 2) How different would it be from shooting saboted .44 or .45 bullets in a .50 muzzle loader? If they can do it in the .50 BMG, why not in a .50 caliber muzzle loader? 3) How accurate would it be? 4) What kind of powder loads? 5) Where does one get .50 BMG saobts? Thanks, Brett" 1- im sure it could be done, maybe unorthodox, but if you can get it down the barrel, itll definately come out! 2- only problem after fitting the sabot in the barrel, is how well the sabot holds the new bullet 3-not accurate, nope, possibly like a smoothbore. even if you had a "fast twist" muzzleloader barrel (1-28" twist), a twist for a .30cal is 1 in 10"..... tumbling bullet right out of the barrel. (ive tried something similar) according to the Greenhill equation, your .30 cal round would have cut to a length of .3"-.325" to be stabilized with a 1 in 48" twist hawkins barrel. 4-same as manufacture reccommended to start out with, generally 100-150. although i dont know why sabot to .30?, velocity and black powder doesn't work too well. it sounds like what youll have is an innacurate, low velocity, short range .30cal, but a whole lot of fun! let me know if it works

11-22-2008, 06:49 PM	#14
edge Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1	Re: .50 BMG Sabot in a .50 Caliber Muzzle Loader Question Sorry I am so late to this conversation, but I do have experience doing this. First problem is you will not get a 0.510 sabot down the bore without modifications. Most 50 caliber muzzleloaders measure about 0.501 As 350Rocket wrote, your twist will be too slow! I solved this by switching to a 45 caliber 1:14 twist barrel and shooting smokeless powder. My bullet of choice is the 150 grain Accubond and while the .50 caliber sabots are cheap, I prefer to machine my own. The following are machined and pre-rifled for an exact bore fit: However, I have modified some BMG sabots for using Hornady SST's edge.