The sabot (pronounced "sah-boh") has been around for a long time. The name "sabot" actually comes from a wooden shoe traditionally worn in some European countries, synonymous with clogs. The word is of french origin and was introduced into the English language around 1607. The word sabotage was supposedly derived from sabot, as people would drop these wooden shoes into machinery when displeased with the conditions of their employment in order to stop production.

   A sabot is a sleeve used in a firearm or cannon that partially envelopes a projectile or bullet that is smaller than the bore diameter, which in turn gives higher velocities and flatter trajectories.

   Since a strong steel is needed to trap propellant gasses behind the projectile, and keep the projectile centered in the barrel, something is needed to fill the gap between the projectile and the barrel. The sabot positions the bullet in the barrel to prevent the escape of gasses, around the bullet, when the cartridge is fired. The bullet diameter is smaller than the barrel diameter to allow room for the sabot. When the projectile is fired, the sabot blocks the gas, and accelerates the projectile down the barrel. When the sabot reaches the end of the barrel, the high speed of the sabot creates a large air drag on the surface of the sabot, causing the fingers on the front of the sabot, to open outward, developing even greater drag on the sabot. The high drag pulls the sabot quickly away from the bullet, allowing the bullet to continue downrange to the target. The lightweight sabot quickly looses velocity and falls to the ground somewhere downrange while the bullet continues on to the target. These sabot pictures illistrate how the sabot and slug seperate after leaving the barrel. The target represents possable sabot results.

Most modern sabots, for sporting gun use, are injection molded from heat resistant polycarbonate plastic or nylon. These plastic compounds will resist temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and are formed in one piece, with a recess for the base of the bullet and four to six fluted fingers at the front.

   The idea behind the "accelerator" was to provide the hunter a practical means of taking small game with a large caliber rifle, without destroying all the eatable meat.  In effect, the hunter was using high-speed .22 caliber bullets, fired from a standard .30 caliber rifle. This worked particularly well when the hunter wanted to carry just one rifle. By carrying both .30 caliber ammunition and sabot-loaded ammunition, the hunter had the equivalent of two guns-in-one.

   The expansion qualities of these bullets make sabot-loaded ammunition an excellent choice for small game or varmint hunting. If you are looking for something new and challenging, then hand loading and experimenting with sabots may provide a whole new adventure for you. It's a new and exciting experience and you can be assured that you are working on the cutting edge of technology.