Lehigh 265g Controlled Fracturing Bullet

[ronlaughlin]

A couple hundred of these 0.452 Controlled Fracturing bullet arrived here the other day. Told our son about them, and the expressed hope we might use them hunting this season. He suggested i test them for accuracy so i am.

The first thing i learned is, they fly about the same as the 300g XTP that we used last season, so not much sight change was necessary.

The rifle used this morning was the Omega Dream Season with a Williams FP sight; one of our hunting rifles. The load was 75 (weighed) grain of Blackhorn, black crush rib sabot, and W209 primer. Five shots were taken starting with a cold clean barrel. After three shots, i kinda tried waiting between shooting, and loading, because it was 75 degrees early. Probably should have tried waiting after the second shot; waiting i am not good at.

Even relying on my old eyes, and iron sights, the bullet didn't do too bad. The bullet terminal performance was tested last year when it was a prototype.

Calculation indicate when the bullet is sighted in at 120 yard, with a mv of around 1920 fps, it will only be 1 1/2" high at 75 yard, and will only be 2 3/4" low at 150 yard. This is about perfect for hunting with the iron sights. Whether the 'boy' or me is the shooter; 150 yard is just about max. The terminal test indicates the bullet will work well out beyond 200 yard, so what is not to like?

 

[dave19113]

That looks like you have a pretty good combo there.... Good luck

 

[ronlaughlin]

Thank you; hoping you have good luck yourself!

 

[CatamountRob]

Why would you want a hunting bullet to fracture?

 

[WV Hunter]

Why would you want a hunting bullet to fracture?

Search on the bullet and also the testing. Its a pretty impressive design and works very well. Terminal performance with this overall design has been proven to be top tier.


That's good shooting Ron! I have a few friends that would be real happy with that group with a scope :lol: Your pitted omega will probably drive tacks with them :yeah:

 

[ronlaughlin]

Why would you want a hunting bullet to fracture?

Perhaps the answer lay in the word 'controlled'. Follows is a photo of the bullet before, and after the 'fracture'. Note the heel, it penetrates more further after the fracture.

The real forte' of these bullet is they work at low speeds. Most of the popular bullets fail to work after they slow down at long range. Bullets like the Deep Curl, XTP, Barnes, Nosler all fail i.e. don't expand at slow speeds, whereas the Control Fracture bullets do what they are advertised to do. See here.

 

[ronlaughlin]

This morning i didn't quite get out early enough to beat the breeze, but it didn't seem to affect shooting much. The bullet was shot today using a different Dream Season, one with a 1X scope mounted. The scope isn't really 1X, more like 0.9X or thereabouts. When i shoulder the rifle, i see double, and have to blink to shoot, or close one eye. Thinking strongly of replacing the scope.

The load was the same as used in the OP. It was about 52° up there at 4800'.

 

[ronlaughlin]

Lesser Powder Charge

This morning less powder was tried. Rifle used was the Omega Dream Season with the dam 1X scope that is really a 0.9X scope, or thereabouts. Breeze was almost none early. Began shooting from a cold clean barrel. The first six shots were 70 (weighed) grain Blackhorn, 300g XTP, black crushrib sabot, W209 primer. Then the bullet was switched to the Lehigh 265g Controlled Fracturing Copper Bullet, the topic of this thread. Three more shots using the Lehigh, were made from a warm fouled barrel, and are shown in the following photo.

 

[ronlaughlin]

200 yard

Been having a strong desire to try the bullet at 200 yard. Just can't see good enough to shoot that far using the dam 1X scope. Last week the 1X scope was removed from the Dream Season Omega, and replaced with a 2-7 power scope. Finally this morning, things kinda came together. The elevation dial was turned 6 1/2 moa above the 100 yard zero. There was zero breeze, and not too hot. The load was the 265g cf bullet, 72g (weighed) Blackhorn, black crush rib sabot, Federal 209A primer. Started shooting the Dream Season with a cold clean barrel, and quit when the quitting was good after three shots. Set the scope at 7X.

 

[ShawnT]

Nice shooting Ron. I"m thinking that would work just fine on about any critter.

 

[ronlaughlin]

.........I"m thinking that would work just fine on about any critter.

Me too.

 

[Hornet22savage]

Nice, wish I had access to a 200 yard. Range. No such luck though.

 

[ronlaughlin]

Two hundred yard is a good distance for one to learn about one's rifle, bullet, load, at least in my opinion. Far enough to be a good test for the rifle, and not so far it overly challenges the shooter, and hunting optics. What i wish for, is a good way/place for me to shoot at 275, or 300 yard.


:mrgreen: