I have hunted a lot with TBBC, A-frames and BarnesX and rate them all as premium bullets. I have never seen a NorthFork but they seem to have a very dedicated following on AR. I realize everyone has their own personal preferences but are these Northfork bullets far superior to anything else or are there just a bunch of really loyal Northfork supporters on AR? If they are better then what makes them better, especially considering that 99% of shots at DG do not require 1 moa groups? So accuracy cannot really be the differentiating fact.

Thanks

As far as softs are concerned, the North Forks appear to be not significantly different than A-Frames. While it is nice not to depend on just one source of bullets, as one never knows when a manufacturer will go belly up, A-Frames are good as it gets. Combined with Partitions, they cover every situation I can think if for softs.

North Fork softs are very accurate, but as you noted, that is more useful for smaller bores.

NF flat nose solids are fantastic, providing great penetration in an easy on the rifle driving band design. (Not unlike GS Custom flat nose solids.)

JPK

Maybe the new owners of NF will, someday, increase the 458's to 500 grs., as I can see no reason for them to weigh less.

Will,

I disagree. I think the 450's are perfect for the 458wm. Maybe a different story wrt to the Lott.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
Will,

I disagree. I think the 450's are perfect for the 458wm. Maybe a different story wrt to the Lott.

JPK

Or the 450 Dakota, or the 460 W'by...

Northfork solid one of the best, along with the GS FN's. As far as softs go I agree with Will, no advantage there, the Swifts will do it all in the soft department, I believe the Northfork softs are on equal ground with the Swifts though.

Dirk

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Maybe the new owners of NF will, someday, increase the 458's to 500 grs., as I can see no reason for them to weigh less.

I suppose it also depends on how the different bullets shoot in your rifle. I can also say that at least in the past the personal customer service of North Fork was as good as I can imagine.

The reason I prefer A-frames is because I believe the monometal or copper shank on the TBBC,TSX and others like it, are too hard on my bore.Also,since I got 500grs of fusioned,soft copper,partitioned bullet I've got enough.If I was shooting a 270gr bullet at higher speeds,then I would consider the NF or another monometal type bullet.The A-frames are more acurate in my Lott than TSX bullets, but not in my 300 win mags.

quote:

NF flat nose solids are fantastic

Providing they feed (bolt action).

Scott450 ----- If you shoot the North Fork bullet and it is the toughest bullet you ever shot and the most accurate, would you continue to shoot it. If you went to Africa and you can print the solids in the same hole as the softs, would that matter to you. Just two questions that I have answered for myself and caused me to really appreciate a good product when I use it, particularly when it might mean my life. Good shooting.

Better than, probably not, every rifle is diff. I use the NFs in ym 404jeffery, very accurate, moa in my rifle. Do I need that accutracy, maybe not, but it makes my heavy rifle a viable 250yd PG rig & the termianl performance can not be beaten by any of the others & the price was good. TBBC are ridiculously priced. The A-frames & TSX sometimes offer accuracy problems. If Nosler made a paririon in 404, I owuld probably shoot them, but they don't. I have enough 380grNFs to last for the rest of my hunting life, I can practice w/ Wooodleighs.

The real shock is going to be the increase in price of the new NF's. No way around it with the cost of copper these days.

Scot450
I have not used the TBBC-but have a good deal of experience with Swift A's, Woodleigh, and of late the Barnes Triple X. All premium bullets, all have a place depending upon animal hunted. I have not used the NorthForks in the field,but in my test work I would not hesitate and put them nearly in the same class as a Swift, maybe a little better expansion depending on bullet/caliber. I doubt very seriously you could go wrong with any of them for a particular job. But one must choose wisely for the job at hand.

A few years ago I was very big on the 400 Swift A for lion in 458 Winchester. Then the supplies dried up for about a year. I switched over to the 400 Woodleigh. Accuracy was equal to the Swift, velocity the same, but expansion was a great deal more at 2300 fps than the Swift. It was rather extreme in fact, so much so that penetration was greatly effected. I shot a kudu, and impala with these at 2400 fps in the Lott and while the animals both went down on the spot I found penetration coming up short should I have to take less than a perfect broadside shot. I slowed it down to 2150 fps and performance was balanced between expansion and penetration. The Swift or Barnes X, or North Fork at 2300 or 2400 fps would have made no difference and penetration would have been fine, and was. It pays to know your particualar bullet well before going to the field with it. This is an instance in which I knew my bullet, but was too stupid to listen to my test work!!!!!!!

Depending upon caliber, cartridge, and the job at hand will determine what bullet is best for a particular job, in that cartridge or caliber at the velocity you are able to achieve.

