CVA Optima - 250 & 300 Lehighs
 

I will have this report up later tonight. I had an AWESOME group going with 100gr BH209, CCI 209M primers and the 250gr Lehigh in an orange sabot @ 100 yards and due to the barrels extreme heat " to hot to touch" shot 3 completely went off course.

I did try 110gr earlier so it was still pretty hot which explains the extreme heat of the barrel so i will redo the 100gr test later this evening.

The 110gr 250gr Lehigh load did great but the 100gr load put it to shame!

Will be testing the 300's in the red sabot as well with 100 and 110grs.

I got some Fiocchi primers as well but the first 2 shots, only the primer fired, put in a 209 mag primer, boom! Just not a hot enough primer to get the job done in this rifle it seems. More testing with those primers as well later on.

The Mountaineer shot the 300grns great with 110grns of BH209.
They shot horrible with 120grns. My next trip will be 125 to 130grns by volume if the weather is cool.

My Optima loved the 300's as well with 110gr. I think it may be like the 250's and prefer the 100gr charge but i will know next time out.

We're finally getting deer in the back yard where my range is and i go take the ATV to put up a new target, deer are looking at me. Put up the target, turn around and head back up to the bench, deer are still looking at me. I load up, fire my 3 shots and walk down, deer are still in the same area looking at me!

Walk back up, fire 2 more shots for adjustment, walk down to check target, one deer is bedded down "storm coming in" and the other deer is grazing on some oak brush!

Not a care in the world that im shooting, driving the ATV and walking around 50 yards on the side of them!

I didn't care for the 300's recoil with the 110gr charge though. Im not a big fan of big bullets so if i can get them to shoot well in my brother in laws wolf with the 250's i might set him up with those.

I don't like heavy bullets either. A 250grn bullet at 2300fps has more energy or kills better then a 300grn bullet at 1800fps.

BTW-My mountaineer shoots the 250's lights out with 120grns of BH209 and harvester sabots. Nice to see you trying some other products. Another good bullet is the 275grn Parker Ballistic Extreme. I killed alot of critters with those. It's good but not as good as the Lehigh/Bloodlines.:biggrin:

i enjoy trying new things.

I even recovered one lehigh with most of the pedals just pealed back. Of course one was missing but its nice to see that the brass actually WILL bend back like a copper bullet.

I still like the Lehigh 275s the best. :p

I shot some 400gr saboted Harvester Hardcasts with 110gr BH209 in the GM54-120. Kicks like a mule even off the Lead Sled!!!

I believe the .458-275 are probably the best all around bullet made...

Ive always been a fan of that weight and used a Barnes 50cal version a lot in the ThunderHawk 54. It shot them good enough for close range hunting but the terminal effect was very good.

Im really hoping to get it upto speed accurately with which ever powder it takes in one of my 50s. In the GMB54 i think it will be an awesome performer using my normal BH209 loads with 458s.

I really want to use it this year. I think it might just be also.

Ive shot the Rem 50-385gr CLHP and 120gr and it rocks your world. Without a sled i doubt most people would last long enough to sight it in. :p

Can you imagine shooting a huge Parker conical and 120gr. OUCH!!!!

The 50-300gr FTX or GoldDot though are not bad with just 100gr and they expand just fine without losing too much weight. The SOCOM though still rules in accuracy with a max load.