HI,

I would like to hear from any here that have used the 535RNSN Woodleigh bullet on Buff or other game. I would like to know what do you think of there performance and particularly with regards to penetration of this bullet.I guess most would be from the 500 jeffery and the fps that this bullet was use.Thanks,Kev

Kev,



It's a good choice for Buff, but the PSP has better penetration than the SP, and that's the one I would recommend. I use a local (RSA) powder and get 2211 fps at the muzzle......Woodleigh recommend an optimal terminal bullet velocity of 1800-2200 fps.



I shot a running Buff last year (500 Jeff) on a slightly off centre texas heart shot and it spun the Buff 180 degrees and dropped it like a sack of shit. The bullet travelled the length of the body and stopped at the front of the chest cavity. Weight retention was over 90%.



I prefer the Woodleigh SP for Lions as it is obviously a faster expanding bullet. I guess I use a fair amount of Woodleigh's each year in my .500, and have never had one perform badly.

HI,

Thanks for the information,the reason why I mention the SN is I do not know if I could use the PSP.As this would be used in my win 86,50-110. A gentleman on the lever forum said he used the 535 SN in he 50AK by smoothing down the RN alittle ,make it a flat nose he loads them up.With the 50-110 I could get 2200 fps with no problem, maybe I give both a try and see if I could flatten the PSP down, but if the RNSN will work for Buff I just will stay with them.I plan on getting there in a few years if it kills me. I have use kodiak Bond core 500 grain bullets before, I have just reloaded about 50 of them on my bench, and they are great bullets, but like I told them or suggested to them. I would like to see them make a 535 or 550 or 570 grain alittle more weight than the 500 for a .510 bullet Kev

The PSP has a flatter nose than the SP.



You might also like to consider Stewart bullets (located in RSA). Ken Stewart will make any profile, calibre and bullet weight you ask him to...... and he's completely reliable.



If you need his contact details just send me an e-mail.

Kev,

They are excellent hunting bullets. You will most likely get similar terminal ballistics to what I have gotten since you will be driving them a few hundred feet per second slower than I do, and therefore most likely won't get quite as much expansion.

I have put 535 gr Woodleigh soft points through the skulls and then mostly through the shoulders of two buffalo. I would estimate that at ~ 3 to 4 inches of dense bone and over 2.5 feet of muscle. These bullets expanded to about 1.25", I am not sure what the weight retention was, as I have not weighed them. I can tell from looking at them that they went on a diet, though.

Personally, I don't think you will find a better hunting bullet, PERIOD.

Scott

HI,

SHAKARI, thanks for the head up I will send you an E-mail. I hope they have a web site to check out. Kev

HI,

SCOTTS, the only thing I would have to do is make sure the nose is flatten down some in order to make sure it would be safe in a tube feed mag. Like I said before a gentleman on lever forum said that is what he has been doing and that it would work fine, which it would. I hear nothing but good things about this bullets ,Kev

Here is pic, which shows the difference between the Woodleigh soft point and protected point (well sort of). These are 570 gr (SP) and 600 gr (PP). Their point geometry is very close to that of the 535 gr pills.



You can flatten out the "point" of the SP round easily with a rap from a hammer. My magazine box does this for me with shots two and three. The PP does have a sharper "point", but it is does have a flat meplat of ~ .2" in diameter.

Scott

HI,

Thanks for the pics Scott, the PP also looks as it maybe have a shorter length. I think you may be right, the PP may be easier to flatten down, also I saw the 500 nitro .510 have a 570RNSN and PP, the Nitro may need a higher speed. I like both bullets in the pic.Kev

Kev,

The PP (Protected Point) is far tougher to flatten out than the SP (Soft Point). You can flatten out the SP with a hammer ( or better yet a vise with smooth jaw inserts ) and achieve a meplat diameter of approximately 0.25". That should be acceptable for your tubular magazine.

The PP could be chucked up in a lathe and faced off to achieve the 0.25" meplat diameter, but then it would not weigh 535 grains anymore. However, you could cut down the 600 gr PP bullets I have. I would cut one down for illustrative purposes, but these damned things are expensive! If you want some 600gr cut down to 535 gr I will do it for cost, though. Let me know. I'd wager you would end up with a 0.3" + meplat diameter by cutting off the 600gr PP. That would definitely leave a mark!

The 600 gr PP (as seen in the picture) is 1.438" long. The 570 gr SP (as seen in the picture loaded in the cartridge) is 1.37" long. As I recall the 535 SP was the same length as the 570 gr SP. The difference came in the angle of the point, the 535 gr SP was sharper pointed. I have not used any of the 535 gr PP, only the 535 gr SP.

Scott

HI,

SCOTTS, you must have been reading my mind. I have just E-mailed a few people just about what you are talking about. I think I would try a 600grain PP, and either cut through or as you suggested lathe and bring it to a flat nose. I would not go down to 535 with the 600 I think I could have a nice flat nose and keep the weight more like 550 grains if the nose is flat enough I think keeping more weight would be the better way.I am now going to get a lathe or maybe a power rotor file, I am looking into what would be the best way. Kev

Kev,

Here are some pictures of the recovered 535 gr Woodleigh Soft Points I was talking about. These were loaded with 127.5 gr of IMR4350 and achieved a muzzle velocity of 2490 fps in my rifle. The buffalo were approximately 35-50 yards away when shot.



Another angle:



Yet another angle:



A lathe would be the BEST method to shorten the 600 gr PP Woodleighs. If you cannot locate one I would be happy to cut your bullets off for you.

Scott

HI,


Scotts, Thanks for the pics they are very nice. I am just going to get a power grinder and use some 2x6 in a vice place the bullets in and just grind the nose flat.This is the simple way of doing this, I can take off as must as I want and the wheels that I am getting can also cut off very thin pieces . I just order some 600PP and 570RNSP today.Kev

One more thing Scott, how far did they penetrate and I could not get them up to 2400 but 2200-2250.Kev

Kev,

As previously posted:

Quote:

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I would estimate that at ~ 3 to 4 inches of dense bone and over 2.5 feet of muscle. These bullets expanded to about 1.25", I am not sure what the weight retention was, as I have not weighed them.

---

Scott