Sabots:
 Sabots are not bullets, a sabot is a plastic cup that holds or contains a bullet within and the relatively soft plastic sabot grips the bullet and rifling and or is attached to a bullet to create a gas seal and seperates from the bullet once exiting the bore down range. The sabot offers muzzleloaders a chance to experiment with a much wider bullet selection for better down range trajectories.

 Note: Many states that have special seasons for black powder muzzleloaders are starting to rule out the use of any plastic used with projectiles in those special seasons.

Sabots And Pure Lead Bullets:
Several companies make pure lead muzzle-loading rifle bullets in a wide range of weights and diameters for sabots that work well, very accurate, higher velocities and better trajectories but the muzzleloader hunter is still disadvantaged by over expanding pure lead projectiles which limits the velocity advantage, however trajectories are flatter even at reduced velocity.

Sabots And Pistol Bullets:
Jacketed pistol bullets expand to deliver energy and stay together when heavy resistance such as bone is encountered. The disadvantage is they are designed to expand at pistol velocities, around 1,500 fps. Most muzzle-loading rifle can push these bullets over 2,200 fps, and the result of over-expansion and loss of penetration returns.

Sabots And Partition Bullets:
Partition bullets are a copper jacketed, lead core bullet that has a separate front and back section. The front section of the bullet mushrooms like any other jacketed bullet, upon encountering hard resistance, it will stop expanding at the partition and the remaining core of the bullet will continue to penetrate deeper. These are a very good choice for muzzle-loading rifle hunters.

Overview:
 When sabots are properly matched with speciality muzzleloading bullets, modern pistol bullets or partition bullets, they offer the muzzle-loading rifle big game hunter superb versatility. With the vast selection of jacketed, cast, or swaged bullets available, hunters can select the right bullet for Antelope Hunting, Deer Hunting, Elk Hunting, Moose Hunting and Bear Hunting with good confidence.