{"id":383,"date":"2023-06-16T22:41:46","date_gmt":"2023-06-16T22:41:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/?p=383"},"modified":"2023-06-16T22:41:47","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T22:41:47","slug":"premium-projectiles-from-lesser-known-companies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/?p=383","title":{"rendered":"Premium Projectiles From Lesser-Known Companies"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-prestige-of-premium-projectiles-from-lesser-known-companies-like-lehigh-defense-and-badlands-precision\"><strong>The prestige of premium projectiles from lesser-known companies like Lehigh Defense and Badlands Precision.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>It was raining that early December afternoon\u2014not enough to warrant staying indoors, but enough to make things uncomfortable. Deer sign was minimal in the Hudson Valley, to say the least, as the EHD breakout of the previous few years had taken a toll. In fact, in my little secret spots where I would have guaranteed the sighting of at least a doe or two, there was nothing. Still, I had a tag in pocket \u2026 and I wasn\u2019t giving up.<\/p>\n<p>At 4:15 pm he broke cover, stepping into the old orchard, apparently smelling the evidence of a doe I hadn\u2019t seen. My thumb disengaged the safety, and as soon as the crosshair was tucked in behind the buck\u2019s shoulder, I broke the trigger. The 6.8 Western barked, and a 140-grain Badlands Precision bullet had me notching my tag\u2014with an irremovable smile on my face.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"517\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/premium-projectiles-feature-Lehigh-Defense.jpg\" alt=\"premium-projectiles-feature-Lehigh-Defense\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/premium-projectiles-feature-Lehigh-Defense.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/premium-projectiles-feature-Lehigh-Defense-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/premium-projectiles-feature-Lehigh-Defense-768x496.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/premium-projectiles-feature-Lehigh-Defense-696x450.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/premium-projectiles-feature-Lehigh-Defense-650x420.jpg 650w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">If you\u2019re looking for a unique shooting experience, a product from some lesser-known companies like Hawk Bullets, Badlands Precision or Lehigh Defense might tickle your fancy. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I have an undeniable infatuation with projectiles, to the point of obsession. Long ago, I came to the realization that the bullet (and only the bullet) touches the game animal, target or steel plate. The choice of bullet\u2014and the ability to modify the performance of that bullet\u2014is what drew me to reloading, and experimentation with different projectiles has garnered me with a ton of experience over the years.<\/p>\n<p>While I use, enjoy and love classic projectiles, such as Federal\u2019s Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, Nosler Partition, Sierra GameKing, Hornady Interlock and Remington Core-Lokt, I absolutely love experimenting with products from smaller companies.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Peregrine Bullets<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Hailing from South Africa, Peregrine Bullets makes a series of lead-free copper monometal projectiles that work perfectly on all game animals. The VRG-2 PlainsMaster and VRG-3 BushMaster softpoints are a unique concept, putting a brass expander plunger over a hollow cavity, relying on the air pocket underneath the meplat.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets.jpg\" alt=\"peregrine-bullets\" class=\"wp-image-289561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-672x420.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets.jpg\" alt=\"peregrine-bullets\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-672x420.jpg 672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">South Africa\u2019s Peregrine bullets are a monometal design with a brass cap over an air cavity. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Air is difficult to compress, so upon impact, the brass tip is driven rearward, compressing the air and driving the sidewalls out in a radial fashion. The PlainsMaster is a spitzer boat-tail design, while the BushMaster has a flat meplat, yet retains the boat-tail. I\u2019ve used a good number of these on game animals ranging from whitetail deer to Cape buffalo and have found them to be one of the finest designs available. They offer the correlative solid brass and solid copper non-expanding bullets for the thick-skinned dangerous game, as well as a line of match target bullets: the RangeMaster.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2.jpg\" alt=\"peregrine-bullets-2\" class=\"wp-image-289562\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2-672x420.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2.jpg\" alt=\"peregrine-bullets-2\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289562\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-2-672x420.jpg 672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An expanded 400-grain .411-inch-diameter Peregrine Bushmaster recovered from a Mozambican Cape buffalo, note the radial expansion and the separated brass plunger. