[twpbaseball10]

Will the BPI sabots for shotguns be able to be used with a .45 caliber bullet? I was going to use .50 cal but I wanted something a little cheaper and maybe even produce less recoil. I was looking in the 250-300 gr range with the bullets as well.

If not anyone know of sabots where I can do this?

 

[jmortimer]

I believe that the optimum size is .500" to .505". Not sure if .452 or whatever would be your best choice. I would go with the .500"

 

[Davers]

I'd stick with the .50 cal. bullets for best performance & accuracy in your 12 gauge.

 

[excess650]

BPI sabots are made to take .50cal projectiles. Thinking outside the box, I'm going to try .458" 300gr in Harvester or MMP sabots IN the BPI sabots. The .451"-.452" may be too small to be gripped tightly enough by the BPIs. Powder selection and charge will be a bigger issue.

 

[excess650]

A Remington .458" 300gr JHP will fit in a black MMP/Thompson Center/Hornady sabot that can then be inserted into the BPI sabot. It requires that the black sabot have its cupped bottom be cut off so as to be flat bottomed, but appears that it might work. Considering the cost of the extra sabot, I'm not sure it will save any $, but might allow for a 50gr lighter projectile.

Another option might be to use a 300gr .458" cast in the same sabot.

I think the lighter .452" bullets will be to small in diameter for the sabots to grip each other tightly enough.

The base of the BPI sabot is only .709-.710" so NOT groove diameter. In that it is flat bottomed instead of cupped, it will require some sort of seal underneath to prevent blowby.