Made you look!

Well, I'm only half teasing. I hit the lottery, my weeks-backordered 325gr, recent 265gr order, and sabots came in the same day:


From left to right: 325gr .458, .458 in sabot, 265gr .430, .430 in sabot, 325gr .458, 300gr .45 SW, 265gr .430, 250gr Precision Rifle QT, 250gr SST, 200gr .40 SW

Initial impression is that both will be far superior (ballistically) to the 250gr SST/SW. I am guessing that, if driven fast enough, both of these bullets should be capable of matching or beating the trajectory of my 200gr SW load if they can be pushed fast enough accurately (their BC should be higher). Also, their curved base is such that they sit in the sabots better than a SW.

I threw the QT in there (didn't want to open a pack of Dead Centers) to point out the length of Precision Rifle's heavier .40 bullets. These new Hornadys should be the first jacketed bullets to approach the BC of Precision Rifle's bullets. The difference is that an all-lead Precision Rifle bullet has a maximum accurate speed of 1800-2000 fps in any gun I have ever personally seen them fired in, but the jacketed bullets can go faster (I shoot the 200 SW at 2100 fps with a modest 110gr 777 load).

I'm going to set the bar high and try these bullets at 130gr FFg 777 this weekend if I can find time. If the first 3-shot group at 100 yds is decent, I'll dial to center and fire a fourth to confirm, then go right out to 300 yds to check the drop. I should have enough powder left to do this for both bullets (IF they shoot accurately at such a stiff charge without monkeying around).

If that doesn't work I'll start dropping the charge until I find a sweet spot.