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Peregrine bullets are made on CNC Swiss lathes, to diameter tolerances of 0.0002 inch and will hold weight tolerances on 0.2 grain. Retained weight is usually in the mid 90 percent range\u2014as you\u2019ll lose the brass insert\u2014and expansion is most often twice the caliber. These bullets are the brainchild of Adriaan Rall and the late Louis Nel, and are available in calibers from .223 inch to the big .500s. I\u2019ve used the PlainsMaster in the 6.5-284 Norma with great results, and the BushMaster in .416 Rigby, .450-400 3-inch NE and .470 NE, having perfect field performance. (<a href=\"https:\/\/peregrinemonolithics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PeregrineMonolithics.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3.jpg\" alt=\"peregrine-bullets-3\" class=\"wp-image-289563\" width=\"726\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3-672x420.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3.jpg\" alt=\"peregrine-bullets-3\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289563\" width=\"726\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/peregrine-bullets-3-672x420.jpg 672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A trio of recovered 500-grain Peregrine Bushmasters from the author\u2019s Heym .470 NE. Expansion was good, and the slugs were found against the offside skin. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Badlands Precision<\/strong><strong\/><\/h3>\n<p>George Fournier\u2019s Badlands Precision bullets company calls South Dakota home, and he has some great monometal designs. A sleek ogive, an aluminum tip with near-seamless transition to the copper body, and a pronounced boat-tail all add up to a bullet that has the highest ballistic coefficient (BC) values among the lead-free projectiles.<\/p>\n<p>My Browning X-Bolt in 6.8 Western mated up perfectly with their 140-grain Super Bulldozer-2, with a G1 BC of .650 and measuring 1.56 inches long, and the 1:7\u00bd twist rate stabilized the long bullet without issue. Three of those Super Bulldozer-2s will cluster into a \u00bd-MOA group, moving at 3,150 fps, and they\u2019re perfect for deer and similar-sized game animals.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision.jpg\" alt=\"badlands-precision\" class=\"wp-image-289564\" width=\"726\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-672x420.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision.jpg\" alt=\"badlands-precision\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289564\" width=\"726\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-672x420.jpg 672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Badlands Precision Bulldozer-2 bullets are a very accurate monometal; shown here are the 7mm 140-grain and the .30-caliber 195-grain. The author had good results in the 7mm PRC and .300 H&amp;H Magnum, respectively. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I loaded up some of George\u2019s Bulldozer-2 (not the \u201cSuper\u201d variant) in the 7mm PRC and .300 H&amp;H Magnum at 140 grains and 195 grains, respectively, and was more than pleased with the results on paper, with the 7mm PRC printing 5\/8-inch groups at 100 yards, and the .300 Holland running right around \u00be-inch at the same range. The 7mm bullet has a G1 BC of .560, and the .30-caliber a G1 BC of .675, so either will make a sound choice for hunting at sane ranges.<\/p>\n<p>I got Fournier on the phone to ask him a couple questions about his hunting bullets, and he had this to offer:<\/p>\n<p><strong>PM:<\/strong> <em>George, in a market that has seen all sorts of great advances in bullet designs, and in which the major manufacturers are devoting serious time to development, what sets Badlands Precision apart?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>GF:<\/strong> <em>What sets Badlands bullets apart from major manufacturers is their lower drag\/weight, which makes them hit harder farther, the consistency of expansion and their ability to penetrate very deeply, allowing for extreme quartering\u00a0angles of impact. In several instances, we\u2019ve seen complete pass-through shots through in animals as big as elk and moose, causing \u201cdead right there\u201d kills. They don\u2019t fall apart after impact like many lead core bullets do and, for their weight, have significantly lower drag than other copper or lead bullets.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>PM: <\/strong><em>Do you have a recommended velocity impact range for your bullets? How slow can they go and still reliably expand?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>GF: <\/strong><em>Our tests show 1,680 fps for the BD2 line. The SBD2s have a longer and somewhat thinner ogive, and will expand in the 1,650-fps range. To keep it simple, we just say 1,700 fps. That, along with the high BC for weight, allows most of these bullets to be effective at about 900 to 1,200 yards when shot at a muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps, depending on altitude. That effective range is well beyond other copper bullets.