Bwana-be,
Fritz454 has already made some beautiful 540 grain solids with a flat meplate at .410. The 470 Mbogo sends them out at 2400 fps without a problem. That is big sectional density and with that flat nose it should be devastating. If you read Ray's post on his use of Fritz's flat nose solids on Buffalo I think he said that the damage (wound channel) was indistinguishable between the soft point bullets and Fritz's solids. So you could imagine a .475 with a .410 flat nose.
Take care
Dave

Well, the obvious question is: How long are they?
(BTW, I'm looking forward to having a CZ Mbogo some time in the future....)

The 540 grain bullet is 1.558 in length. This still leaves lots of powder room in the 470 case. It wasn't any real problem to get 2400 fps.
Take care,
Dave

That seems awefully long. Must not be much lead in there.
I'll see if I can find the thread(s) you're talking about.

They are a brass solid turned out on a CNC machine. He can make any weight and meplate that you like. I just thought that I would like to try the 540 grain to see the difference in penetration with the higher sectional density.
Take care,
Dave

First off let's be honest, I'm biased.

These bullets flat out work. They do damage like a soft but have out penetrated any other solid I have tried in my recovery media. Now a hole all the way through is a hole all the way through but with traditional round nose FMJ the wound closes up and reduces the amount of blood loss. These do not close up and because of the hydrodynamic bubble created in front of the bullet do a tremendous amount of damage along the way.

Yes they are long for the weight. This is the nature of the material. It is some tough stuff. I got a description from Ray of shooting a dead buffalo in the head and down the spine. Bullet just kept on going. Now I don't know if the cal was .375 or .416 but that is pretty good, straight-line penetration. The bullets he was using were either 270 gr .375s or 370gr .416s so not even the small reduction in weight had a noticeable effect IMO.

Someone, I can't remember whom, did some penetration tests for me, and the bullets actually shot the back out of the recovery box. That was a first for him.

IMO pushing a bullet for DG past 2500 is an effort in silliness. If you can get a bullet going that fast in your gun great. Go up a bit in bullet weight and slow it down or just slow it down. The first animal I ever shot with these bullets was a Bison, not nearly as tough as a buffalo but big by any account. The load was a .416 rem using 350 gr bullet @ 2450. First shot shattered the shoulder and took out the top of the heart. The second shot went lengthwise and kept on going. The bull was 2400 lbs +/- a bit and 11 feet or so long. That second shot went 11 feet and then some. I didn't get any of the 4 bullets I ended up putting into that big boy back.

That mystical measurement of SD really doesn't hold much water any more. Bullet design varies so much that it is only relevant when comparing a 165gr Nosler BT to a 180 gr Nosler BT at the same impact velocity and then only as a reference.

Anyway, if you are so inclined take a look at Ray�s comments. I think they are on page two of the African Forum.

We will be making some of these out of a softer material. This will increase density and reduce the length to weight ratio but penetration will not be as great. This line of bullet has the double gun shooters as our target market.

We also have a controlled expanding line in the works with a high BC and positive expansion for the smaller calibers.

You can email me any questions anytime.

john@bridgerbullets.com

Hi John,
I see that your website will be active again soon, FFL approved, waiting for hard copy? Does that mean that all BATFE issues have been resolved?

www.bridgerbullets.com

I need some of those .475/540 grain FN's of yours to slow my 470 Mbogo down to sane velocity.

How about a .375/300 grain copper FN?

They are mythical, unobtainable, unless you or Saeed have any in the works. GSC is dead in the water, only got one oar in the water, etc.

You may be my last hope of getting the bullet of my dreams, unless I make them myself.

While you are at it, how about making a copy of the Walterhog soft in copper (Saeed's .375/300 grain hollowpoint), or your facsimile thereof, you know, beat Barnes to the .375/300 TSX, just put more cannelures or driving bands on it.

An announcement of when you are ready to ship what would be appreciated.

Are you producing bullets only as ordered? What is your inventory situation?

I cannot say I recall just what you offered on the web site before you shut it down.

If you are back full steam ahead, that is great news.

Thanks for checking in here. Any further information would be appreciated.

DaggaRon,
As soon as the hard copy license gets here we will be running full bore, sorry for the pun.

I am initially going to offer only one weight in each caliber to simplify stocking the shelves. I had no interest in investing tons of material while waiting on BATFE only to here later that it would be 2 years for them to get to my application. As it turns out is was only 4 months. Had the interview and all is in order. Now I only need the "hard copy" license, which can take up to a month to process.

