Lehigh 40x200 in a 1/28 Twist

After shooting yesterday, I still had that nagging thought - I wonder if these will shoot in a 1-28 twist rifle. So this morning I did return to the farm with a Knight DISC Elite in 50 cal. The weather was lousy, well not really as compared to a normal winter, but it was raining the field was a muddy mess. But I needed to know.

You can see in this pic with the target and muddy tracks in the background and how wet it is and really can not see the mud to the best effect - but believe Palouse mud being mostly clay is yicky stuff.



Back to business - I used the same materials that I had used the day before, but today I only shot three 80 grain loads and three 120 grain loads. Plus a change of sabots - I was shooting the MMP 40x50 Blue.



I popped three primers to semi foul the bore loaded up the first round and decided what-the-heck and shot it at the target. Followed that with 2 more 80 grain shots on the target. I was thinking if a 80 grain load through a 1-28 - that should really be a good test for stability. Looking through the scope at the target I really only saw 2 holes and one of them was bigger than normal. I feared the worst 'Tumbling' again. But I was positive I heard the bullet hit all three shots. So I walked out in the mud and checked - I did hit it 3 times but it was hard to tell and no tumble.

walked back and loaded up the hunting load 120 grains 3 shots basically the same results...



So it really appears to me that the bullet will stabilize in a 1-28 twist.

I am hoping to get out again tomorrow and maybe get some chrono times.

How far? No tumble apparent on that target.

ronlaughlin said:

How far? No tumble apparent on that target.

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Shoot! I forgot that - I did not range the target just walked it out there - I would say in between 70-80 yards. I was only concerned about tumbling. If I can tomorrow I would like to shoot the Elite at 150-175 yards just to check...

was there a reason you used the blue instead of the Tan....I thought the MMP blue was for .357 bullets..but if the .40 fit and worked all the better...its thicker thats for sure..was loading easy or a little force to go down..next time at the Farm do a comparison of the blue and tan..see if they fly different...

great shooting by the way and great report...

Al-53 said:

was there a reason you used the blue instead of the Tan....I thought the MMP blue was for .357 bullets..but if the .40 fit and worked all the better...its thicker thats for sure..was loading easy or a little force to go down..next time at the Farm do a comparison of the blue and tan..see if they fly different...

great shooting by the way and great report...

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This was a MMP 40x50 sabot and is blue also. I was shooting a 50 caliber Knight DISC Elite with that 40 cal bullet. And MMP does make a 357x45 cal. Blue sabot also - actually they are the same color of blue.

So in all of that I can not compare the sabots in the same rifle... hope that makes sense.

yes makes sense..I forgot they made a blue 40/50 sabot...I should of went to MMP page and looked first...I just knew they made a 357/45 so the color got me as I knew that one was blue

edit..If I read it more deeply I would of seen you were shooting the .50 and not a .45 ..old age getting to me..sorry...

Al-53 said:

yes makes sense..I forgot they made a blue 40/50 sabot...I should of went to MMP page and looked first...I just knew they made a 357/45 so the color got me as I knew that one was blue

edit..If I read it more deeply I would of seen you were shooting the .50 and not a .45 ..old age getting to me..sorry...

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Let's not talk about old age... I have kids, High School kids, that I coached last ask me if I were here when the Dinosaurs were? !!!

That bullet looks Like it really shoots well, especially when pushed a little.

Is that the single digit sn Elite?

ShawnT said:

That bullet looks Like it really shoots well, especially when pushed a little.

Is that the single digit sn Elite?

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they sure seem to - I actually wondering if the nose and the air cavities aren't a contributor the accuracy tendencies...

Yep the single digit Elite... just can not let myself move it... Today was the first time I have shot it in at least 2 years if not longer.

sabotloader said:

ShawnT said:

That bullet looks Like it really shoots well, especially when pushed a little.

Is that the single digit sn Elite?

Click to expand...

they sure seem to - I actually wondering if the nose and the air cavities aren't a contributor the accuracy tendencies...

Yep the single digit Elite... just can not let myself move it... Today was the first time I have shot it in at least 2 years if not longer.

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I know what you mean. Just wish they shot like that for Me. I only tried with 3 different ones.

