Can You Use Saboted Bullets With a Muzzleloader Muzzle Brake?

If you're considering adding a muzzle brake to your muzzleloader, one of the most important things to understand is how it can affect your bullet selection. One question we hear frequently is: Can you shoot saboted bullets through a muzzleloader equipped with a muzzle brake?

The answer is no—you should not use saboted bullets with a muzzle brake.

Why Can't You Shoot Sabots Through a Muzzle Brake?

A saboted muzzleloader bullet uses a projectile that is smaller than the diameter of the bore, surrounded by a plastic sabot that fills the space between the bullet and the barrel. For example, many .50 caliber saboted loads use a .45 caliber projectile enclosed in a plastic sabot to bring it up to the proper diameter for a .50 caliber bore.

As the bullet and sabot travel down the barrel, the rifling causes them to spin. Once they exit the muzzle, the plastic sabot begins opening and separating from the projectile.

That's where a muzzle brake creates a problem.

Because the sabot expands outward as it leaves the barrel, it can contact the internal surfaces or baffles of the muzzle brake. This creates the potential for a baffle strike, which is why saboted bullets should not be fired through a muzzleloader muzzle brake.

Full-Bore Bullets Are a Better Option

Fortunately, muzzleloader bullet technology has changed significantly, and shooters have more full-bore projectile options than ever before.

Rather than using a smaller bullet surrounded by a sabot, a full-bore conical projectile is designed to engage the rifling directly. This makes these bullets well suited for muzzleloaders equipped with muzzle brakes because there is no expanding sabot surrounding the projectile as it exits the bore.

One example is the Thor™ full-bore copper bullet, which we regularly shoot through muzzleloaders equipped with muzzle brakes. Thor bullets use a full-bore design with an extended skirt rather than a traditional sabot, and we've had excellent results shooting them through muzzle brakes.

Other full-bore conical bullets can also work well with muzzle brakes, depending on the specific rifle, brake, and projectile combination.

What About Bullets With a Plastic Gas Seal?

It's important not to confuse a plastic gas seal or pressure seal with a sabot.

Some popular full-bore muzzleloader bullets, including options such as the Hornady® Bore Driver® FTX® and ELD-X®, use a polymer base or gas seal behind the projectile.

Unlike a sabot, these components don't surround the sides of an undersized bullet or expand beyond the diameter of the bore as they exit. Instead, they're designed to help create a seal behind the projectile while it's traveling through the barrel. After leaving the muzzle, the base separates from the projectile farther downrange.

Because of this difference, these types of full-bore bullets can be compatible with muzzle brakes even though they incorporate a polymer component.

Choose Your Bullet Before Choosing a Muzzle Brake

Adding a muzzle brake does eliminate traditional saboted bullets from your ammunition choices, but for many modern muzzleloader hunters, that's becoming less of a limitation.

Today's full-bore conical bullets provide excellent rifling engagement and are available in a growing number of designs and weights. We've had great results shooting full-bore projectiles through muzzle brakes, including Thor Bullets and several other popular conical designs.

The important thing is to consider what bullet you plan to hunt with before deciding on a muzzle brake. Bullet requirements can vary depending on your rifle, hunting style, and state regulations, so knowing what projectile you intend to shoot can help determine whether a muzzle brake makes sense for your setup.

Bottom line: Don't shoot traditional saboted bullets through a muzzleloader muzzle brake. Instead, choose a compatible full-bore conical projectile or an appropriate full-bore bullet that uses a gas-sealing base.