Henson Aluminum tipped bullets test

[Jon A]

Ah, OK. I was confused.

 

[tillroot1]

Gron GG,

Four: New dies? So If I had found these bullets to work well and spent a grundle of money to work up a load for them, when were we going to find out that the "old" bullet was no longer going to be available? Or are you going to produce both bullets? When bullet manufacturers change dies or discontinue bullets, people tend to get really upset!



GG,

The dies he just received this week were ordered last September. He has been waiting on them since then. As you well know, this is fairly standard lead time for bullet making dies. FWIW, most companies improve their product lines all the time and if they don't, they will not be in business long. Someone will come around and improve it for them.

I am sure that he will make you as many of the "old" bullets as you desire. However, the old bullets were made on a die that was purchased off the shelf at Corbin and not specifically designed for these aluminum tips and took many more steps to get them correct. The new dies are designed from the ground up for the aluminum tips. Both dies work, but one is a new gerneration die and the other is an older one.

So, in reality, you tested bullets that will not be the marquis offering in .338 caliber. You tested the initial phase bullets but you can still get them if you want them if you are not interested in the newer generation offerings.

James

I find it funny that on page 14, I believe its post 98 that lv touts up the craft of Mr Henson and his experience of 20 years and did not just go out and buy a set of dies and just start making bullets in a pm to goodgrouper, but above, on this page that is what I read that he did, Corbin dies off the shelf with many more steps. Myself and I would think others purchased these bullets for 170.00 on some of the first runs (now obsolete dies) and the new bullets are with a longer bearing surface than the first? I talked with Mr Henson before I ordered the 280 grain bullets and told him exactly what my build was and was told they would work perfectly, I DID HOWEVER NOT DO MY RESEARCH FULLY BEFORE PURCHASING GOING OFF HIS WORD, AND AFTER WITH LACK OF CONSIDERATION OF LONGER BEARING SURFACE, resulting in a wasted 170.00. This whole subject really needs researched and tested further openly, lv has showed his lack of customer skills, multiple times and personally disrespected me on another forum. I do feel there is a niche for these bullets but they (HAT bullets) have a long way to go if they are going to become popular and trusted by customers.

 

[edge]

tillroot1, I certainly do not know your specific application, but in manufacturing there are often " running changes"!

If GM comes out with a new truck and decides to up the engine size due to customers complaining of lack of power, those first customers don't get there money back, or a new truck. Being first to buy something gets you the chance to try it first, but rarely will it be the best of its style or manufacture.

Clearly if the bullets were totally inappropriate for your application then you deserve your money back, but no amount of pre-production engineering can guarantee a great product "out of the box".

edge.

 

[tillroot1]

tillroot1, I certainly do not know your specific application, but in manufacturing there are often " running changes"!

If GM comes out with a new truck and decides to up the engine size due to customers complaining of lack of power, those first customers don't get there money back, or a new truck. Being first to buy something gets you the chance to try it first, but rarely will it be the best of its style or manufacture.

Clearly if the bullets were totally inappropriate for your application then you deserve your money back, but no amount of pre-production engineering can guarantee a great product "out of the box".

edge.

edge, I do not disagree with you. A refund was offered by lv, I declined due to his lack of tact, the way he treated me, and my own stubborness. My specific app is a 700 action trued and lapped with a Rock 28" barrel with a Edge break sitting in a HS stock skim bedded by myself. The reamer is a JGS no turn .338RUM with a near factory throat to fit the factory mag. It shoots the 300 grain SMK bullets very well at 2800fps. I could get the HAT bullets to shoot but it took loading them to the point that it would ruin my brass on 1 firing to do it.
If lv would have treated me better my postings would reflect a different attitude. I would have gladly taken him up on a refund and wrote how they care and are willing to take care of customers. I understand fully about design changes as you speak of above.

Ron Tilley

 

[jwp475]

Design changes are one thing, but paying to do the field testing for someone else is a totaly different ball game IMHO

 

[Black Diamond 408]

I talked with Mr. Henson yesterday, his new dies have a shorter baring surface along with a #13 secant (if memory serves me) the standard Corbin dies are #10, the new bullets will look more like a SMK for taper. With the longer baring surface of the first production it will be hard to get the same velocity with the 280's compared to a 300smk bullet. The big difference is not in total speed it is the high BC his bullets offer. SMK at 2800 is around the published .768, the 265 or 280 AT bullets will generally run in the high .8's to low .9's
Ive tested several different runs of his first prototypes, my 338 barrel is not made for the long bullets, so the tests dont offer much than velocity and if a 11 twist barrel will stabilize them or not. I shot some good groups with the 265's, 3400fps was about tops in my rifle.
the 280's dont like the 11 twist so i didn't go any farther on them. I'm waiting to see the 375 and 416 version of the same configuration.

 

[royinidaho]

tillroot1,

The 280s came today.

I gather that these are the longer bearing surface ones from the original die.

They sure do look good. I really liked the way the 265s looked and shot in my RUM.

I'll attempt a 200 yd zero with the same load I use for the SMKs. I think I have enough lee way to compensate for the extra bearing surface with the 20 grains less weight.

I have bunches of SMKs retrieved from my very fine sand back stop. Mostly nothing but jacket and one or two bananas.

I'll have to wait for another pig. But if they shoot good I may attempt a test on an elk shoulder.

I liked what I saw in BD 408's post.

 

[tillroot1]

tillroot1,

The 280s came today.

I gather that these are the longer bearing surface ones from the original die.

They sure do look good. I really liked the way the 265s looked and shot in my RUM.

I'll attempt a 200 yd zero with the same load I use for the SMKs. I think I have enough lee way to compensate for the extra bearing surface with the 20 grains less weight.

I have bunches of SMKs retrieved from my very fine sand back stop. Mostly nothing but jacket and one or two bananas.

I'll have to wait for another pig. But if they shoot good I may attempt a test on an elk shoulder.

I liked what I saw in BD 408's post.

Roy, be carefull, that is exactly what I attempted and it was WAY TOO HOT for the 280 grain bullets. I do not know what your set up was, but I would caution you.

 

[jwp475]

Bearing surface(ie friction) can mean as much if not more than the 20 grains of weight difference

 

[tillroot1]

Bearing surface(ie friction) can mean as much if not more than the 20 grains of weight difference

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[jwp475]

The longer bearing surface can drive presures higher than the 20 less grains of bullet wiegth may indicate.

 

[petenz]

20grains is only 9.3% difference in this case... could jacket hardness and bearing surface have a more significant effect on pressure?

 

[tillroot1]

The longer bearing surface can drive presures higher than the 20 less grains of bullet wiegth may indicate.

Got it! thanks. Ron Tilley

 

[jwp475]

20grains is only 9.3% difference in this case... could jacket hardness and bearing surface have a more significant effect on pressure?

Yes, jacket thickness and hardness can have a profound effect on pressures