I've got the Woodleighs, both softs and solids to regulate in my 470 Merkel. beleive it or not, it wasn't that hard. Factory regulation was done with the Federal Sledgehammer load. The question...any reason to mess (well there's ALWAYS a reason to MESS) with any other bullets to actually HUNT the black bulls with? I know GS Custom has some flat points and the Cup Points that Ray touts aren't available (to me) yet. That said...these Woodleighs shoot nice and I'm sure they'll do the job but as handloaders and tinkerers...as I'm sure all double gun folks are, should my quest continue...or is the perfect regulation for these bullets nirvana enough? Thanks.

Gary B.

The Woodleighs are excellent bullets - classic shape, round nose, well made softs and solids... and if you've got them regulated and "it ain't broke..."

Of course now that you've got that load "in the bank" you can still tinker and know that you've got an "ace in the hole" with the woodleighs. They'll definitely get a buffs attention... fast!

Keep tinkering!

Federal is using the Woodleighs in their .470 Nitro and also in their new upcoming .404 Jeff and I'd think they've done their research.

I'm probably in a minority, but i wasn't happy with the woodleigh softs in 470 on buffalo. They seemed to mushroom out to fast and I didn't get the penetration, so I went to barnes x. I used the same load as for the woodleighs and they shot to the same impact, etc. (91 gr RL15)

How many buffalo did you shoot with the Woodleighs? Or rather how many times did the Woodleigh bullet perform in that manner?

I've used the Barnes X for several years with good results, but did have one 200gr .308 "bananna" with minimal petal opening on a mule deer.

Thanks, gents. I was actually thinking more of the solids (should have clarified) because of the rounded nose shape in lieu of the flatter nose associated with the GS and North Forks. I'm suprised you had a problem, butchloc, with the softs....I've heard and read real good things about them...actually better things about them than the A-Frames and TB softs. As far as the X's...I've only used those in fast guns...25-06, 280 and 338....all with excellent results. thanks again for the responses.

Gary B.

I've killed a couple of buff with the Woodleigh 500 grain standard soft nose in .458 diameter (in a Lott) and they did expand more than I might have liked. Still, they penetrated deep enough and killed them dead enough.

But I'd feel better in future using Woodleigh protected point softs. They are tougher than the standard Woodleigh softs and I think are better suited to buff where big bones may have to be broken.

The Woodleigh solids I have used on buff and hippo either passed straight through or when recovered on raking shots could have been reloaded. In short, they have been perfect.

Woodleighs RULE! Enough said.

ASS_CLOWN

Well things sure are moving on.

Hornady RN softs were suitable in the old days at reasonable velocities.
Hornady toughened them up for the magnums.

Woodleighs came out and were generally considered better for big game than hornadies.

However woodleighs are now expanding too much at the old slow velocities.

If game gets much tougher, bullet manufacturers marketing will be purely based around what the best colour is to paint tungsten carbide solids.


Karl.

I have shot a lot of Buffalo with Woodleighs in soft and solid and never have I had a complaint. I have used them on Buff in the .375, 404, 450-400, 458 Lott, and 505 Gibbs and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again..

I field tested the 350 gr. 375 and 450 gr.416s in Africa on a number of buffalo and they are an excellent bullet and give you a one up on most 300 and 400 gr. bullets IMO...

I have a lot of expanded Woodliehs laying around here that came out of buff, eland and what not....

Butchloc,

The WL softs seem to work well at .470NE velocity i.e. 2150. Were you driving them faster in a Capstick, Mbogo etc??

Brett

GaryBy,

Woodleigh solids work great. BUT, on heavy bone the base can tend to squish a little and a wee bit of the lead core can get pushed out. GS bullets also work great, but on heavy bone they can get dented noses. These little deformites do not seem to affect penetration so I do not worry about it.

They all seem to do funny things from time-to-time, but as somoene once asked:

"At what point exactly during the death of the animal did the bullet fail?"

Never buy off on that silly comment made by a dork at Sierra, the bullet didn't fail because a follow up shot usually kills whereas the failed bullet did not....