Gm54-120

Lets look at the facts about premium priced ML bullets. I know, those pesky facts sometimes get in the way of other agendas or newly found loyalties.

Parker BE $21.99/12 with sabots
Parker Match Hunter $117.50/50 without sabots

Barnes Expander MZ $16.95-$19.95/15 with sabots
Barnes TMZ $15.95-$17.95/15 with sabots
Barnes T-EZ $17.95/15 with sabots
Barnes Spitfire MZ $15.95-$19.95/15 with sabots

Precision Rifle Dead Center $11.95-$16.50/12 with sabots
Precision Rifle QT $13.50-$15.50/12 with sabots

T/C Bonded Shockwave $15.95/15 with sabots

Hornady Monoflex $22.00/20 with sabots

PowerBelt Aerolite $24.00-26.00/15 no sabot needed
PowerBelt Platinum $24.00/15 no sabot needed

Thor conical $26.00/15 no sabot needed
Federal BOR-Lock $24.00/15 no sabot needed

Lehigh Controlled Fracturing $23.00-25.00/25 without sabots
Lehigh Xtreme Penetrator $22.25-23.50/25 without sabots

Knight Bloodline $19.59-$24.99/20 with sabots

NOTE: Parker, Lehigh and Bloodline pricing is full MSRP directly for their websites. All others were from common online retailers which are less than full MSRP. In some cases those prices were sale prices. PR bullet pricing was from muzzleloadingbullets.com and EABCO which is slightly less than full MSRP.

Considering all Lehighs and Bloodlines are machined and not swaged by a press. Cost to manufacture is higher but so are tolerances.

Lately Barnes has put out no less than one batch of very poorly made 40cal 195s. The base of the bullet is causing blown sabots and accuracy issues. They have still not corrected this issue but will refund your money.

While i still shoot mostly Parker BE's because they are wonderfully accurate, i will be the first to tell you they can be a bit fragile at high speeds and high shoulder shots.

I like the PR bullets but lets face it. They are a swaged lead bullet with a tip added. Quality control is excellent but calling them a premium bullet is a bit of a stretch. Their one saving grace are the heavy 40cal offerings. No one sells a 40cal ML sabot compatible bullet in that weight range besides PR.

After looking at the facts, i cant say the data supports that Lehighs or Bloodlines are overpriced. They appear to work as advertised for the most part. They are in a similar price range as the other premium offerings. Cheaper than many of them even if you include the cost of buying sabots.

Sincerely
Another 5%er

cayugad

No, I personally think they are about in line with other premium bullets. And if I were going on a hunt of the life time, I would probably be using Lehigh if they were legal. I mean why take chances. It would be Lehigh or Barnes for me. Then Parker after that.

WV Hunter

Personally, I like the upper end bullets...especially for hunting. Right now I have Lehigh, Barnes, PR's, and Bloodlines on my bench. Sure, I'll shoot cheaper bullets all day long at targets, but when it comes to what is in my rifle on a hunt, I don't care if it cost $5 per round. I need 1...and want it to be superb.

Penny wise and dollar foolish are the folks that use cheapo bullets for hunting, imo. That 1 component is the least expensive part of the hunt. Hunting isn't a cheap sport...even if you own your own land. Guns, clothes, licenses, lease, atv, etc..you name it - it all costs alot. Don't skimp on what's important.

MountainDevil54

Price of bullets only matters when you are shooting for fun. Come hunting season, buy and use what works best for you.

My round balls are super cheap for both targets and hunting but man, they are deadly on deer and elk.

Gm54-120

Just for a bit more perspective. These are from an online retailer that sells some of the premium bullets in bulk without sabots.

Parker 275GR Ballistic Extreme (50 pack)--$70
Parker 275GR Match Hunter (50 pack)--$117


Barnes 40 cal 195gr Expander 75 pack--$75
Barnes 250 Gr TEZ -- Tipped/Flat Base (75 pack, no sabots)--$80
Barnes 290 Gr TEZ -- Tipped/Flat Base (75 pack, no sabots)--$80

MountainDevil54

I actually bought a package of the 350gr federal BOR Lock bullets today at cabelas. They were $21 for 15 of them.

Gm54-120

There are certainly cheap bullets that will work just fine. Ive got tons of 325gr FTXs. I think i paid around $36/100 at the gun show. Even full retail isnt too bad.

When you have someone that promotes a bullet like the PR bullets and PB Plat yet calls the Lehigh way overpriced, i find that opinion to be greatly flawed and not motivated by the facts. I doubt the motivation had anything to do with cost considering the cost is so similar. The quality of the Lehigh certainly has not been challenged or any proof provided they failed to perform as advertised.

If a bullet performs as designed and that design meet my needs, $1-2 a pop is certainly within reason while hunting. Its still cheaper than a highend slug.

Gm54-120

Lead or copper?

I thought just recently MidwayUSA had a clearance on ML stuff. IIRC they had some lead BOR-Locks for around $1 each.

MountainDevil54

Lead.

Ive shot the 270gr copper before and they shot excellent. Figured I may as well try the 350s even though I hate a slug that big lol.

lemoyne

I have tried almost all of them and I like the blood line they are beyond the rest in terminal ballistics shoot with fine accuracy in all my inlines with both the heaviest load I use and the lightest as well as the normal 110 gr. I have not tried the new Lehigh bullets yet but they would really have to go some to be better than the Bloodline.
My personal opinion is that the Parkers and the PB are the most overpriced bullets on the market.