TXCOONDOG
Highlands, Texas
The .30 Sabercat is a full power wildcat hunting round developed for the AR15. It is based on the 6mm Norma Dasher case (the new normal or thin rim version of the brass) which has 44.1 grains case capacity when fire-formed. You can also use any .308 based case but anything other than dasher brass will require neck turning. The idea was to get the performance of the 30 RAR in a standard AR15 upper and reach mild .308 ballistics from a smaller package.
The Sabercat has a case length of 1.575 and uses an COAL of 2.295, although not all bullets can be loaded that long. The light bullets load to around 2.2 COAL. As stated military .308 brass can be used but requires neck turning to .013 thickness. Case capacity with L.C. brass is around 41.4 grains so load data is very different between Dasher and L.C. Performance of L.C. brass is good in the shorter barrels.
It is designed around the 125-155 class of bullets but can run all the way up to the 220-240 loads for subs if wanted, although subsonic performance was not a design parameter when we were designing it. An 18 inch barrel can safely push a 150 grain bullet to 2650-2700 fps. It can push a 110 grain bullet to 3100 from a 18 inch barrel. A 22 inch barrel will push a 110 to 3250 and a 150 to 2800.
With the 2.295 COAL, PRI 6.8SPC magazines work best allowing 7 rounds in a 10 round mag. The larger mags don't allow much more capacity because the magazine starts to swell. You can do a spring mod to the 15 round PRI magazine and get 9-10 rounds in them. The 450 Bushmaster 5 round mag also works with some slight mods as does the 30 RAR magazine.
The .30 Sabercat likes the faster powders. In testing, 1200R and AA2200 were 2 of the best powders. H335 also works as does Norma 200, VV N120, VV N530, H4198, LT-30 and AA2230.
30 SaberCat , 16” Barrel w/1:11.25 twist and mid-length gas system
Weather: Sunny, 85 degrees with a crosswind of 10mph
Date: 10-28-2018
Brass: FIre formed (FF) Dasher at 1.575” Length
Powder:H335 - 35 grains
Primer: CCI 41
Bullet: Hornady 150 gr SST
OAL: 2.295”
AVG Velocities: 2388
SD: 16.3
Comment: No feeding or cycling issues.
Brass: FF Dasher at 1.575” Length
Powder:H335 - 35.5 grains
Primer: CCI 41
Bullet: Hornady 150 gr SST
OAL: 2.295”
AVG Velocities: 2441
SD: 10.9
Comments: No feeding or cycling issues.
Here is the target from 35.5 gr of H335. Seeing some potential as I work my way up to 38 grains.
The Sabercat has a case length of 1.575 and uses an COAL of 2.295, although not all bullets can be loaded that long. The light bullets load to around 2.2 COAL. As stated military .308 brass can be used but requires neck turning to .013 thickness. Case capacity with L.C. brass is around 41.4 grains so load data is very different between Dasher and L.C. Performance of L.C. brass is good in the shorter barrels.
It is designed around the 125-155 class of bullets but can run all the way up to the 220-240 loads for subs if wanted, although subsonic performance was not a design parameter when we were designing it. An 18 inch barrel can safely push a 150 grain bullet to 2650-2700 fps. It can push a 110 grain bullet to 3100 from a 18 inch barrel. A 22 inch barrel will push a 110 to 3250 and a 150 to 2800.
With the 2.295 COAL, PRI 6.8SPC magazines work best allowing 7 rounds in a 10 round mag. The larger mags don't allow much more capacity because the magazine starts to swell. You can do a spring mod to the 15 round PRI magazine and get 9-10 rounds in them. The 450 Bushmaster 5 round mag also works with some slight mods as does the 30 RAR magazine.
The .30 Sabercat likes the faster powders. In testing, 1200R and AA2200 were 2 of the best powders. H335 also works as does Norma 200, VV N120, VV N530, H4198, LT-30 and AA2230.
30 SaberCat , 16” Barrel w/1:11.25 twist and mid-length gas system
Weather: Sunny, 85 degrees with a crosswind of 10mph
Date: 10-28-2018
Brass: FIre formed (FF) Dasher at 1.575” Length
Powder:H335 - 35 grains
Primer: CCI 41
Bullet: Hornady 150 gr SST
OAL: 2.295”
AVG Velocities: 2388
SD: 16.3
Comment: No feeding or cycling issues.
Brass: FF Dasher at 1.575” Length
Powder:H335 - 35.5 grains
Primer: CCI 41
Bullet: Hornady 150 gr SST
OAL: 2.295”
AVG Velocities: 2441
SD: 10.9
Comments: No feeding or cycling issues.
Here is the target from 35.5 gr of H335. Seeing some potential as I work my way up to 38 grains.
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