Test 2 - Lehigh Sabotless
 

Well I took the time this evening to run the new test bullets through the bore of one of my 45's. I really did not know what to expect as i haver never pushed a copper let alone a brass conical through a bore.

I was really happy when the tail of the bullet fit snuggly in the bore and really surprised when the bullet sat flat on the muzzle on the first gas ring. No need to hold or attempt to hold the bullet square to use the short starter. Just insert the bullet in the short starter and give it a firm blow and the bullet goes down. Pushing it down the rest of the length of the short starter is really easy. Next running the bullet down the barrel with the ram road... now, it is not diificult, but it certainly is not like pushing a lead conical down.... the lead is so much softer than the brass or copper.

I really at first thought the copper bullet was a bit easier than the brass bullet, but after repeating the process with two additional bullets - I really think they are about equal, but again noticeably not as smooth as a lead conical, well at least a Bull Shop slip fit conical.

I also then set an engraved bullet in the muzzle and twisted it until it lined up with the lands... the bullet dropped right in and with little pressure slid to the bottom of the barrel.

If everything goes right I am hoping 'Test 3' occurrs in the morning and I get to shoot the bullets.

Here are some pictures...

What is the thinking behind the brass? Do those pedals break off? Is it your feeling brass will out perform lead and or copper internally on an animal?

I am not the engineer or the designer so all I can relay to you is what I think and what I have seen.

Brass is harder, denser, and more brittle than copper or lead.

The petals are designed to break off when they reach a 40* angle as they open. They them sprial out a short distance puncturing the internal organs. For this to work the bullet must contact a liquid substance. Passing through the hide, muscle, or even bone will only cause the petals to begin to open. But when the bullet hits the more liquid internals the petals open up very rapidly - separte from the core of the bullet and radiate out. They have ewnogh enery to puncture organs but because of their low weight can not go very far in a solid or even muscle tissue. The rest of the bullet acts much like a blunt nose projectile (I call them a Keith Nose)... this blunt nose causes a lot of additonal hydrostatic shock as the bullet passes through tissue and muscle.

I have been a life long Nosler Partition shooter. That bullet works great - best bullet I have ever shot for havesting animals... but at this point I am shooting Lehigh's as I do believe they will out perform the Nosler. Both the Nosler and the Lehigh give an added advantage in a marginal shot.

Hope some of this helps and again it is my opinion...

Thanks for your reply
I am always looking for the next best thing and Lehigh Dave seems to have the hunter in mind with all his products. Just hard for me to give up on the gold dots....