I've been taking all of the input from people who email me as to what the weights should be. This is how it is shaking out.

.366 - 270 gr
.375 - 270 gr
.416 - 370 gr
.458 - 500 gr
.474 - 500 gr
.500/.510 - 550 gr
.585 - 800 gr
.620 - 900 gr

Once I've got a good supply of the above I will be adding the other weights as time permits.

We also have a softer, same profile, bullet for use in doubles or in any rifle for that matter. These will not penetrate like the standard bullets but are not as hard and will cut the rifling easier.

Next up is a controlled expansion bullet, which we have not finalized yet but is performing very well in test media at velocities from 1600 to 3500fps. Of course the real test is when we stick a few antelope, deer and elk with them this fall.

John

PS: I do have a bunch of those .474 - 540gr bullets 470 Mbogo likes. I'm building one and that is the bullet I will be loading in it.
JM

[ 09-30-2003, 01:28: Message edited by: fritz454 ]

John,
I am sure that I could find a use for any of your bullets from .366 through .509/.510.

When you can send some of the .474/540 grain my way, I shall order.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for a .375"/300 grain driving-banded-flat-nosed solid in bronze or copper some day, and maybe a soft to match?

Be a hero. Make a .375/300 grainer. Please!

DaggaRon,
The program is written for the .375 - 300gr and I have a few of the prototype run here. They will be soon to follow the 270gr bullets.

Next up, after the list above, will be the .375 - 300 gr followed by .416 - 400 gr. Public interest will dictate what follows. Of course I'll be making some of the oddball cal/weights for my own use/experimentation.

John

Wonderful! Thanks!

HI Dagga,
From what Ray was saying you won't have to have a soft point to go with and shoot to the same POI as the 540 Bridger bullet. Just load them up and knock stuff down.
Take care,
Dave

Dave,
That is what I was thinking too. One bullet, 540 grains at 2400 fps, make big hole in a straight path through any critter, let out blood good, big or small critter. No soft needed. Zero to 200 yards point and shoot. Dead critter. KISS Principle.

Daggaron and 470 mbogo.
The green ghost of envy is haunting me right now. You really have a lot of different bullets to feed your 475`s! Here in Norway the matter is a lot different. I have been thinking to feed my 475 A&M some 475 pistol bullets just to have a low cost alternative to swift woodleigh and barnes. Have you tried any for "plinking"?

Dypveit,
I have used the 400 grain Hornady XTP handgun bullet in a 470 NE.

Thanks for reminding me. I shall keep that in mind for the 470 Mbogo. Might be good for barking squirrels. Maybe 3000 fps with a 400 grainer? Hit the tree right next to the squirrel's head: Fresh meat!

Man oh man! The 470 Mbogo is getting more versatile. Another varmints-to-elephant contender for the crown!

DaggaRon.
Imagine what you can do with the 275gr (i think) barnes? Perfect for varmints. Do you remember loads and fps? I have never tried lighter bullets than 500 gr. have pushed them to 2730 fps. Never again! Working loads are 121gr of n204. That load gives about 2550. Thats enough my shoulder says.

My best 470 Mbogo load so far is the 500 grain Barnes XLC at 2561 fps using 110 grains of Reloder 15, in the "working rifle" pictured previously.

I did push the 500 grain Barnes Original RNSP to 2685 fps with 115 grains of Reloder 15, but quit there, more than enough! The 470 Mbogo will do more, but why?

Your .475 A&M is very similar to the 470 Mbogo, more than enough.

Hi Dypveit,
I cast lead bullets for my 470. They are 515 grains and paper patched, I can shoot them 2400 fps without a problem or leading of the barrel.
It's a good cheap way to do lots of shooting. Mow if a guy had more time.
Take care,
Daave

DaggaRon & Mbogo
Thanks for all information. Dagga you are absolutely right, no more velocity is really needed. I have also had good results with the barnes xlc bullet, but it seems like the gun digest all types of bullets with great accuracy as long as i do my job. Not so with lead bullets. Mbogo, mybe paperpatched bullets is the way to go. I have never tried that in any weapon.
Take care gentlemen.

There is not a thing wrong with either the Weatherby or Lazzaroni line of cartridges. They ALL do what they are designed to do. bill T.