Well... I had to get some!

[sabotloader]

They came yesterday... At first glance they are an awsome looking bullet.  I am not a machinist nor a bullet maker but these things are made to look really good.  They look like a perfect diamond - I mean really pretty.

I orderd three varieties... the 10 mil/200 grain, the .452/250 grain, and then I went off the deep end and ordered the .458/300 grain as that is the bullet I use for elk hunting.

The 10mil/200 is the one that has my attention more than than the other two.  I am thinking if I were going to pay a premium price for a 10 mil bullet it might be this one vs. the SST/SW.  OH yea! you all should know that I am not a pointy bullet fan when it comes to ML projectiles.  200 yards is my self imposed limit so I really do not need the pointy bullets.  But back to the 10mil.  One thing that I really think that will be an advantage is the two rings around the bullet.  It should really help the slick brass projectile grip the sabot and prevent the sabot from spinning without turning the bullet, especially at the initial explosion.

I did not realize the the .452/250 had somewhat of a boat tail base - so I am not sure how that will shoot in a regular flat based sabot. Again I do like the ideal of the rings.

The .458 is a huge bullet - physically much larger than I expected, in fact it is to large to use during our ML season as we have the 2x bore diameter rule, but during regular rifle season it would be available since I do not use a regular rifle any more at all.

Why did I get these?  I think Grouse already proved they can be shot accurately, but nobody knows how well they will work on big game.  My plan is to shoot them in to my torture medium @ 100 yards and dig them out to see what they look like.  I have example of recovered Noslers, Speers, and Hornadys that I can compare them with.

If you look at the nose of these you can see on the outside there are no cuts to aid in the formation of petals as expansion first begins.  This really concerned me, but if you look in the nose there are six flat surfaces with a small groove separating each flat surface - so I assume this is the apparatus that starts the formation of petals.  To invision what I am talking about it looks like you could insert the correct size of allen wrench riht in the nose and turn the bullet.

Here is a picture that shows the Lehighs as compared to more common bullets.



Gotta love experimenting during the non-hunting season

[burntmuch]

Wow. those are some mean looking bullets. Is brass lighter than lead. is that why there so much bigger, or is the hollow point real deep. Cant wait to hear the results on these bullets

[rt_con]

I don't think I'll start a bullet bashing over here  ... but I still say the Lehigh's look a lot like the Barnes MZ Expanders;  long, lean, and that huge, hollow point.  All good things in my opinion. I intend to try the 200 & 250's in the Knight. 

sabotloader.....Interesting thought about the rings holding the bullet tight to sabot.  Maybe that's why them old, dumb 300 XTP's still keep outshooting anything new I try.

 

[alleyyooper]

Just remember Mike that if ya go posting recovered bullet weights it don't mean nothing unless you know the weight of the bullet before fireing. Box labled weight don't meen squat either as it can very by brands as much as 10 grains.
Try marking the weight be fireing on the base with a sharpie.
Is Idaho going to go with all copper bullets now?

Al

[sabotloader]

Yooper

I am pretty sure the lead ban is going to move from California - outward - I just hoping that Idaho is red-neck enough not to do what California is doing.... But politics can make things happen even if you do not support it because as the politicians like to say the 'silent majority' wants it this way...

Right now we are still OK, we are not as civilized as California

Yes I will pre-weigh the projectiles...

[sabotloader]

Here is another comparison photo - forgot I even had these Barnes Expanders MZ... Here is a photo comparison...



They line up pretty decently with each other....

Dang! wish I had time to go run the torture test... hopefully early next week....

I really wish I could shoot something, but we have nothing I can  shoot until Septemeber but I do have a gruesome test that I will shoot them into first.  If they survive that test then - I would consider using them on an elk - just got to get time to go out and run the test.

At this point - visually all I can say they look very good.  How ever they are manufactued they are doing a bang-up splendid job.

If the California lead ban spreads (and I am afraid it will) they would also be another alternative to look at also.

[alleyyooper]

Mike I thought you had retired again?
It is warming up nicely here. I really wanted to get out and place pollen patties on all the bees but the daughter came to visit during the Chillins spring break. We had a great time but didn't get any work done.

Al

[sabotloader]

Yooper

I thought you had retired again

I did again and I am at the moment, but it could be different tomorrow....

It is warming up nicely here

It was... but it is spitting a very wet icky snow right now... It is going to get better.. I know it is

Just got back from grandkid soccer games in Kennewick - grandkids are a ton a fun, but the young one 18 mos. is learning way to much to fast from here older sisters - she is starting to stand up for herself and taking what she wants from them - then stands around and looks innocent when they complain to mom....

[alleyyooper]

Ya the grand chillins are a lot of fun. Leigh is 8 years old going on 35. Brendan is 5 and still acts his age. A boy that doesn't say much because big sister says enough for all of them.
We had 30 degrees above normal temps for the first 3 days of the visit. Being kids they did the same thing that their mom and uncle did as kids, played in the creek. I don't know why mom had them wear boots at all? The boots were full of water when it was time to come in and when Kare dumped the water out a minnow came out of one of them.
Unlike Mom and uncle where the dog was in the creek with them my, Jewel dog a yellow labby shar pia mix doesn't like the water much but watched over the young ones.





So waiting to hear of the testing when you get done with the list. I know for certin it isn't a honey do list. Never any honey to finishing it either, maybe a fry pan upside the head if you don't.

Al