Sabotless - Lehigh .500x350 gr. XP Extreme Penetrator

Joined
Nov 30, 2012
Messages
1,267
Location
Northern Idaho
Yesterday in the mail I received a package of bullets - bullets that I had not ordered, but they were the new Lehigh .500x350 grain Xtreme Penetrators in solid Copper. I am not totally sure who sent them, I have a couple of thoughts but have not followed up yet.

Anyway - I worked this morning for a few hours and then got bored so I decided to go shoot. I was actually planning on shooting another rifle but with these new bullets decided to take the Western ULite out of the rack and go with it. I stood the rifle in the cleaning rack and took a couple of bullets ot and dropped them down the bore. They slid down quietly and slowly telling me that they were CLOSE but not tight enough. This is the part that Lehigh Dave shutters over... I took 8 of those brand new bullets out and laid them on the work table - found the two general purpose files and quickly and I might easily knurled those 8 eight bullets between the two files. The first couple I knurled with only a couple of rolls and then tried them in the bore. The felt really good, I could not push them down with my thumb but was sure with the short starter this would go down correctly. So I knurled the remaining 6, loaded up and headed to the Dinger Farm...

At the Farm, I set up the shoot up, I put a paper target out at about 50 yards with all the intentions in the world of shooting a paper target to check sights. I also set up 3 clay pigeons at about 75-80 yards - I had forgotten my range finder. When I got there Dinger had told me that he set up 2 Silver Bullet cans out I the field to shoot at with a 243 but the rifle wasn't sighted in well so they didn't hit either of them. He suggested that I could shoot them if I wanted to. The closet can was about 80 yards out and the second was 110-120.

I loaded the rifle 110 gr. T7-3f a MMP Sub-base and one of my newly knurled Lehigh XP's. And since it was the first shot from a clean barrel I decide 'what the heck!!' take on one of the clay birds just to get that first shot over. Well, I be danged first bird shot and hit and it appears to be a dead center shot... see the pic. It really was done with a bit of luck... Well after that shot I thought things were looking good so loaded up again, and I was correct a short starter was needed but one the bullet was through the crown - a good push with the range seated the bullet and base on the powder.

Next target, since I was feeling it - sure the first silver bullet next to the birds. One bullet one silver bullet blown up. I walked out and look at the Silver Bullet - I was holding the front sight with a six o'clock hold on the bottom of the can and the bullet hit just above the center of the can. After that shot when onto the next 2 birds. I missed the second bird with shot one holding on the bottom of the bird. The second shot holding just below the bottom of the birds scored. Repeated that hold on the 3rd bird and it was blown away.

At this point I could not resist the urge to go after the long Silver bullet. When I first looked through the peep at the can it was so small - the front bead would cover most of the can and you are really only hoping you are in line with the can left and right. It would not take much to miss left-right. Si I wasn't feeling quite all that much confidence. Anyway loaded up and held right on the bottom of the can - the shot was just short but in line... Loaded again and this time held on the Silver Bullet what I thought was about the middle of the can. It exploded - gosh that was fun... I walked out and took a picture of the second can, appears to be the POI was on the Point of Aim.

Well with that all done I had not interest in shooting paper... The only purpose of the paper was to prove accuracy for Lehigh Dave - really did not think it necessary any longer.

Here are a couple of composite pictures of the shoot.



 
With them fitting that good do you still need the MMP Sub bridge ,, I like your testing Mike ,,Many of us will benefit from your labors ,,or going out and having fun ,,,, Thank you Robert
 
Sounds like you had a great time.

I got my Barnes 325gr XPB's yesterday and should have my Barnes Expanders tomorrow. Picked up 2 files and hope to try them out soon in my new CVA. I also got the Thor samples and it seams the .502 fits with good resistance but I may even be able to use the .501. I shouldnt have to knurl the Barnes too much.
 
With them fitting that good do you still need the MMP Sub bridge ,, I like your testing Mike ,,Many of us will benefit from your labors ,,or going out and having fun ,,,, Thank you Robert

Robert I am not positive that I am filling the groves - could be, but for the added security I am using the sub/base. And as before with my hand knurling some are tighter than others...
 
