Lehigh Tipped Bullets

[ronlaughlin]

The photo shows the bullet, and the trap. The bullet was shot into the trap placed at 25 yard. The bullet is the 240g controlled fracture with the tip added. The powder charge was 50 grain Blackhorn. The bullet escaped by exiting out the side of the fifth jug. The bullet wasn't found.

Then the another 240g bullet was shot into a new trap, only this time the load was 80 grain Blackhorn. The bullet exited out the side of the fifth jug, and couldn't be found.

Only having two jugs i went to the house to get six more jugs, and came back. Another attempt was made to catch a bullet; this time the bullet was the 230g controlled fracture with the tip added, and the powder charge was 80 grain Blackhorn. This bullet exited out the side of the fourth jug, and couldn't be found.



My thought was the tip was staying with the bullets, and after being deformed was putting the bullet into a curved path. Thinking more powder was needed, the rifle was loaded with two 50 grain loads of Blackhorn; a double load. The 240g bullet was loaded. This time there was only four water jugs left. This time the bullet flew true, and went through all four jugs, and was caught by the phone books. The tip ended up on the back of the horse.

 

[WV Hunter]

I believe you proved your theory correct!

 

[ronlaughlin]

Yesterday we learned the tips greatly impede the fracturing of these bullet. Fifty grain Blackhorn was not enough energy to get the job done, nor was 80 grain. One hundred grain was enough energy to blow the tip off, but still not able to fracture the petals. This morning i, of course, tried 110 grain Blackhorn pushing this time, the 265 grain bullet. The bullet went through all six jugs, bounced off the phone book, and was found about 5 feet in front of the horse.

 

[LarryBud]

Thanks for the research Ron.

Very interesting.

 

[Squeeze]

just make a separate spitzer. That bullet is fine as is. Another reinvent the wheel scenario

 

[52Bore]

I'm surprised that the copper doesn't appear to be soft -at all. The broken off pedals/base appear to look like their brass bullets.

 

[WV Hunter]

I'm surprised that the copper doesn't appear to be soft -at all. The broken off pedals/base appear to look like their brass bullets.

I don't have any but I'm sure they are not soft at all. I think that is how its supposed to be, just in copper form to meet certain states bullet requirements. The design of the bloodline (brass) works perfectly... if the copper version mushroomed like typical copper does, it would change the way the bullet is designed to work.

Probably most hunters don't need a tip on this bullet....yes it'll fly faster and flatter (better bc)... but imo the reality is that for the avg hunter it won't make any difference. They aren't shooting long distance with a hunting round so the tip won't really make any difference - even if it did work.

If people want a flat shooting long range bullet hunting bullet... this (or the bloodline) probably isn't the one. For 200yds and under its probably one of the best bullets a hunter could use - no tip of course :yeah:

 

[ronlaughlin]

........ For 200yds and under its probably one of the best bullets a hunter could use - no tip of course :yeah:

Good tip

 

[flounder]

Keep the tip.

 

[GM54-120]

I'm surprised that the copper doesn't appear to be soft -at all. The broken off pedals/base appear to look like their brass bullets.

Machinable copper is much harder than the copper in bullets like Barnes. Soft copper is a nightmare to machine so its swaged.

 

[52Bore]

Based on the marks on the inside of the Bloodlines I've seen, there seems to be some type of swaging/forming going on inside the HP to make the pedals - similar to this one as well.
Understand about lead free in some states.
I kind of think the design of this bullet should be better at longer distances (+200) when accuracy deteriorates and energy is rapidly declining.

Sorry to get O.T. and not about the Tip - Ron's test are pretty telling.

 

[ronlaughlin]

.........I kind of think the design of this bullet should be better at longer distances (+200) when accuracy deteriorates and energy is rapidly declining............

These bullets worked well without the tips, when the powder charge was 50 grain Blackhorn e.g. 240g Lehigh. They should all work at 200 yard, when the load is 110 grain Blackhorn?