In times past I've used TBS sledgehammers and had great success, but they were the original Jack Carter TBS's. Of course I don't see any problem with the Woodies other than they are a little harsh on the barrel but it's not like I shoot solids week in and week out through my big bores (416,458,500 N.E.) so they have always been a good solid, maybe not a great solid IMO. Don't want to pick on someone's favorite bullet but I do not do barnes triple-x solids and we'll leave it at that.

1. Back to my original question, now that Mike (Northfork) is making solids has anyone tried them out on dangerous game(meaning buffs and eles)416 caliber and greater? What caliber and weight of bullet.

2. Has anyone tried the GS solids on dangerous game? What caliber and weight of bullet.

3. Has anyone had any feeding problems with the GS solid bullets in their bolt rifles, due to the large meplat?

4. Has anyone tried both the Northfork solids and the GS solids and have choosen one over the other for certain personal reasons?

5. What is the overall length comparison between a GS solid and a Northfork solid same weight, in any given caliber 416 and up.

Thanks, Dirk

....2 members off the top of my head are 500 grains and JPK .......Pretty good writeups on them

I have used them both on buffalo quit a bit and seen them used on elephant..I would use either..Both are good choices, Mike Brady wasn't sure last time I talked to him if they were tough enough for elephant, but thats been some time ago and I know folks that have been using them and like them on elephant..Butch Searcys son used them on an elephant this year and he and Butch were very pleased I am told by Butch.

The best flat nose bullet I ever used was made by John McMarrow, but John got some serious health problems and quit makeing bullets I guess..They were the hardest, toughest bullet I ever saw..I have a cigar box full of them for the 416 Rem. plus about 200 loaded,that I cherish like gold.

Atkinson,what is a tough solid made of?

The Bridger solid made by John McMorrow is bronze.

In my 450 No2 British double I have used 450 North Fork Cup Points and Flat Points on Giraffe with excellent results.

I also shot a bull elephant, frontal brain, at 6 yards with a North Fork Flat Point.

The bullet exited the brain cavity, and went so far down into the body that we could not find it.

I also shot a cow elephant at [well I steped out in frong of her at @3 yards, but she was backing up and turning as I shot], the first shot missed the brain but knocked her down, a body shot did not keep her down but a side brain finished the deal.

I have shot several elephants with 480 Woodleighs as well.

The NFFP give much greater penetration.

They are very easy on your barrel as well.

My loads are just over 2200fps with the 450 NF bullets.

How you guys doing. Saw this and thought I should post. I think both Mike and Gerard make a hell of a product. No way to go wrong with either.

Saeed's bullet is overall the most accurate bullet I've come across. Sure the rifle matters but bullet for bullet it's hard to beat.

Thanks for the kind words Ray. A lot of work went into the design of those bullets. Your input was instrumental it getting them to work as they did.

Chris, how are things in the north? Are you still working just over the border? If so one of these days we need to go shoot some prairie dogs. Just to clear it up, I never used bronze. I felt some of the trace metals would be harmful to a barrel with bronze. It was mostly copper but not pure copper. Came from a foundry in Ohio (I think).

Rip, The bullet you have doesn't have the hole drilled all the way. Looks like in was only center drilled. IIRC the hole should be .325 deep.

It you make a run of these I would opt for a 270 gr version. Especially if it's to be chambered in 375 H&H or 375 ruger. This would shorten the OAL and still kill just as well. The faster larger cases could make use of a 300 gr version but would need a bigger magazine. Although I never saw any real advantage with a mono metal bullet and the small weight increase.

I had a few versions of the Walterhog that I was working on to improve expansion as slower speeds but I never shot them enough to say it was any better. Although it seemed to be better with the work I did do with them.

