Also, can such ammo be as accurate as normal ammo?

Nope, they got some impressive speed, but accuracy really suffers.

 

There is a reason why Accelerators are no longer being made. They were horribly inaccurate.

 

Basic problem- rifles have different rates of twist in order to stabilize bullets of different lengths (yeah, I know, everyone talks about bullet weight, but heavier bullets in the same caliber are longer)

The rate of twist that does a GREAT job on your .308 with 162 grain bullets may SUCK with a 55 grain sabot load. Which is why I have not dumped money in a .22 LR convertor for my AR 15s. 1 in 7 barrel does not do that well with 1 in 16 bullets.

 

Length of bullet? You mean it's length that determines the rate of twist or, that the rate of twist will determine how long a bullet that rate of twist will stabilize? My, my...what a foreign concept.....

(Stites, that isn't directed at you....it's simply my little bit of Friday morning sarcasm......)

 

some coffee will help stabilize that.

rick

 

Well, if your bullets are not long enuff, try lubing them with Viagra.......

 

Does that only work with cast bullets? What about those with jackets? Do they have to be hard cast? So confused... See, this is why I don't reload. Too many variables...

 

I was too Rick. but I couldn't help poking a little fun at Vic, I'm sure he would return the favor given the chance. Somehow I get the feeling you are poking the both of us.

 

ya think??? "what are friends for"?

rick

 

Sabots in 22 and 6mm are now illegal in many countries due to the fact that there is no rifling marks on the bullets. ( sabots for black powder is still acceptable )

If you want a 6.5 bullet to go fast then take a look at the 264 Win or the 6.5x06 IMP.

 

Spire points and boat tails make a bullet longer than a wad cutter of the same weight, the number of grease grooves and size of the grooves can add length to a bullet. Here is a simple to use online calculator you can play with if you feel like it to see how changes in length, caliber, material and velocity can change twist rates needed to determine the optimal rate of twist needed.Barrel Twist Calculator

 

I always used the Greenhill formula but, looking at a chart is easier than doing the math.

I just wish I could find a rifle in another unknown cartridge to play with.....that I'm willing to pay for...

 

Also, can such ammo be as accurate as normal ammo?

Well, I can only tell you my experience with a 55gr .22 in a .308 Win handgun.

It's been awhile But this is to the best of my recollection. I got 3" groups at 100 yards so I contacted the sabot manufacturer and was told that was about the best I could hope for. I think a 3" group pretty unremarkable and that was the end of my experimenting with them. Velocity was pretty remarkable, 3600 fps out of a 15" barrel, blast and flash was pretty remarkable too. Powder? Nothing normally used in a .308. It was a much faster powder. It was an interesting experiment though.

 

Yeah Vic, I know how to do the math the old fashioned way, but a calculator is a lot faster and handier to use and it doesn't give me a brain ache.

 

I've taken to using the charts....when I learned such a thing existed. Then learned their dimensions were close to what calculated from Greenhill, I became confident in them.

 

i still find it very interesting that that 250 gr bullet in 8mm works for me and did not for you. life is strange.

rick

 

Most of them use Greenhill as the basis.

 

Hey, thanks for all the replies! I totally forgot about twist rate - my .308 has 1:10 twist, fine for heavy-ish .308 bullets but a bit slow for smaller-caliber ones.

As for Viagra lube? I think that'd make armor-piercing ammo, wouldn't it?

 

A 1:10 twist rate would work better for lighter weight .308 dia. bullets. A faster twist would be needed for the heavier bullets would it not?

 

Good grief ted....lol!!

Rick, I suspect it was the velocity I was driving them at. Aren't you hooting them quite a bit faster than I was? A higher velocity gives a higher RPM thus greater gyroscopic stabilization. My 200 gr. bullet shoots so good I didn't pursue that bullet very far. Call me lazy I guess.

 

Good grief ted....lol!!

Rick, I suspect it was the velocity I was driving them at. Aren't you hooting them quite a bit faster than I was? A higher velocity gives a higher RPM thus greater gyroscopic stabilization. My 200 gr. bullet shoots so good I didn't pursue that bullet very far. Call me lazy I guess.

i am still messing with load development. they are not tumbling at any speed so far. as slow as 1275 fps to about 1750 fps i am staying in the 1350 to 1550 range right now with decent accuracy [for me]. i want to bring the rifle and about 100 rounds to Tenn next month. i do have the husqvarna dialed in so that is ready to go. i do so want to show off my rolling blocks. wish you could make it there too.

rick

 

It still does not take much for a thread to go down hill... 🤣

 

And to get back to actual sabots- had a friend experimenting with some .25 to .30 cal sabots in his handloads. For 7.62 x 25 PISTOL ammo. Results were........... interesting.

 

SBE, Montana Bullet Works chart says 1-10 in .308 will stabilize a 250 gr. bullet, if it's driven fast enough. Which the case should be able to do.

 

I'd like to Rick, but first, I'm going to get this spinal stenosis straightened out. Earlier in the week that trip to St. Louis then a funeral in my home town the next day just about did me in for a couple days. I was bound up like a Gordian knot. I have learned there is a treatment for it so I started getting appointments at my doctor and a physical therapist friend. I've had it with this. Can't drive anywhere very far, cutting wood is torture and sometimes just sitting in a chair can be agony. The aforementioned lawn mower in Don's thread is....well....it takes 2-3 days to mow this whole place.