North Forks are great bullets, but I do not think better than Swift, Barnes, or Woodleigh. Each can perform a specific mission, some North Forks in particular calibers come in some in between weights, such as a 325 gr 416 caliber, I like that bullet better than most 300s, and it can serve special purposes for me,little more velocity, little more range, say for plains game, elk or something like that.

JPK and Will
Have to go with you again JPK---I have always used a 450 in 458 Winchester, and now in my 458 B&M. A great bullet weight for the smaller capacity 458s! Better than 500s, easy to work with, and will do the same job. I have used 450s on the big stuff and can tell zero difference between a 450 running at 2200-2250 and a 500 doing the same velocity, both produce dead critters, maybe a bit more penetration with a 500 solid, but not enough to make a difference. In particular I like the 450 Swift and 450 Barnes Banded combination for my 458 B&M and my 458 Winchesters. I move up to the Lotts then I go with the 500s of the same!

That's all I have.
Michael

500gr A-frame 458WM and Vit 540.No need for 450 when you can go 500.One hole 100yd accuracy with the toughness of the 500gr bullet.There is a difference between shooting something and SHOOTING SOMETHING!

quote:

can tell zero difference between a 450 running at 2200-2250 and a 500 doing the same velocity,

How do you know if they are not the same brnd bullet?

I have had great results with Woodleigh Softs,TBBC and Swift A Frames.

North Fork FP and Cup Points are the best solids out there IMHO.

I never used NF Softs in my doubles because Mike, being the conservative fellow that he is recommended against it.

I did not use them in my bolt rifles because I was involved in some ammo testing and have a little factory ammo left over.

However if I was going to reload for my bolt guns I can assure you I would use North Fork Softs if they were avialable.

If they are not the best soft points made they are sure in the top few.

Will
I have shot both 450-500 Barnes Banded solids. Same bullet.

Shootaway
While it is possible to get the 500 Barnes over 2100 in the 458 Win it is not in my 458 B&M. Same case capacity, but my 458 B&M has 18 inch barrels, and a 500 Barnes is very long. I can run other conventional 500s at 2140-2160 fps,but not the 500 Barnes. But the 450 Barnes is a different story and has more than enough penetration to do anything I need to do.
M

I prefer the North Forks to any bullet lead core bullet I have ever shot and I consider the monolithic cup point by Northfork the best all around bullet I have ever used in the 375 on up..I also like Woodleighs and GS Customs bullets and have used both them for years.

One bullet in particular that impresses me is the Nosler .416 cal 400 gr. bullet, it is a great bullet im my .416 and I have shot a number of buffalo with it, along with elk and bison...I understand they moved the partition further forward in it, but don't know that for sure, at any rate it works like a charm and generally makes two big holes in a buffalo on a broadside shot..

Lot of good bullets out there today, but these are the ones I have had my best luck with and I am an old nasty, get in the gut pile, bullet digger..

quote:

Originally posted by michael458:
Will
I have shot both 450-500 Barnes Banded solids. Same bullet.

Shootaway
While it is possible to get the 500 Barnes over 2100 in the 458 Win it is not in my 458 B&M. Same case capacity, but my 458 B&M has 18 inch barrels, and a 500 Barnes is very long. I can run other conventional 500s at 2140-2160 fps,but not the 500 Barnes. But the 450 Barnes is a different story and has more than enough penetration to do anything I need to do.
M

Michael,why build another short action round when the ones introduced by Winchester are thought by many to be failures? They require more stacking space and are more difficult to feed than slim cartridges.You should build a 460 or 465 Lott.That would slightly reduce the pressure of the Lott and still give you what the Lott has to offer.

Shootaway
It's the platform and cartridge combination. You see the rifles are WSM actions, 18 inch barrels, from 6.5lbs to 8 lbs depending on the stock configuration. The 50 fires 510 gr solids at 2100 fps---458 450s at 2250 and 500s at 2160--416 version 350s at 2460 fps and 400s at 2300 fps---all on a short, fast, handy, light to carry platform! This is why---It's the platform/cartridge combination. Cartridges are very efficient in the larger bores. No feeding issues. They have more then enough to do any job I require of them, and damn easy to carry, very handy, and very fast!

Now if I were building a bigger gun it would be Jeffes 2.55 inch versions. The 458-416 ARs. I believe those cartridges to be far superior to what we currently have, and to boot I think Jeffe could get by with shorter barrels, probably 20 inches on these cartridges. I have a 1/2 dozen or more Lotts, I do love them, but if I were doing another bigger 458 today it would be the 458 AR for sure!!!

Very simply put my reason for these is the platform they are built on!

I will catch you guys the end of the month, I am off to Alaska for bear/moose.

Michael

Michael

Good luck on your hunt, hope you get some BIG ones.

Let us know how it works out.

Yes, good luck on your hunt and stay safe!

JPK