Shooting a new (3-fer) bullet from Lehigh

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sabotloader

Keep Shooting Muzzleloaders - They are a Blast
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As most know Lehigh has started producing all copper bullets (no lead). The first one was the .452x265 CF - it has proven to work very well and shoots really accurately.

Another bullet in the works is a .451x230 grain CF. I was hoping that this bullet might serve 3 purposes for the deer hunters spread out across the US.

1. Initially suggested by Grouse the .451 bullet was to load in his tight bore NULA or any of the new rifles out there with a tight bores. Those of you that have a tough time loading a .452 this bullet this bullet would possibly offer a you an option and the ability to shoot a bullet with very good Terminal Performance.

2. Probably one of the biggest selling bullet to ML shooters is the Hornady 45x240 pistol bullet. It is very in expensive and it will shoot accurately from about any twist bore. I/we are hoping the new 230 might appeal to some of those shooters and allow them to move from a pistol bullet to a rifle bullet. Within that group of shooters, and a lot of us inline shooters do not think of this, but across the nation there are still a lot of people shooting 1-48 twist rifles either older sidelocks - rock sparkers and even the new TC Northwest Explorer. Lehigh built this rifle bullet to be shot from them as well as the more modern 1/28 or 1/24 twist rifles

3. Was the possibility of shooting these true hunting bullets sabotless in a 45 cal. ML.

Recently I received a sample selection of the of the new 451x230 prototype bullets. So today with a little spare time on my hands I headed for the Rock Pit to give them a try.

I can not tell you the last time I shot this rifle - it has been in the safe for at least three years. It is my PRB shooter for local Rhondy shoots around this area.

50_cal_Renegade.jpg


At one time I was really fond of these Renegades - think I still have 4 of them. I really thought this would be a good rifle to use for test the 230's ability to shoot from a 1-48 twist.

Got to the rock pit and set up my work area on the tail gate of the pick up... and the chrono set out in front of the bench

451-230_Work_Area.jpg


Loading_230.jpg


Renegade.jpg


I did pop a few caps on an empty bore - and then a couple of shots to clear the boil of most of the Montana Extreme Bore Conditioner. The 451's actually loaded a little tighter than I expected - easy enough to load with a HPH-24 but not what I expected. After I got home and talked to Lehigh Dave he explained why.... he increased the depth of the knurling to get a positive grip on the sabot. Once the sabot was through the crown the bullet went down as I expected.

This is a 75 yard target which I thought was really good for me and my eyes with open sights... #4 was me - I forget sometimes when I use the set trigger. The average velocity created by the T7-3f - 100 grain load was 1951 fps

17-05-21_230.jpg


I did adjust the peep after shots 1 & 2 to bring the POI down - again the rifle was sighted in for a PRB with 70 grains of T7.

Ron has also just posted of a 50 grain test of the bullet and it did shed pellets and performed as expected.

I hope to get out and try the sabotless shooting next with one of the Super DISC's
 
Seems like that Renegade liked them pretty well. Good shooting!
 
ShawnT said:
Seems like that Renegade liked them pretty well. Good shooting!

And I was dang happy about that... that thing should be an awesome deer bullet. And I was only using 100 grain loads.
 
This looks like an awesome bullet for my wife's traditions 1 in 20 she's been burning through box after box of 230 xtp bullets and it shoots them nicely but not gunna let her hunt with them.
 
Hornet22savage said:
I wonder if they will loading my 45 Elite? I have tried .452'sand they are a no go.

There is a real possibility that they might.

Which 452 did you check with. Would the base of the bullet start through the crown of the rifle?

With this new bullet you can see the base is a true 451

451.jpg


451_Knurling.jpg


but the knurling is lifted to .454 - It should be possible with a short starter to get it through - but I do not actually know yet. I have not even tried to resize one yet... sooo... I just resized a couple

Lehigh_451-230_Re-_Size.jpg


The bullet on the left is resized to .451... I have 3 Knight 45's - the 451 drops right down one, would be just right for the second, and will not even start in the new Mountaineer. The one on the right is resized to .452 and works well in one and will not work in the other two.

As hard as this copper is it does not re-size easily. If you resize to .452 and then to .451 it is manageable. So at this point one of my 3-fers may not come to pass. It just might not be worth the effort.

mike
 
sabotloader said:
As most know Lehigh has started producing all copper bullets (no lead).

What's the thought of copper vs brass on the bullets you and Ron are testing?
 
52Bore said:
sabotloader said:
As most know Lehigh has started producing all copper bullets (no lead).

What's the thought of copper vs brass on the bullets you and Ron are testing?

One of the reason is that the copper bullets are lead free and can be used for hunting in the 5-6 states that will not allow lead California being the driving force and now Oregon will allow a lead free ML bullet also. The brass bullets do have about 3% lead in them and do not meet California's standard.

There other less significant reasons.

Also one of the larger reasons for the use of the Lehigh bullets either brass or copper is the terminal performance they provide in the field.
 
I tried the Hornady 250 FTX which is a 450 Bushmaster bullet. I don't think the base would start through the crown. Even after one pass through, I could get it back in without a hammer.
 
Everything looks good except I hate fiber optics! lol1
 
Lehigh is a great friend to the MZ Community.

First the conversions for the DISC and now, a wide range of bullets to test and play with. Thanks for sharing.
 
edmehlig said:
Mike, that bullet looks like it should do well with my Lyman Deerstalker being it has the same 1-48" twist?

Ed you are correct - it will shoot lights out from a 1-48 and it is a bullet with very good terminal performance...

It really is different than a Barnes all copper in the way it performs and looks

mike
 
GM54-120 said:
Great looking bullet for the NULA. The bores are tight but the twist is 1-32.

Scott I checked with Tom last night he did load the bullet through his NULA with out a problem in a Harvester - I was using MMP HPH24 - the polymer is a little softer...

Lehigh_451x230.jpg
 
Fiber optics are great for combat sidearms in low light situation, but (for me) ruin fine accuracy!
 
Chick said:
Fiber optics are great for combat sidearms in low light situation, but (for me) ruin fine accuracy!


I try to get around that a bit - by using a 6 O'clock hold and PBR sight in. With the 6 O'clock hold what I want to hit is sitting on top of the fiber. I also often use a Fire Sight Hood - which when you look down through it makes it appear you might be looking through a 1X scope

FSSight-Hood.jpg
 
I have a fiber optic sight on the Browning O/U Sporting Clays gun. I keep losing the fiber stick! Same thing on the Savage 22 I have. On the 22, I replaced the fiber optic stuff, with a plain set of sights. I also had a set of fiber optics that came on a Traditions M/L, but I took them off and put a scope on it. Who ever thought fiber optics were a good thing, needs to look at the firing line at rifle matches. If Fiber Optics were good, then you would see it there. NOT! I can see in certain circumstances, such as you described, that they could be of an advantage, but not for the general population. I definitely see an advantage to having them on combat sidearms in low light conditions!
 
When will he make more and how do I get get some? I would be happy with one to try sabot less but three would be nice in case they load. If not I will send​ them on to another member.
 
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