<\/em><em\/><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d take these bullets on any hunt within my hunting range. The weight tolerances were within 0.1 grains for the lot, and they didn\u2019t seem particularly sensitive to seating depth. All three of my rifles were very happy to send these into tight groups.<\/p>\n<p>The Bulldozer-2 and Super Bulldozer-2 line include bullets in .224-inch caliber, up to and including .375-inch caliber. In addition to the Bulldozer-2 and Super Bulldozer-2, Badlands offers the ICBM-2 target bullet, in heavy-for-caliber configuration with very high BC values for the long-range target crowd. (<a href=\"https:\/\/badlandsprecision.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BadlandsPrecision.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2.jpg\" alt=\"badlands-precision-2\" class=\"wp-image-289565\" width=\"732\" height=\"457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2-672x420.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2.jpg\" alt=\"badlands-precision-2\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289565\" width=\"732\" height=\"457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/badlands-precision-2-672x420.jpg 672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The author used the 140-grain Badlands Precision Super Bulldozer-2 in .277-inch-diameter in his 6.8 Western. This bullet was recovered from a whitetail buck, with almost 3 feet of penetration. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lehigh Defense<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This Arkansas company is part of Bill Wilson\u2019s excellent lineup of shooting-related manufacturers, and much like his firearms, their bullets do not disappoint. There are a number of choices, all-lead-free, including match\/target solids and wide, flat-nose solids for penetrating thick hide and tough bone\u2014but there are a pair of very interesting choices that might appeal to the curious.<\/p>\n<p>The Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos rifle bullets are a hollow-point boat-tail monometal design, with a deep hollow point and numerous grooves cut into the shank, with one especially deep groove just before the transition from shank to ogive. The design of the Controlled Chaos is such that if the bullet strikes a fluid-rich medium (flesh), the hollow point will fracture into multiple petals that\u2019ll radiate outward from the point of impact, while the base will continue on for straight-line penetration. Lehigh Defense states that the Controlled Chaos bullet won\u2019t expand or fragment if it hits a hard barrier, such as drywall, but only in a fluid environment.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1.jpg\" alt=\"Lehigh-Defense-1\" class=\"wp-image-289566\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1-672x420.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1.jpg\" alt=\"Lehigh-Defense-1\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289566\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1-672x420.jpg 672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some rifle projectiles from Lehigh Defense. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I loaded the 152-grain .308-inch bullet in my Ruger M77 .308 Winchester, and the 130-grain .264-inch bullet in my 6.5 Creedmoor, and I had little difficulty getting either to give MOA accuracy.<\/p>\n<p>Lehigh Defense Xtreme Defense bullets feature a unique meplat, reminiscent of a blunt Phillips head bit. Again, we\u2019re looking at a lead-free copper monolithic bullet, but it\u2019s the performance at the nose that separates this design from the common hollow-point. Lehigh Defense refers to this design as a \u201cFluid Transfer Monolithic,\u201d as the fluted nose delivers a unique type of performance in the terminal phase. Perhaps the folks at Lehigh Defense can best describe the performance:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>The nose design is the key. The Fluid Transfer\u2019s radial flutes force the hydraulic energy inward, and then as the energy is restricted, it accelerates outward\u2014creating high-pressure spikes severely damaging surrounding tissue. This very rapid increase in fluid flow creates cavitation and massive tissue damage away from the projectile, equivalent to those of the best hollow-points on the market. The result of the Xtreme Defense is a permanent wound cavity that is two to four times greater than what a flat or round-nose bullet generates, and often larger than traditional or solid copper expanding bullets. What you get is a self-defense bullet that will shoot through barriers without deformation or trajectory change, and creates a larger permanent wound cavity, coupled with the desired 18 inches of penetration. This very rapid increase in fluid flow oftentimes creates cavitation and massive tissue damage at distances away from the projectile equivalent to the largest of hollow-points on the market.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911.jpg\" alt=\"Lehigh-Defense-1911\" class=\"wp-image-289567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911-672x420.