Fail Safe ???

From what I have heard----YES
See latest HANDLOADER.
 
It looks like the Fail Safe bullet is on its way out. Winchester has the new MP3 bullet and is pushing them.

If you want some Fail Safe bullets, Midway has selected calibers on sale right now for $9.99 a box. A great deal if you use them.
 
I am surprised that someone did not chime in here and tell me that the new Winchester bullet is called an XP3 not an MP3 as I stated above.

It is a very interesting bullet with a lot of features, I hope they someday become available for handloaders.
 
I'm not surprised at its demise. It must have been very expensive to make. The profit margin couldn't have been much. Also with competition like the Accu-bond and Remington's Accu-tip, I don't think they could compete, price wise. I (or at least one of my 270's love the 140 gr Failsafe, so I just ordered 8 more boxes before they are no longer available. I may even order some more in the next few months.

Blaine
 
Yes they were definately expensive to make. And of course you had the notorious expansion (or lack thereof).....
 
I have heard to many stories of rifles not shooting them very well, and there expansion was lacking if no bone was encountered, kinda like the old barnes x bullets. There are a lot better bullets out there anyways. Plus they were to expensive for what you got, JMO.
 
I actually got 1" groups with thw 270 grainers out of my 378 WBY MAG. This was at 300 yards, so the potential for accuracy has always been there. Long range expansion was my concern.

Additionally I think they overdid it with the design. Talk about overkill! Steel heel inserts and yada yada..... The kind of bullet you want if you're hunting steel Bank Safes. Too darn expensive to make.. We will see what the new XP3 does. See below.

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Winchester’s New Supreme Elite ™ XP 3™ Bullet Incorporates Best Features Of Modern Bullet Designs
Winchester Ammunition has been on the leading edge of rifle bullet design for nearly 140 years. The company that has led the industry in innovative award-winning new products for countless years has just introduced a new line of rifle bullets that raises the bar of performance once again.

Winchester engineers took on the challenge of developing the ultimate rifle hunting bullet. The guidelines were simple, it had to be accurate and tough, but capable of working as well on thin-skinned game, like deer and antelope, as it did on tough game, like elk, moose, bear, and African animals.

The result is the new XP 3™ bullet from Winchester. It is as close to a perfect rifle bullet for hunting as you can get. It combines all the best-known bullet technology features into one bullet that gives precision accuracy, awesome knockdown power , and deep penetration all in one package. Winchester believes this ultimate hunting bullet has met standards high enough to be called Supreme Elite™. The Supreme Elite brand is reserved for the best of the best with cutting edge technology and ultimate performance.

XP 3 starts with a design that separates the front of the bullet from the rear lead core. This is achieved with a web of copper jacket material that mechanically locks the bullet together. In addition, a bonded (soldered) rear lead core locks the lead to the jacket. The bonding allows the lead to stay with the jacket during impact, resulting in nearly 100% weight retention and more energy deposited on target. The patent pending design yields a unique two-stage expansion at both the front and in the body of the bullet, resulting in massive knockdown power. The XP 3 bullet is capable of penetrating through tough bone, but still allows significant expansion in lighter, thin-skinned game like deer.

XP 3 is topped off with a polymer tip. This tip produces several benefits. First, it increases the ballistic coefficient, which improves down range performance. Second, the polymer tip helps produce consistent expansion of the hollow point design of the XP 3 bullet at a wide range of velocities. Third, it prevents damage while being loaded and unloaded out of the rifle. A boattail design on the rear of the bullet improves accuracy and increases down range performance.

The final step in the production of XP 3 is to coat it with Winchester’s proprietary Lubalox® coating. This coating helps reduce barrel fouling for improved accuracy over long shooting sessions.

The XP 3 bullet is designed to expand quickly on deer-sized game, yet retains the weight and energy needed to take even the largest game animals, like elk and moose. This new bullet will provide the hunter with extreme precision , power, and penetration – XP 3 .

In summary the XP 3 bullet features:

Proprietary Web Jacket: Provides unique two-step expansion for massive knockdown power

Boattail: For precision accuracy and down range energy

Bonding: Solders components together and results in outstanding penetration

Lubalox: Reduces barrel fouling

Polymer Tip: Gives precision accuracy and down range energy retention

XP 3 will be available in all popular game calibers in a variety of grain weights listed below. Calibers Grain Weights

30-06 150 gr. and 180 gr. 300 WSM 150 gr. and 180 gr.

300 Win Mag 150 gr. and 180 gr.

308 Win 150 gr.

7mm Rem Mag 160 gr.

7 mm WSM 160 gr.

270 Win 150 gr.

270 WSM 150 gr.

Winchester engineers were challenged with the task to design the perfect rifle bullet. The XP 3 comes closer to perfection than any other rifle bullet ever eveloped. The XP 3 delivers extreme precision , power , and penetration .

Cartridges loaded with the XP 3 will be available in early 2006.
 
For all you Failsafe naysayers, shame on you! Numerous muleys, elk, and 2 nice sized black bears have been stopped with this bullet, all hit the ground with a single round, and did not get up again. And only a couple required a finishing shot. I load this bullet in my 270 Win and my 338 Win Mag. It's a sad day when a premium quality bullet bites the dust for the sole reason that so many "experts" can effectively kill paper targets, but fail to make even a decent shot when in the field..... :evil:
 
Dude chill! We should feel free to express our feelings here :lol:

I saw my Commander shoot a Bison bull under 50 yards with a 338 WIN MAG 230 FS. The whole hunt/dressing out was on video. Got him behind the shoulder (Classic Lung Shot).
Well the Lt. Colonel was kinda new to hunting and he wanted to do the "1 shot 1 kill" thing. Would you believe 20 minutes later (yes the fellas kept on filming and no one had the sense to tell the Colonel that the ethical thing to do is put the animal down!) the bison shown no sign of being hit and went back to feeding!!!! :shock:
The Colonel put 2 more shots in him...one neck. When they dressed him out the lungs looked like somebody had stabbed that bison with a 338 caliber knit needle.

What can I say...nuff said I guess.
 
I always thought that this was a complex and expensive bullet.
For those that like them stock up while supplies last.

I will just keep buying my PT and AB factory seconds.
Thanks Nosler2 and Accublond. :wink:

Regards,

JD338
 
JD338":7nxaoyla said:
I always thought that this was a complex and expensive bullet.

Regards,

JD338

Yup you're dead on. Definately overkill! They should have spent 50% of their R&D on how to make it expand at 1500 fps :lol: :lol: :twisted: :wink:
 
I just checked the link to Midway and the Fail Safes are gone. They must have sold out......not surprised at $9.99/ box of 50.

Blaine
 
sorry dude.

Did you check out midsouth, lock stock barrel, natchesz etc?
 
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