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.45 caliber pistol bullets in .50 rifle

3K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  XP100 
#1 ·
Does anyone use .45 caliber pistol bullets in sabots in .50 muzzleloader rifles? I'm looking at my options to save money on shooting and this seems to be the best one. I'm seeing around the net that some people even hunt this way.
 
#2 ·
How would this save money?

A .490 round ball will cost less than a dime, while a 45 JHP is gonna cost close to a quarter, and you still have to buy the sabot.

I be puzzled. :confused:
 
#3 ·
Wouldn't the .45 bullet more accurately mimic the typical hunting round with a sabot? Honest question, I'm new to this. Are balls the typical practice bullet?

I've never owned or hunted with an inline rifle. In the past I've only used traditional-style with homemade lead bullets from my uncle.
 
#4 ·
i actually dislike sabot rounds. seems harder to clean.

my favorite is round balls patched with old tshirt and bore butter. lay material on muzzle, push ball in then start with short ram to flush ball, cut wadding, ram home ( after charging of course.. )
 
#8 ·
I watched a bunch of youtube videos on these Powerbelt bullets last night. They're a little more expensive, but I like the concept behind them. For anyone who isn't familiar, there's no sabot. The bullet has a plastic bottom piece that creates the gas seal. These bullets also eliminate most of the plastic from sabots being left behind in the barrel.
 
#11 ·
I watched a bunch of youtube videos on these Powerbelt bullets last night. They're a little more expensive, but I like the concept behind them. For anyone who isn't familiar, there's no sabot. The bullet has a plastic bottom piece that creates the gas seal. These bullets also eliminate most of the plastic from sabots being left behind in the barrel.
i hate getting the plastic out which is why i like patched balls now.

kills paper cheap and fine!
 
#13 ·
I did some more reading on Powerbelts today. It seems like they are inconsistent in barrels with faster rates of twist and aren't as clean as they are billed to be. I'm going to start with sabots and go from there.

My muzzleloading experience has only been with my uncle's rifles and loads, so it never dawned on me that these rifles can be so finicky. I'm reading reviews now that have two of the same rifles each requiring totally different bullet and grain combos to shoot consistent groups.

Looks like I'm in for some fun in the spring. :D
 
#14 ·
I did some more reading on Powerbelts today. It seems like they are inconsistent in barrels with faster rates of twist and aren't as clean as they are billed to be. I'm going to start with sabots and go from there.

My muzzleloading experience has only been with my uncle's rifles and loads, so it never dawned on me that these rifles can be so finicky. I'm reading reviews now that have two of the same rifles each requiring totally different bullet and grain combos to shoot consistent groups.

Looks like I'm in for some fun in the spring. :D
Whenever I use the powerbelts in my cva, I may as well close my eyes and pull the trigger. You never know where they'll hit. I like the sabots.
 
#15 ·
I shoot lead cast R.E.A.L. bullets in my .50 inline, I can shoot the bull out of the target at 50 yards with a 246gr bullet with 70 grains of Pyrodex behind it. I used the sabots, seemed like I could only get two shots before needing to clean it. Accuracy was pretty much the same as what I get with the cast. And I can buy a heck of a lot more of the cast, as I just buy the lead and have my buddy cast some up whenever he's got the pot fired up. Probably have at least 500-600 stored away by now!
 
#17 ·
I sell alot or Bullet/sabots every year. Hornady 240 gr. .452 XTP mags are becoming the bullet of choice. They are made for faster speeds and have a thicker copper jacket than the 452 XPT 250 gr. bullet. They seem to stay together better when pushed at Magnum loads out of a modern inline. Most of the guys that shoot Savage 10ML use them because of bullet speeds of 2300+ fps.
 
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