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911.jpg\" alt=\"Lehigh-Defense-1911\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Lehigh-Defense-1911-672x420.jpg 672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lehigh Defense&#8217;s Xtreme Defense pistol bullets are of lighter weight, being of all copper construction, and feature a hollow base and unique meplat reminiscent of a Phillip\u2019s head screwdriver. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I loaded the 135-grain .451-inch-diameter Xtreme Defense bullets for my Sig Sauer STX 1911, seating them over a charge of 8.2 grains of Unique powder, and observed 1,085 fps with great groups and no feeding issues. The Xtreme Defense bullets are available in varying bullet weights (generally light-for-caliber) in .311-, .312-, .355-, .357-, .400-, .410-, .429-, .451-, .452-, .458- and .500-inch diameters, offering projectiles for the vast majority of common autoloading and revolver cartridges. (<a href=\"https:\/\/lehighdefense.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LehighDefense.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>McGuire Ballistics<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Hailing from California\u2014where the lead-free movement has the strongest roots\u2014McGuire Ballistics has strived to take the copper projectile to a new level. Their Copper Rose projectiles are highly uniform in both weight and length, and they have the potential to be an all-around choice for the hunter, regardless of which state or province you live or hunt in.<\/p>\n<p>There are two variants of the McGuire projectiles: Magazine Feed and Single Feed. The former has a tougher meplat and can handle the repeated recoil impact that cartridges in a magazine are often subject to, and the latter has a much softer tip, so it\u2019ll need to be fed singly. The exterior dimensions of the two models\u2014if of the same caliber and weight\u2014are identical, and I found that they print to the same point-of-impact. McGuire gives an approximate BC\u2014which is wise, as it can and will change with velocity\u2014for each of their projectiles, which are all of the spitzer boat-tail design.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics.jpg\" alt=\"McGuire-Ballistics\" class=\"wp-image-289568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics-672x420.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics.jpg\" alt=\"McGuire-Ballistics\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics-696x435.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/McGuire-Ballistics-672x420.jpg 672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">McGuire Ballistics offers their monometal Copper Rose projectiles in two (visually identical) configurations: magazine feed and single feed, with the magazine feed having a tougher meplat. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>McGuire offers their bullets in the most common, all-around calibers: 125-grain 6.5mm, 128-grain .277 inch, 143- and 160-grain 7mm, and 168- and 178-grain in .308-inch diameter. This should cover the majority of your hunting needs, and the construction and conformation of the Copper Rose projectiles will handle the high-impact velocities of magnum cartridges at short distances, yet will expand reliably at hunting ranges this side of the next zip code.<\/p>\n<p>I loaded the 143-grain, 7mm bullet in the 7mm-08 Remington, and my little Tikka T3X Lite seemed particularly pleased with them, delivering three-shot groups averaging \u00be-MOA. The 178-grain .30-caliber was destined for my well-worn .300 Winchester Magnum, and once I seated that bullet over a suitable charge of Reloder 19, sparked by a Federal Gold Medal Match GM215M large rifle magnum primer, three of the McGuire projectiles would land in a group just over \u00bd-MOA. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcguireballistics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">McGuireBallistics.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hawk Bullets<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Though the market is decidedly making a hard shift to lead-free projectiles, lead-core bullets work even better every day due to continuous improvements in bullet construction. New Jersey\u2019s Hawk Bullets embraces the lead-core\/copper jacket concept, using a proprietary process designed to deliver the same results as bonding to keep their two components together during the terminal phase.<\/p>\n<p>While the majority of Hawk bullets are of a round-nose, flat-base configuration, the beauty of the company is that you can choose from a good number of bullet designs, with varying jacket thicknesses or bullet weights \u2026 though not boat-tails.<\/p>\n<p>For example, you may opt for a bullet with a jacket of 0.030-inch thickness for deer and similar-sized game, or beef it up to 0.035 inch for tougher game or to use in a magnum cartridge. Hawk will make a jacket as thin as 0.025 inch, or as thick as 0.065 inch, for the thickest-skinned game.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"517\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets.jpg\" alt=\"Hawk-Bullets\" class=\"wp-image-289569\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets-768x496.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets-696x450.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets-650x420.