Anyone buy bullets from LEADHEAD BULLETS?

MaineColt · April 6, 2008, 07:38 PM

I just ordered some bullets from Leadhead Bullets out in St. John, Kansas. The owner was extremely helpful over the phone, we talked for 1/2 hour about different loads and hunting with the .44 mag. He has experience with the same revolver as mine, (Redhawk, 5.5" Bbl) and gave me some load data that was extremely accurate out of his.

I ordered 300 grain hard-cast with a gascheck. He said they actually weigh 305 each. Can't wait to try them in Texas on wild hog.

Wondering if anyone else has ever used bullets from this guy.

Kev

MaineColt · April 7, 2008, 06:18 AM

I'm not advertising for this guy, but this is his website;

https://secure25.securewebsession.co....com/order.htm

Kev

nitesite9 · April 7, 2008, 09:13 PM

I'm loading the Leadhead 168-gr Keith bullet in .358". It's a flat based Keith bullet like the #358429.

Wonderful accuracy and high quality. Slug your throats and barrel, pick the right powder and the hard alloy of Leadheads really shines!

MaineColt · April 8, 2008, 06:35 AM

Good to hear that you like your's as I have a box on its way.

Thanks, Kev

AlaskaMike · April 9, 2008, 09:37 AM

Leadhead's is very, very good. If I didn't start casting my own I'd buy more from them in a heartbeat!

Mike

Sarge · April 9, 2008, 11:00 AM

I must be the only guy on earth who had a box of these that just wouldn't shoot. They were 44 Keiths and from a proven-accurate sixgun, groups went from this, with Aaron Bittner's 'Keiths'...

...to barely keeping six shots on the silhouette behind, with LeadHead's version. As near as I could tell these 44 bullets had been run hot; they had good-sized, off-center sprue divots on their bases. An acquaintance who was advised of the issues took them off my hands and I never called Tom (who is just a hell of a nice guy) about them.

I also ordered a thousand 200 grain .45 SWC at the same time as the Keiths. They have been decent enough bullets, grouping in 4" at 50 yards
from my rattletrap 1911, using range mongrel brass. They are neither the best nor the worst bullets of this type I have run through this gun.

I think what happened in the case of the Keiths was, as usual, I managed to get the only bad example of an otherwise decent product. Lots of other folks have thought LeadHeads were fantastic and I wouldn't steer anyone away from them based on my results.

MaineColt · April 10, 2008, 08:29 AM

Sarge,
Sorry to hear about your poor luck with those bullets.

I talked to Tom over the phone. Extremely nice guy. When I told him that I was going to load his 300 grain bullets in my .44 Redhawk for boar hunting this summer, he gave me load data that was very accurate in his brother's Redhawk. (300 grain hard-cast with gas check, 21.0 of W296, CCI, mag primers) He says they made one ragged hole @ 25 yds. I'll know what they'll do in my Redhawk as soon as they get here. He also said that this load shot lengthwise through a large boar.

Kev

UniversalFrost · April 10, 2008, 09:31 AM

you might have been crimping too much to get them to "fly" . This is usually the case when I switch manufacturers and find that the new bullets won't pattern worth a darn. A little less or more crimp and you would have closed up the pattern.

Sarge · April 10, 2008, 02:49 PM

UF,

I have been loading Keith and SWC bullets since the 70's and am well familiar with the methods of perfecting the crimp for cast bullets, with and without crimping grooves. I shot about 100 of these as I went through the various protocols and powder/charge adjustments, trying to find the sweet spot.

The OP asked if anyone has used LeadHeads and I answered up, complete with the qualifier that I had the misfortune of getting what appears to be the only bum box of bullets from this guy, in recorded history. I also gave a fair rating of the .45's I got from him. These are the only SWC bullets I ever tried that just flat would not shoot. I've been at this long enough to know the difference.

W. C. Quantrill · April 10, 2008, 05:56 PM

We have used a thousand Leadhead 270 gr .45 Keiths now with no complaints. They are accurate, and they penetrate deep. In fact, I have not recovered one yet from a deer as they pass through with a tremendous wound channel.

We are making killing shots out to about 80 yards with the heavy Rugers. Most of the time, the deer drop right there. I have not had one go more than 40 yards.

Tom is not a stranger in the bullet world.

MaineColt · April 11, 2008, 09:53 AM

We have used a thousand Leadhead 270 gr .45 Keiths now with no complaints. They are accurate, and they penetrate deep. In fact, I have not recovered one yet from a deer as they pass through with a tremendous wound channel.

We are making killing shots out to about 80 yards with the heavy Rugers. Most of the time, the deer drop right there. I have not had one go more than 40 yards.

Tom is not a stranger in the bullet world.

That's great to hear. Just what I was hoping for when I started this post.

