New Lehigh .452x265gr. ML Bullet

[Sabotloader]

Grouse has already introduced you to this bullet and there is not a lot I can add to it, but I do have some information I want to add...

The bullet samples arrived this morning... I opened the package and looked at the bullets and really had as lot of excitement for them.  The first thing I did was to try one in a 45 cal Super DISC... I was sure it would be to big but I had to try - it was to tight to load - I need a .4515 to get down the bore.  From there I took the bullet to the shop to run it through a .452 sizing die. Lubed the bullet placed it in the die and tried to push it threw - not happening!!!  So now I am back to what the bullet was intended for shooting on a 50 cal. ML.

When the bullets arrived and after my initial inspection I really wanted to get the farm and do some shooting - problem was mother nature was not co-operating - it was raining...on and off!!! Twice I made the dash to the farm as the weather was good in Moscow, but at the farm it wasn't... Finally around 2 in the afternoon the sun came out and everything was good!  Made the decision that I knew the time might be short so I was just going to shoot a few bird just to see how the bullet would shoot from my rifle.

I immediately setup 4 birds - one at 75 yards and 3 at 100 yards.  By the time I got the bench up and in place - things were changing... as this next storm started rolling in...



I really felt my time would be short before the rains would come again.  I loaded up the first shot and sat down at the bench - set the rifle in a 6 O'clock hold on the 75 yard bird.  To my surprise I shot the heart out of the bird!!!  From there I moved to the 100 yard birds.  The first two shots exploded the two birds... I load the fourth bullet and I wanted to make the adjustment to shoot the heart out of the last bird out.  This time I held slightly below the bird and took the shot. Heart gone!!!



After this bird shooting it really appeared to me that I had time to get some velocities as well as punch some holes in paper that I really do not like doing.  So I got the chrono and target set up.  I set the target at 75 yards for the velocity checks.  I was so pleased with the 75 yards results I decided to move the target to 100 yards.  Got in two more shots with excellent results... and yes I really believe I got lucky! You noticed I did not take the third shot that might ruin the good thing.

 

After this first shooting event I would write a open note to Lehigh Dave stating for years I have always believed that the Lehigh/Bloodline .458x275 grain bullet was by far the best all-around bullet he had created.  After this shooting I would easily say this new bullet could and will surpass the versatility of the older 275.  Of course before I can stand on that statement - I need to see the 'Terminal Performance' of the bullet on a few animals.

I would also like to include a few additional pictures in this collection that might provide some additional information about this new bullet.



This is a picture that shows today work bench



Really hope to get out more for further testing - but the rifle deer season starts on the 10th.  At this time I will use the new bullet for these hunts... and I know Grouse is using it in Colorado.

Availability of this new bullet - still is a question that I can not answer.  I do know that Lehigh Dave is very conservative on releasing much of anything until the product has been proven.

[TC_outdoorsman]

Thanks for the detailed write up. I bought a box of the 300 grain bloodlines this year and shot a mule deer buck. I was pleased with the results. The only complaint that I have is the bullets are really hard to get down the barrel of my knight disc extreme. Are the bloodlines tight in your barrel? Are these new bullets any easier to get down? What sabot do they use?

Thanks again, I read alot of your posts!

[Sabotloader]

Thanks for the detailed write up. I bought a box of the 300 grain bloodlines this year and shot a mule deer buck. I was pleased with the results. The only complaint that I have is the bullets are really hard to get down the barrel of my knight disc extreme. Are the bloodlines tight in your barrel?

They are tight but really not that bad in my 50's - the other thing I would say is I do not use the ML 300 grain bloodline as much as I use to because I switched to the .458x305 gr. Lehigh bullet (it is built for a 45-70). Is yours tight all the way down the bore or just getting it through the crown of the muzzle?

Are these new bullets any easier to get down? What sabot do they use?

Thanks again, I read alot of your posts!

For me the day at the farm the 1 load down was as tight as you probably experienced with the 300, but that was being loaded on a clean lubed barrel... After that initial shot they went down really well - almost to easy.  But I would also caution that was just one bore.  I was using the MMP HPH-24 sabot.  I prefer them to the Harvester because of the cold weather I hunt in.

As far as I know right now Lehigh has not made a decision how they are going to package this new bullet - they are still waiting on the production of the tips.  I would hope they would just package them in boxes of 50 without sabots and let the individual hunter choose the sabot that they prefer.

[TC_outdoorsman]

some are hard at the crown and get better, others are hard all the way down. I think it is worst on a cleaned barrel.