.22 bullets in .308 sabots

[hawlejr]

I've been trying various .22 cal varmint bullets in .308 sabots. Accuracy and stability have been somewhat horrible! I've tried ramping up the velocity to over 4000 fps and even used some pistol powders to get it down to less than 2000 fps. Longer bullets (>65 gr) keyhole badly, which I understand because my 30-06 is 1-10" twist, but even the little 40 gr bullets are all over the place. I remember from the dim dark past that Jim Carmichel of "Outdoor Life" fame was able to give the things a thumbs up. Anyhoo, looking for any experience/advice I can get.

 

[ButterBean]

Remington tried it back in the day and it never took off, to many variables to be really accurate IMO.

 

[Greatgrandad]

I've been trying various .22 cal varmint bullets in .308 sabots. Accuracy and stability have been somewhat horrible! I've tried ramping up the velocity to over 4000 fps and even used some pistol powders to get it down to less than 2000 fps. Longer bullets (>65 gr) keyhole badly, which I understand because my 30-06 is 1-10" twist, but even the little 40 gr bullets are all over the place. I remember from the dim dark past that Jim Carmichel of "Outdoor Life" fame was able to give the things a thumbs up. Anyhoo, looking for any experience/advice I can get.

I've been using them since the 80's, and one thing you have to ensure is the bullet is seated to the bottom of the sabot. Sometimes, the after market sabots, non Remington brand, need to have the bullets lightly engraved to increase friction to keep the bullet from "slipping" inside the sabot during the rapid rifling imparted spin. When needed, I have used a standard bastard file and a small, hand held plate of steel. Just place the bullet on the file and perpendicular and place the small plate over it and roll back and forth a couple of times or as needed to lightly engrave. This will reduce or stop any slippage of the bullet in the sabot and improve stability.

Another issue I have seen is with certain brands and/or colors of some sabots. I have come across some brands that don't flair well and break into or break off some petals. I have noticed this also with some colors that seem to work well, but then another color from the same company that did not perform as well.

Also, I have noticed accuracy improvements if I ensured my barrel was very clean before beginning testing with the sabots.

 

[quigley257]

There were also a number of different sabot makers, some not nearly as good as others. Overall historic results have been okay to downright awful. Just rather impractical to expect accuracy from such poorly mismatched components.

 

[Greatgrandad]

Here are a few I have played with and made work within reason.

 

[Greatgrandad]

A little more on the bullet engraving, and while I show the metal plate over the bullet, you can reverse and place the file over the bullet on the metal plate.

 

[hawlejr]

great input! I will make sure they're seated as deep as possible, and I'm going to try engraving the bullets. Never considered them spinning inside the sabot and therefore not taking on the rifling twist when they leave the muzzle. That would explain a lot ...including why they keyhole so much.

Thanks, and I'll let ya know what happens!

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Factory Sabots or Home made??? Way back in around 1970 I was wabbit hunting in the PA Coal Strippins area. I found a loaded 30.06 with a Sabot loaded with a .22 Fluorescent Green Ballistic Tip in the Sabot. I always thought that it was made to shoot someone because you could not bet the ballistics off of the .22 since it never touched the Lands/Groves.

Here are a few I have played with and made work within reason.

Maybe playing with danger trying to load a .224 into a .308 barrel with sabots. Are these Sabots Home Made or designed???
Just looking for the safety facture. If one of your .224 bullets turn sideways in the barrel at 4,000 fps. ???? OR comes out of the barrel sideways which way will it be traveling?
I imaging that there are some companies that sell .308 Sabot .224 that you can load safely.

 

[hawlejr]

The sabots are made by E. Arthur Brown Co. a legitimate supplier of gun parts and related products.
Website: https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=fd73...+reloading&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lYWJjby5jb20v&ntb=1

Thanks for your cautionary thoughts. I don't think we have a problem here, though.

 

[fseaman.js]

I wouldn't have thought sabot would be used for accuracy.

I thought the true mission is just speed.

 

[hawlejr]

I hear ya, and yes, that's been my experience. But I still hear that some are getting 2" groups at 100 yards, and I'm nowhere close to that. I can generally hit the paper on a large 3 bull target, but results so far have been disappointing. Still, I got a couple of ideas from those above which I'm going to try. All's I can say is "hope springs eternal"!

 

[Dragoon300]

FYI, DO NOT SHOOT ANY SABOT WITH A BRAKE! This has been done in 50 bmg rifles with catastrophic consequences.

 

[Randy Tidwell]

We had a young man join our youth hunt a couple years ago. He showed up with his grandfathers 742 '06 with a box of the old Remington Saboted ammo. I tried to convince him not to use them and we would sight his rifle in with 150gr ammo I had.

All I could think of was a wounded animal if he happen to connect. Since he was too young (14 yo) to hunt alone, one of our guys took him out.
The plan was to back him up with a 308 in case he connected.

He got an opportunity on a nice 8 point buck, connected at 80 yards. Dropped him like a ton of bricks. We were all shocked and happy for him.

So they do work, not something I would ever be interested in. But the proof is in the pudding.