T/C Shockwave 200gr terminal ballistics?

[Twanger]

I spent some time at the range Saturday and learned that the Encore likes the 200gr TC shockwave in 50/40 (blue) sabot with 100gr T72F.
It's trucking along at just about 2000 fps based on the Chrony.

The Encore put 14 of these boolets into 1.5 inches at 50 yards with the 15th being a flier about 2 inches away from the group. I shot one 1/2 inch 3-shot group at 50 yds.

This is not bad for a first trip to the range.

Before I get married to this boolet, what are you thoughts on terminal ballistics in deer?

I looked at the feedback on the Cabelas site, and it fell into 4 classes.

1) Shot great, have not tried them on deer.
2) Shot crappy.... too loose, too tight, too something.
3) Shot great, kill deer great.
4) Shot great, but don't expand and zip through a deer like an iron pencil.

So I'm totally bummed about the not great on deer reports. Anybody here have any first hand experience shooting deer with them?

[Bill Gunn]

I never tried them, but I do have a question...

I never had the guts to put my chronograph in front of a muzzle loader shooting sabots. Did you protect yours in some way? I have read where at 15 feet the sabot has GREAT PENETRATION on crony's :D:(
I always wanted to try, but never thought of a good way to protect it :confused:

Did you ever get to try your buddy's Savage ML ??

[Twanger]

We put the crony about 5 feet away. Didn't get any sabot strikes.
I should probably tape some hard-plastic over the readout in the front. I taped some plastic-bag material over it to keep the BP gunk off.

My buddy doesn't have his powder yet. Maybe next weekend!

I should have some bullets from Precision Rifle by then, and will test them too.

The boys at the archery range had a blast with the crony. Even the trad guys were checking their bows...

[Bill Gunn]

Thanks, I'll have to give that a try.
I once set it that close to get readings on a 350 Rem. Mag. Pistol (Rem XP100R) and it kept reading the velocity of the escaping gasses. They were around 4700 fps !!
Had me a little confused for a while :confused:

[Twanger]

Bill - I believe that I got some readings like that on occasion.

[GF.]

I think I'd figure out how to make a plexi-glass or plywood chrony shield. I even drew ye a template :D

Seems easy enough- just drill a 1" hole with a second, larger hole centered an inch and a half belowthe first. That should correspond to the height of most scope rings.

Line up the bigger hole with the chrony, then shoot through the big 'un while you sight through the one on top. The potential fly in the ointment is having a sabot ricochet off the edge of the shield and taking a wrong turn right into the electronics... so for that, I guess you'd want to weigh having a slightly larger 'bullet hole' (less chance of ricochet) against a poorly-centered, free-flying shot somehow clipping the chrony anyway....

And then just make sure that the shield is mounted to something sturdy enough that a direct hit on the 'safety equipment' doesn't bring the shield down on the chrony like God's Own Fly-swatter :eek:

With that in mind, you might be better off with plywood that's just thick enough to stop a sabot, but not enough to steer a bullet much off course....

[Bill Gunn]

GF,

I expanded on your idea a little, This will turn any errant sabot (or even a bullet) 180* just before it hits your chronograph screen.
You may even have to duck to keep from being hit.....
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http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/1363903/366730101.jpg

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[Twanger]

You guys are so helpful! :D:rolleyes:

[ncboman]

:rolleyes:

does anyone else pick up their shot sabots on the range and reuse them?

ncboman

[LE]

No. Wouldn't consider it because even though some may look good they will be deformed enough that accuracy would probably be effected. Might work for just playing around but I wouldn't trust them for serious shooting.

[ncboman]

The ones I've used twice shot just fine. Couldn't tell any difference.

ncboman

[Twanger]

Well. my wife called me from Basspro last night and asked if I wanted anything! What a gal! I think I'll keep her! So she picked up two bottles of Blackhorn powder & some Winchester primers.
I've heard great things about Blackhorn, and am very keen to give it a try.

[GF.]

I cracked open Grandpaw's gun 'vault' the other day and found a horn.... And it was F*U*L*L full of very, very old by-God BP.

So last night, after dark, I poured just a grain or two into a little piece of tin foil and set a kitchen match down as a fuse.....

Seemed kinda like a fizzle, though....:confused: I'll have to test it side-by-side with a comparable amt of Goex....

Still kinda neat. I'm wondering if I could talk some folks out of 100 grains or so for hunting next year's ML season. Even at 60% of what I get out of the newer stuff, I'd bet it'd send a PRB downrange too fast for a deer to duck it :cool::D

[spaniel]

Been a long time since I've been here, WOW is it dead...really killed the forum.

Anyways, I've shot upwards of 40-50 deer with the 200SW at ranges of 20-338 yds. The terminal performance of the bullet was excellent across the ranges -- the 338 yd shot was dead on arrival and a pass-thru with evidence of expansion.

The only potential deficiency of the bullet is that the lead can separate from the jacket. I have had this happen twice that I know of, both shots between 180-200 yds and went through both shoulder blades. One I found both the core and jacket loosely attached under the offside hide, the other the jacket remained under the hide and the core exited in 2 pieces.

Important to note that both deer bang-flopped. I've never lost a deer with the bullet nor had one run over about 80 yds. Most go down on the spot.

I think this bullet is better than the 250gr version both because I KNOW the ballistics are better, and I THINK it holds together better because the shank of the bullet is longer for the caliber. The 250gr is a little "softer" and from the experience of those I know who shoot it, more prone to over-expansion and separation (but still rare).

I am going to try the 325gr .458 FTX this year in an attempt to get more range as I believe the 338yd shot was nearing the ethical limits of the 200gr bullet.

[Scout]

I don't have any expeience with the regular 200s....I currently shoot the 250 grain bonded bullets with the Easy Glide sabbots. No complaints with the accuracy and haven't needed to trail a deer yet.

I don't believe the 200s come in a bonded bullet, but you might try the bonded 250s and see how they shoot. My Encore and my Omega both seem to shoot this weight well.

[Just a Hunter]

I 2nd that opinion on reusing your spent sabots