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"517\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets.jpg\" alt=\"Hawk-Bullets\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-289569\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets-768x496.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets-696x450.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hawk-Bullets-650x420.jpg 650w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hawk Bullets\u2019 round-nose 200-grain .330-inch-diameter bullet for the author\u2019s .318 Westley Richards works very well on whitetail deer and black bear. Offering varying jacket thicknesses and bullet weights, Hawk is a company the aficionado of classic cartridges needs to keep on speed dial. <em>Photo: Massaro Media Group.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And Hawk is a fantastic source of projectiles for the obscure cartridges, offering bullets in .333-inch diameter for the .333 Jeffery, in .286-inch diameter for the .280 Ross, and .318-inch diameter for the 8x57mm with the \u201cJ\u201d bore. I rely on Hawk for the 200-grain round-nose .330-inch diameter bullets for my .318 Westley Richards; these bullets are perfectly suited to black bear and whitetail deer here at home in New York. Should I need a source for the heavy 250-grain bullets with which the .318 WR earned its reputation, Hawk makes those as a custom order.<\/p>\n<p>The folks at Hawk are certainly familiar with the gamut of older cartridges, from those classics associated with the golden age of safari, to the blackpowder cartridges that helped settle the West, to those smokeless designs of the early 20th century that have just faded into history. Hawk is a reliable source for those who\u2014like me\u2014enjoy hunting with a cartridge that\u2019s just a bit different, as well as being a great source of a common-sense bullet for the .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield, or revolver. (<a href=\"https:\/\/hawkbullets.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HawkBullets.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Parting Shot<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If you enjoy loading your own ammunition and prefer to use something a little left of center, there are many great choices out there, whether you prefer the latest monometal tech or a traditional cup-and-core round-nose. While the major manufacturers are making the best stuff they ever have, I fully support these smaller companies who are putting their efforts forth to bring out the best products they can.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Editor&#8217;s Note:<\/strong>\u00a0This article originally appeared in the May 2023 issue of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gundigestservice.com\/customer\/subscribe.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gun Digest the Magazine<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><strong>Raise Your Ammo IQ:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-27\" style=\"margin: 8px 0; clear: both;\">\n<hr\/>\n<div>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/storm-tactical-target-pack?path=5\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-271572\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300-300x235.jpg\" alt=\"44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300\" width=\"300\" height=\"235\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignright size-medium wp-image-271572\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300-300x235.jpg\" alt=\"44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300\" width=\"300\" height=\"235\"\/><\/a>NEXT STEP: Download Your <strong>Free<\/strong> Storm Tactical Printable Target Pack<\/h3>\n<p> <strong>62 Printable MOA Targets with DOT Drills &#8211; Rifle Range in YARDS<\/strong> This impressive target pack from our friends at Storm Tactical contains <a href=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/storm-tactical-target-pack?path=5\"><strong>62 printable targets<\/strong><\/a> for rifle and handgun range use. Target grids and bullseye sizes are in MOA. Ideal for long-range shooting!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Subscribe to the Gun Digest email newsletter and we&#8217;ll send your print-at-home target pack right away.<\/strong> Just enter your email address below. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr\/>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- AI CONTENT END 1 --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The prestige of premium projectiles from lesser-known companies like Lehigh Defense and Badlands Precision. It was raining that early December afternoon\u2014not enough to warrant staying indoors, but enough to make things uncomfortable. Deer sign was minimal in the Hudson Valley, to say the least, as the EHD breakout of the previous few years had taken [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":384,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tactical-gear"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=383"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":385,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383\/revisions\/385"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}