Kev

April 6, 2008, 07:38 PM	#1
MaineColt Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Maine Posts: 222	Anyone buy bullets from LEADHEAD BULLETS? I just ordered some bullets from Leadhead Bullets out in St. John, Kansas. The owner was extremely helpful over the phone, we talked for 1/2 hour about different loads and hunting with the .44 mag. He has experience with the same revolver as mine, (Redhawk, 5.5" Bbl) and gave me some load data that was extremely accurate out of his. I ordered 300 grain hard-cast with a gascheck. He said they actually weigh 305 each. Can't wait to try them in Texas on wild hog. Wondering if anyone else has ever used bullets from this guy. Kev

April 9, 2008, 11:00 AM	#6
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	I must be the only guy on earth who had a box of these that just wouldn't shoot. They were 44 Keiths and from a proven-accurate sixgun, groups went from this, with Aaron Bittner's 'Keiths'... ...to barely keeping six shots on the silhouette behind, with LeadHead's version. As near as I could tell these 44 bullets had been run hot; they had good-sized, off-center sprue divots on their bases. An acquaintance who was advised of the issues took them off my hands and I never called Tom (who is just a hell of a nice guy) about them. I also ordered a thousand 200 grain .45 SWC at the same time as the Keiths. They have been decent enough bullets, grouping in 4" at 50 yards from my rattletrap 1911, using range mongrel brass. They are neither the best nor the worst bullets of this type I have run through this gun. I think what happened in the case of the Keiths was, as usual, I managed to get the only bad example of an otherwise decent product. Lots of other folks have thought LeadHeads were fantastic and I wouldn't steer anyone away from them based on my results. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

April 10, 2008, 09:31 AM	#8
UniversalFrost Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,300	you might have been crimping too much to get them to "fly" . This is usually the case when I switch manufacturers and find that the new bullets won't pattern worth a darn. A little less or more crimp and you would have closed up the pattern. __________________ Lifetime member VFW and NRA "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (when all else fails play dead) -Red Green

April 10, 2008, 02:49 PM	#9
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	UF, I have been loading Keith and SWC bullets since the 70's and am well familiar with the methods of perfecting the crimp for cast bullets, with and without crimping grooves. I shot about 100 of these as I went through the various protocols and powder/charge adjustments, trying to find the sweet spot. The OP asked if anyone has used LeadHeads and I answered up, complete with the qualifier that I had the misfortune of getting what appears to be the only bum box of bullets from this guy, in recorded history. I also gave a fair rating of the .45's I got from him. These are the only SWC bullets I ever tried that just flat would not shoot. I've been at this long enough to know the difference. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

April 10, 2008, 05:56 PM	#10
W. C. Quantrill Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2008 Location: No Man's Land Posts: 354	We have used a thousand Leadhead 270 gr .45 Keiths now with no complaints. They are accurate, and they penetrate deep. In fact, I have not recovered one yet from a deer as they pass through with a tremendous wound channel. We are making killing shots out to about 80 yards with the heavy Rugers. Most of the time, the deer drop right there. I have not had one go more than 40 yards. Tom is not a stranger in the bullet world. __________________ NRA Life Whittington Center Life

April 7, 2008, 06:18 AM	#2
MaineColt Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Maine Posts: 222	I'm not advertising for this guy, but this is his website; https://secure25.securewebsession.co....com/order.htm Kev

April 7, 2008, 09:13 PM	#3
nitesite9 Member Join Date: February 4, 2008 Location: Morgan County, Alabama Posts: 29	I'm loading the Leadhead 168-gr Keith bullet in .358". It's a flat based Keith bullet like the #358429. Wonderful accuracy and high quality. Slug your throats and barrel, pick the right powder and the hard alloy of Leadheads really shines! __________________ Deputy Sheriff 1983-1985 Regular Army 1985-1993 E-7 NRA Member

April 8, 2008, 06:35 AM	#4
MaineColt Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Maine Posts: 222	Good to hear that you like your's as I have a box on its way. Thanks, Kev

April 9, 2008, 09:37 AM	#5
AlaskaMike Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Posts: 941	Leadhead's is very, very good. If I didn't start casting my own I'd buy more from them in a heartbeat! Mike

April 10, 2008, 08:29 AM	#7
MaineColt Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Maine Posts: 222	Sarge, Sorry to hear about your poor luck with those bullets. I talked to Tom over the phone. Extremely nice guy. When I told him that I was going to load his 300 grain bullets in my .44 Redhawk for boar hunting this summer, he gave me load data that was very accurate in his brother's Redhawk. (300 grain hard-cast with gas check, 21.0 of W296, CCI, mag primers) He says they made one ragged hole @ 25 yds. I'll know what they'll do in my Redhawk as soon as they get here. He also said that this load shot lengthwise through a large boar. Kev

April 11, 2008, 09:53 AM	#11
MaineColt Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Maine Posts: 222	We have used a thousand Leadhead 270 gr .45 Keiths now with no complaints. They are accurate, and they penetrate deep. In fact, I have not recovered one yet from a deer as they pass through with a tremendous wound channel. We are making killing shots out to about 80 yards with the heavy Rugers. Most of the time, the deer drop right there. I have not had one go more than 40 yards. Tom is not a stranger in the bullet world. That's great to hear. Just what I was hoping for when I started this post. Kev