I was sort of wondering if that nose helped too.

ShawnT said:

sabotloader said:

ShawnT said:

That bullet looks Like it really shoots well, especially when pushed a little.

Is that the single digit sn Elite?

Click to expand...

they sure seem to - I actually wondering if the nose and the air cavities aren't a contributor the accuracy tendencies...

Yep the single digit Elite... just can not let myself move it... Today was the first time I have shot it in at least 2 years if not longer.

Click to expand...

I know what you mean. Just wish they shot like that for Me. I only tried with 3 different ones.

I was sort of wondering if that nose helped too.

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So now you have me wondering does brass versus copper make some of the difference? Because I am not doing anything special at all. And I am guessing you were shooting the copper pistol bullets...

Yep. A few SSt's, XTP's, Dead centers, Knight Lead HP, Swift A-Frames and Knight/Speer's. Everything I had to try in the MK-95's. If that last one had shot like that for me It never would have left. :cry:

Almost pulled the trigger on a couple more but remembered the last 3 tries. I even still have an Elite stock that I shortened the LOP on, Lightened the butt stock and removed the cheek Piece on. Feels good now but too afraid to try again.

Wow!! that is good shooting. And its nice to know either my White .451 with a 1-20 twist or my Renegade with the Green Mountain Barrel that is said to have 1-28 twist (according to the box) will shoot those bullets. That 80 grain load... do you think at that velocity it will preform with the wound channel the same? That would make an excellent deer bullet.

I'm also wondering if the CVA Optima V2 50cal. pistol with 1:28 would shoot these accurately in the short barrel variety?

cayuga said:

Wow!! that is good shooting. And its nice to know either my White .451 with a 1-20 twist or my Renegade with the Green Mountain Barrel that is said to have 1-28 twist (according to the box) will shoot those bullets. That 80 grain load... do you think at that velocity it will preform with the wound channel the same? That would make an excellent deer bullet.

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Dave I really do think it will work at 80 grains. According to the numbers the 'cavitation' and the extended penetration aspects of the bullet are suppose to work down to 800 fps and in real life it might be even lower than that.

At some point we will have some real world velocity numbers to share. Wait maybe I already do... OK I found it - according to my real world test the CF 200 grain bullet is out of the bore at 1900+ fps with 80 grains of T7-2f and with 80 grains of BH 1890+ so it has the velocity at the muzzle it should work great other than extended ranges.

toytruck said:

I'm also wondering if the CVA Optima V2 50cal. pistol with 1:28 would shoot these accurately in the short barrel variety?

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Gosh! I wish I knew more about ballistics - I would certainly want to give it a try or even the 185 gr. that is coming...

Mike if you can.. if possible..next time at the farm can you try a 40/45 shoot....I would like to see how they perform ...only if you can...

Al-53 said:

Mike if you can.. if possible..next time at the farm can you try a 40/45 shoot....I would like to see how they perform ...only if you can...

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Al, that is what I used on the first trip to the farm.. You can see the results here..

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=26599

I was using the MMP - Light Tan 40x45 sabot for this testing... They shot very well for me. If you live in a warmer climate where most of your might be in Temps above 70* I would suggest the Harvester smooth blue sabot. The MMP will work fine in those temps but you do need to let the barrel cool between shots. The harvesters are a harder polymer and handle warm better. the MMP's can get soft with heat.

If you would take back your cold western weather I would appreciate it very much!! :lol: We are supposed to be in the upper 40's, mid 50's by now, but not getting out of the 20's today or tomorrow with lows below 10 above, not to mention 10" of snow on the ground. Maybe next month we can get back to normal an shooting weather...I have to wait till May 1st for the only range I can go to now to open anyway.

toytruck said:

If you would take back your cold western weather I would appreciate it very much!! :lol: We are supposed to be in the upper 40's, mid 50's by now, but not getting out of the 20's today or tomorrow with lows below 10 above, not to mention 10" of snow on the ground. Maybe next month we can get back to normal an shooting weather...I have to wait till May 1st for the only range I can go to now to open anyway.

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I must be really getting old I look forward to today's high near 50* but it did get down to 31* last night and - no snow for miles...

Drive out here and we can go to the farm or the rock pit

mike