Sometimes you gotta decide for yourself
05-22-2011, 06:37 AM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Sometimes you gotta decide for yourself
I have always been one of those that has to try myself to determine if I like something. So consequently I have used a multitude of different bullets, powder ,etc over the years.
But I have never tried Lehigh bullets . I had come to like the Barnes or PR's so much that I used those mostly for hunting nowdays and just shot everything else at paper. But with all the hooha about Lehigh I finally decided to try them myself.
You can see the box of Lehighs in the second picture . They were the 185 gr for a .45 cal. Now I didn't have any 45 cal sabots left . I was going to order some but the shipping was as much as the sabots so I decided to use the sabots that came with the SST's (tan)and the T/C XTP's. (green xr).
I had some old pellets that I hadn't used since 2004 so I figured I would use it to get rid of it. I don't shoot pellets anymore.
They were pretty old so I took along some loose powder just in case they didn't go off.
This wasn't a session for accuracy or experimenting. I just wanted to go shoot a few lehighs for the heck of it. It had been raining so much that I couldn't finish planting, and even when it cleared up a little ,everything was to muddy , so I figured why not go and shoot some
I took the 45 cal Knight Elite, pyrodex pellets and the Lehighs.
100 yards using a rest. The pellets ignited flawlessly with federal primers and yes they were in a red plastic jacket. No conversion on this gun.
The tan sst sabot loaded good but the green xr sabot was extremely tight. Even cleaning after every shot I had a heck of a time getting the bullet down by the third shot. Accuracy wasn't all that great but that is what I expected from 2 pellets . I am sure with loose powder that they will tighten up .I will do some real experimenting when I get some Harvester or mmp sabots. Overall the Lehighs shot real good all things considering. I have a feeling they will become one of my favorites.
I will try to tighten up the groups next trip out and think i will use them on a couple of deer or antelope this year. That's what really matters anyway, not how well they hit paper. My goal is to take an animal with the 185 gr 45 cal and with the 250 gr 50 cal . The first target is with the green sabot and the last target with the tan sabot.
But I have never tried Lehigh bullets . I had come to like the Barnes or PR's so much that I used those mostly for hunting nowdays and just shot everything else at paper. But with all the hooha about Lehigh I finally decided to try them myself.
You can see the box of Lehighs in the second picture . They were the 185 gr for a .45 cal. Now I didn't have any 45 cal sabots left . I was going to order some but the shipping was as much as the sabots so I decided to use the sabots that came with the SST's (tan)and the T/C XTP's. (green xr).
I had some old pellets that I hadn't used since 2004 so I figured I would use it to get rid of it. I don't shoot pellets anymore.
They were pretty old so I took along some loose powder just in case they didn't go off.
This wasn't a session for accuracy or experimenting. I just wanted to go shoot a few lehighs for the heck of it. It had been raining so much that I couldn't finish planting, and even when it cleared up a little ,everything was to muddy , so I figured why not go and shoot some
I took the 45 cal Knight Elite, pyrodex pellets and the Lehighs.
100 yards using a rest. The pellets ignited flawlessly with federal primers and yes they were in a red plastic jacket. No conversion on this gun.
The tan sst sabot loaded good but the green xr sabot was extremely tight. Even cleaning after every shot I had a heck of a time getting the bullet down by the third shot. Accuracy wasn't all that great but that is what I expected from 2 pellets . I am sure with loose powder that they will tighten up .I will do some real experimenting when I get some Harvester or mmp sabots. Overall the Lehighs shot real good all things considering. I have a feeling they will become one of my favorites.
I will try to tighten up the groups next trip out and think i will use them on a couple of deer or antelope this year. That's what really matters anyway, not how well they hit paper. My goal is to take an animal with the 185 gr 45 cal and with the 250 gr 50 cal . The first target is with the green sabot and the last target with the tan sabot.
Last edited by mountaineer magic; 05-22-2011 at 07:20 AM.
05-22-2011, 07:18 AM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
chetmarks
Shoot Chet! Those first two pictures... I would have thought I was in a Sporting Goods store looking at the goodies I wish I had...
Looks like MMP tan sabots tightened things up a bit on your target. I have never seen a green 40-45 sabot, but I just looked them up on the TC web site and they certainly are green. You would think that they should be MMP since TC has a contract with them. Then to top that off with the tight TC bores you would expect the green contract sabots to be as thin as the tan one... but that is what you get for expecting something.
When you get a chance to harvest with a Lehigh, I think you will be happy with the performance.
Toby Bridges is starting to put out some information on them now...
http://namlhunt.homestead.com/ProductReport4.html
Not that Toby's information is any better than some of the reports that have been posted here already.
Chet keep keep feeding us your information. it is always great to get another perspective...
mike
Shoot Chet! Those first two pictures... I would have thought I was in a Sporting Goods store looking at the goodies I wish I had...
Looks like MMP tan sabots tightened things up a bit on your target. I have never seen a green 40-45 sabot, but I just looked them up on the TC web site and they certainly are green. You would think that they should be MMP since TC has a contract with them. Then to top that off with the tight TC bores you would expect the green contract sabots to be as thin as the tan one... but that is what you get for expecting something.
When you get a chance to harvest with a Lehigh, I think you will be happy with the performance.
Toby Bridges is starting to put out some information on them now...
http://namlhunt.homestead.com/ProductReport4.html
Not that Toby's information is any better than some of the reports that have been posted here already.
Chet keep keep feeding us your information. it is always great to get another perspective...
mike
05-22-2011, 07:46 AM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
05-22-2011, 10:23 AM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 428
may knight 45cal likes the harvester sabots better with lehigh bullets nice store you have there chetmarks and good shootting and its not you have to decide for yourself your gun will tell you that
Last edited by a1smokepole; 05-22-2011 at 10:26 AM.
05-22-2011, 01:26 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fair Haven, NJ
Posts: 146
Keep us posted !
05-22-2011, 01:35 PM
#9
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
I prefer them MMP not just because of accuracy but their polymere forumaltion is not as hard so the sabot conforms to the bore lands and grooves. The MMP also loads better for me in really cold weather as the MMP does not stiffen up amd remains pliable enough to go down and conform to the bore.
05-22-2011, 02:59 PM
#10
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
Those are some nice 100 yard groups Chet. If you want to use those on opening day it looks like you're good.
Unlike the other guys, I'm not impressed with your bullet supply because I don't see even one box of Speers. That strikes me as a sad situation and significant deficiency.
Unlike the other guys, I'm not impressed with your bullet supply because I don't see even one box of Speers. That strikes me as a sad situation and significant deficiency.