What is a .30-06 Accelerator?

[Duramaximum]

What is a .30-06 Accelerator? Is it just a 55gr .30-06 Sprg. Round or is it a totally different round? I can't find any of it in stores anywhere. Can I shoot it from my .30-06 if I ever do?

 

[ID_shooting]

They are a sabot-type round, they use a 30-06 case and can be fired from any 30-06 but it uses a .223 bullet. They used to be real popular and can still be found. I tried some, accuaracy left a bit to be desired but they worked.

http://www.eabco.com/reload02.html

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

I'll chime in before somebody who really knows what they're talking about shows up.

IIRC, it was a 22 cal bullet with plastic ribs which allowed it to be fired in a 30cal rifle. Never fired one, myself.

 

[Sheldon]

It's a .22 bullet in a .30 caliber sabot. Great velocity, but I think the accuracy is so so on them.

Here's a site that sell them. http://www.ammobank.com/cgi-bin/csh...tam&lpt=1144247832&xax=77955&item.ctx=:R30069

Here's a place selling the sabots for reloading your own. http://www.eabco.com/reload02.html Not sure if they are worth the hassle or not.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It's the pedal to the right of the clutch pedal on the floor of your .30-06.

 

[foghornl]

Tried a box of them for my .30/30 Marlin. Great velocity, accuracy was well. . . less than desireable.

I suspect the Marlin .30/30 didn't have the right twist rate for that bullet.

I'll probably buy a box to try out in my Mossberg ATR-100 .30-06, just for grins.

 

[HankB]

The "Accelerator" as loaded by Remington was a .22 caliber 55 grain pointed soft point bullet in a discarding plastic sabot. Originally loaded in .30/06, .308 and .30/30 versions were also made. (IIRC, the .30/30 was not recommended for use in rifles with tubular magazines.)

The purpose was to permit big game hunters to use their deer/elk/bear rifles on varmints, with a loading that, in principle, was better than a .220 Swift.

Claimed velocity of the .30/06 load was something in excess of 4000 ft/sec . . . actual chronographed velocity out of my 22" barrel M70 averaged 3944 ft/sec.

Accuracy was somewhat lacking . . . my M70 with match grade ammo will put five rounds into 3/4" on demand; 180 Nosler Partition handloads go just over an inch. The Accelerator groups were over 3", rendering them useless for long range varminting.

 

[Schmitty]

"It's the pedal to the right of the clutch pedal on the floor of your .30-06."

Umm, that's the brake; there might also be one of those at the end of your barrel.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

"It's the pedal to the right of the clutch pedal on the floor of your .30-06."

Umm, that's the brake; there might also be one of those at the end of your barrel.

So that's how come me to rear-end Leroy's pickemup.

 

[Stiletto Null]

lol

Seems like they might have their uses for anti-goblin purposes...?

 

[mordechaianiliewicz]

I'm wondering if the US military ever thought of this as an anti-tank small arms round? What Stiletto Null said, Yeah. 4000 fps!!!

 

[MagnumCaliber357]

hmm i was wondering....

ballistic experts match up the markings on a bullet to see which barrel it shot out of...... how would they explain a sabot

It would have any markings would it? does the plastic "shell" fall off in mid flight?

Does it have any potential to foul up your barrel with melted plastic or shards of it?

they would also be stumped because they would be looking for a gun witht the wrong caliber in mind

 

[HankB]

I'm wondering if the US military ever thought of this as an anti-tank small arms round?

Yep - the Army experimented with SLAP rounds - Saboted Light Armor Penetrator. It's been a while since I read about them, but IIRC the bullet was something hard and dense like tungsten carbide or DU; in .30 caliber, a .22 penetrator was used, and in .50 BMG caliber, a .30 penetrator was used. Armor penetration was good, but there was some question about durability of the loaded ammo in the field.

I expect someone will chime in with better info than that provided by my foggy memories . . .

 

[Dr.Rob]

There was a CSI episode where they had a sniper using 22/30 sabots... of course he was shooting at 1000+ yards... no toolmarks left on the bullet calling for all sorts of righteous indignation on the part of the TV cops.

I've fired a couple boxes of 30-06 accelerators at prarie dogs... I'd agree past 200 yards accuracy was lacking, but they work.

Problem is you still have to re-zero your scope and they aren't cheap.

 

[Buzztail]

I still have a bunch in '06 and .308. They work, but 3" is about all I ever got out of them. Many better ways to launch a light bullet at high velocity.

 

[bill in IN]

I have some of the Remingtons and reload my own. They're fun to play with and you can get some interesting velocities out of them. The trick to accuracy seems to be to clean your barrel before shooting them. Any fouling causes real problems for me.