Sounds like you had a great time.

I got my Barnes 325gr XPB's yesterday and should have my Barnes Expanders tomorrow. Picked up 2 files and hope to try them out soon in my new CVA. I also got the Thor samples and it seams the .502 fits with good resistance but I may even be able to use the .501. I shouldnt have to knurl the Barnes too much.

Great! It does take a few attempts to get the hand made knurling where you might want it. Just remember you really do not need a lot of grip as long as you seal the gasses behind the bullet with a wad of some sort.

OOPs! with the Thors - they have their own gas seal built in the skirt of the base - no wad needed.
 
Mike can I chuck these up in my lathe and make a conical bottom ,using a 3/8 end mill ,,, will the bottom split off or some other problem ????? I got the ones you sent just wish I had the time to go test them ,,Thank you Robert
 
Mike can I chuck these up in my lathe and make a conical bottom ,using a 3/8 end mill ,,, will the bottom split off or some other problem ????? I got the ones you sent just wish I had the time to go test them ,,Thank you Robert

Sure you could turn a cup in them.. As long as the balance remains the same - about the only thing you would do is reduce the weight of the bullet some.

This is a version with the cup cut in.

 
I did this last night ,, Did Lehigh build hat bullet that way or a special order ,,
 

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I did this last night ,, Did Lehigh build hat bullet that way or a special order ,,

Correct Lehigh Dave was fooling around one day on the CNC wrote the program and ran these off... They are to large in diameter for most rifles. They fit my Whites somewhat loose but shoot great.

Nice job on that bullet - looks like it went in your CVA just right
 
It holds well ,,tapped end and side of barrel ,trying to loosen bullet it didn't move ,, Some day I will get a Knight ultra lite and wont have the issue with a barrel .
 
It holds well ,,tapped end and side of barrel ,trying to loosen bullet it didn't move ,, Some day I will get a Knight ultra lite and wont have the issue with a barrel .

I would be my suggestion that you do not pickup or shoot an Ultra-Lite until you are really ready to take the jump once you do you may not be able to walk away.

I have a good friend in SC that has been shooting a different model for years and really like his break open. He did not think he would ever move away. Then he took the leap bought a ULite, cuz I told him if he didn't like it I would buy it from him. In fact I set the rifle up for him them mailed it to him... I was pleasantly surprised how accurate that rifle was. I sent it to him and there has been not talk about me needing to buy the rifle...

I can not promise you that every GM barrel will be perfect either but I do know in the Mountaineer/Ulite guns Knight tightened the specifications in the contract with GM. That is one of the reasons the cost of the rifle went up, the biggest cost is the Kevlar stock, but with the new specs the barrels are good.
 
I went to range today and did some testing with limited time ,,First test was Hornady 50cal 300gr FPB ,,wasn't very happy with them trying to site in scope and load new bullet is difficult ,,I cant hunt with scope so pulled it and went with the PeepRib for my site , This group is pic 1
Pic 2 is using the 4 Lehigh XP bullets that mike sent me ,I knurled and machined a conical base in them ,there weight is 290 gr, with 777 2f 90 gr powder ,,The right side of pic is from the Lehigh bullets
 

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Mike,

How hard was the Hornady to load in your ultra lite? They seemed very difficult so I never loaded one, what size Lehigh are you ordering for the UL? Thor is sending me a sample pack of different sizes but the Lehigh interest me.
 
Mike,

How hard was the Hornady to load in your ultra lite? They seemed very difficult so I never loaded one, what size Lehigh are you ordering for the UL? Thor is sending me a sample pack of different sizes but the Lehigh interest me.

The Hornady is very difficult to load. Best thing for them is pull your BP and push them through the bore and out the other end. If you do this to all of them then they will load well when you shoot them

I will be able to tell you more later this afternoon. I think I am getting some .5015 and .502 in the fedex system.
 
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