Good luck with your project it is a bullet worth duplicating. John

Thanks, John. You made the most accurate bullets I have ever fired.
Ron

I use the GS custom solids in my 500NE, and on the couple of elly and buff I have used it on they were great. The only one recovered was from an elephant that was down but looked like it wanted to get up again, so I shot it under the chin and the bullet exited the top of the skull and made a furrow in the dirt about 7/8 metres on the other side. I scrounged along the furrow and finally found the bullet. It is shown on GS's site.
I also loaded some 416's for a fellow PH to use in his 416 flanged Searcy double.
He is also very happy with them, straight line penetration is excellent

FWIW, I try not to shoot my rifle any more than absolutely necessary but when I do, I use the GS Custom mono solid on pretty much everything except the cats. They feed like butter in my .500 Jeffery and they penetrate brilliantly. Several times, I've even used them to shoot through trees of about something like 16 inch circumference and then into (wounded) Buffalo that thought they were safe behind the cover.

The GS Custom, is without a doubt, the best solid I've ever used. - The bullet on the left is a Woodleigh SP.

GSC vs North Fork: It's a tie.
Use the one you can get your hands on.

Shakari,why is it the best solid you have ever used? Have YOU performed an HONEST,SIMPLE,and STRAIGHTFORWARD TEST?

RIP,a tie like in a hockey match?

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Shakari,why is it the best solid you have ever used? Have YOU performed an HONEST,SIMPLE,and STRAIGHTFORWARD TEST?

Shoo Thataway translation.

"I wasn't breast fed as a child and my diaper needs changing."

There is no WAY this guy is for real!

John McMorrow,
How in the world are you..Give us an update on your bullets, did you sell to someone else or what?
They were and are the hands down best solid ever produced, hate not to see them on the market as I am getting low on everything except .416s, still have a bunch of those babies.

I shot an elephant in the Selous with a Bridger bullet and got complete head penetration, a month later I was in the Masai and caught a Moran with that bullet tied around his neck, said it hit him in the back..I took it away from him and reloaded it!

Yes I have performed lots of HONEST,SIMPLE,and STRAIGHTFORWARD TESTS -

I've shot lots of different bullets into lots of different big animals at lots of different ranges in lots of different hunting areas and terrains. - Probably not as good as sitting them on or in a vice and whacking the shit out of them with a big hammer, but as I unfortunately have spend more time in the bush rather than in a garage, it was the best I could do under the circumstances.

..........Good answer Shakari !! Shoothataway is like the kid in school who would put tacks in kids chairs ...Course , if he keeps growing primer pockets the way he claims to ,, soon there will be no more posts from montreal.,.,

quote:

I've shot lots of different bullets into lots of different big animals at lots of different ranges in lots of different hunting areas and terrains. - Probably not as good as sitting them on or in a vice and whacking the shit out of them with a big hammer, but as I unfortunately have spend more time in the bush rather than in a garage, it was the best I could do under the circumstances.

Well Steve...thats just not gonna cut it I'm afraid...anecdotal deductions from the garage far outweigh vast field observations old chap

Ah well, maybe I'll try to make up for it next year by spending more time in the garage......

quote:

Originally posted by fritz454:
How you guys doing. Saw this and thought I should post.

Great to see you posting. I hope you are doing well.

quote:

Chris, how are things in the north? Are you still working just over the border? If so one of these days we need to go shoot some prairie dogs. Just to clear it up, I never used bronze. I felt some of the trace metals would be harmful to a barrel with bronze. It was mostly copper but not pure copper. Came from a foundry in Ohio (I think).

Hi John,

Great to see you posting! Hope everything is well at your end. Its all good here. Still living just over the border...I am game for a p-dog shoot anytime. We really should plan something.

Thanks for the correction on the metal you used in your FN solids. Not sure how I got bronze in my head (either someone else said it, or the light color threw me off), but I'm glad you've kept me from spreading that mis-info any further.

Keep well and best of the season,
Chris

Chris I felt that some of the trace metals in bronze would make it wear the barrels too much. A concequence of that is higher pressures although the banded bearing surface mitigates a lot of that issue. What I used was close to a regular brass but softer by a bit to aid in engraving of the rifling. No big deal but if others try to use bronze I would hate to see my fears come to fruition.

Dogs are down for the winter but come spring it would be a lot of fun to do a day or two shoot. Maybe Dave would joing us. Hell we could make a group thing if people are willing to travel. A 458 caliber or larger varmint hunt Lets keep in touch. John

Ray you have a PM

JOHN!!!
You are back!!

Welcome back John! I wonder how your doing everytime I go through Bozeman.

465H&H