Testing the Lehigh .40 cal bullets
Apr 27, 2010 15:39:14 GMT -5
Post by Richard on Apr 27, 2010 15:39:14 GMT -5
This past week, one of our members, Jon, was gracious enough send me some of Lehigh's monolithic bullets. The 200 and 185 gr. bullets are brass and the 150 gr. is (allegedly) steel with a copper plating. These bullets have large hollow points. The bullets are very well machined and measure .400" on the smooth surface. Where there is knurling, they measure .402"
My initial plan was to shoot a well proven duplex with these bullets That did NOT work! The load was 17/56 N-110/N-130 which shoots the 200 gr. SST's, XTP's and 195 Barnes in the area of 2900 fps with 100 yard accuracy in the 1 to 1.5" range (five shot groups) with unceasing regularity. This was NOT the case with these bullets!
After a fouling shot, I loaded the 200 gr. Le (Lehigh) whereupon I saw a large flame come out the muzzle and the velocity read 2505 fps (this is a 2900 fps load). A second shot mimic ed the first.
I later tried a 185 with the same load and same results. I had assembled 25 shot of this powder combination which I could no longer use
Fortunately, I had put together 10 shots of 57 gr. H-4198 and 10 shots of 60 gr. H-4198 (I wanted to see if I could shoot a one inch five shot group with a 195 Barnes bullet at 200 yards)
100 yds
I proceeded to go with the 60 gr. 4198 and the 200 gr. Le and shot a 2.3" five shot group at 2497 fps.
100 yds
For target #2 I shot the 185 Le with the other five vials of 60-4198. This averaged 2583 fps and grouped five shots in 1.756". A little better.
(now I am out of 60 gr. 4198)
100yds
For target #3 I go to the 150 gr. Le and 57 gr. H-4198. Here the velocity averaged 2543 fps and grouped five shot in 1.378 with shots 1,2 & 3 going into .536" Not too shabby!
200 yds.
Since this bullet/powder looked like it had possibilities, I took it to 200 yards where it gave me five shots in 3.5" and (3) in 1.852" (still not near 5 in 1")
Mind you, cloudy, no wind, mid-fifties, 20X magnification, 13 lb. gun, concrete bench, solid rest, etc, etc...........Basically all the elements to produce good groups.
200 yds.
Now for the fifth and final target I go back to the 17/56 proven load with a 200 gr. SST. Five shots averaged 2909 fps with five shots printing 2.835"; 3 made it in 2.082" and the BEST 3 out of 5 went 1.115"!
So, what do I think of the Lehigh bullets? Pretty would definitely describe them! They look like they have the potential to be a very accurate bullet. Since I did not shoot all the bullets Jon supplied (very generously) I will do some more testing in two weeks. (will be away next week) Jon indicated that he had some plastic tip for these bullets but was unable to locate them. With the tips, they should be a very interesting bullet. The problem, however, is the cost factor And as yet (with the powder I shot) they do not appear any more accurate than the XTP, SST or Barnes bullets. To be doing a lot of testing with different load combinations at a "buck a pop!" is not feasible for me.
Why, if anyone can explain, are these bullets wanting to blow sabots with a proven load that does not blow sabots in a similar weight XTP/SST/Barnes? The base of these bullets is "flat!" No curvature or mini-boat-tail? By all rights, they should shoot! So, thats my initial experience with the Lehigh monolithic's!
Richard
My initial plan was to shoot a well proven duplex with these bullets That did NOT work! The load was 17/56 N-110/N-130 which shoots the 200 gr. SST's, XTP's and 195 Barnes in the area of 2900 fps with 100 yard accuracy in the 1 to 1.5" range (five shot groups) with unceasing regularity. This was NOT the case with these bullets!
After a fouling shot, I loaded the 200 gr. Le (Lehigh) whereupon I saw a large flame come out the muzzle and the velocity read 2505 fps (this is a 2900 fps load). A second shot mimic ed the first.
I later tried a 185 with the same load and same results. I had assembled 25 shot of this powder combination which I could no longer use
Fortunately, I had put together 10 shots of 57 gr. H-4198 and 10 shots of 60 gr. H-4198 (I wanted to see if I could shoot a one inch five shot group with a 195 Barnes bullet at 200 yards)
100 yds
I proceeded to go with the 60 gr. 4198 and the 200 gr. Le and shot a 2.3" five shot group at 2497 fps.
100 yds
For target #2 I shot the 185 Le with the other five vials of 60-4198. This averaged 2583 fps and grouped five shots in 1.756". A little better.
(now I am out of 60 gr. 4198)
100yds
For target #3 I go to the 150 gr. Le and 57 gr. H-4198. Here the velocity averaged 2543 fps and grouped five shot in 1.378 with shots 1,2 & 3 going into .536" Not too shabby!
200 yds.
Since this bullet/powder looked like it had possibilities, I took it to 200 yards where it gave me five shots in 3.5" and (3) in 1.852" (still not near 5 in 1")
Mind you, cloudy, no wind, mid-fifties, 20X magnification, 13 lb. gun, concrete bench, solid rest, etc, etc...........Basically all the elements to produce good groups.
200 yds.
Now for the fifth and final target I go back to the 17/56 proven load with a 200 gr. SST. Five shots averaged 2909 fps with five shots printing 2.835"; 3 made it in 2.082" and the BEST 3 out of 5 went 1.115"!
So, what do I think of the Lehigh bullets? Pretty would definitely describe them! They look like they have the potential to be a very accurate bullet. Since I did not shoot all the bullets Jon supplied (very generously) I will do some more testing in two weeks. (will be away next week) Jon indicated that he had some plastic tip for these bullets but was unable to locate them. With the tips, they should be a very interesting bullet. The problem, however, is the cost factor And as yet (with the powder I shot) they do not appear any more accurate than the XTP, SST or Barnes bullets. To be doing a lot of testing with different load combinations at a "buck a pop!" is not feasible for me.
Why, if anyone can explain, are these bullets wanting to blow sabots with a proven load that does not blow sabots in a similar weight XTP/SST/Barnes? The base of these bullets is "flat!" No curvature or mini-boat-tail? By all rights, they should shoot! So, thats my initial experience with the Lehigh monolithic's!
Richard