Lehigh Ammo

Lehigh Defense Ammo: In Depth

Lehigh Defense is a well-respected brand known for its innovative ammunition. Founded in 2004, Lehigh Defense has quickly made a name for itself with a strong focus on creating advanced and reliable ammunition for shooters and hunters. Based in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, the company takes pride in its engineering expertise and commitment to quality.

Lehigh Defense specializes in high-performance ammunition, particularly their unique projectile designs. They are renowned for their solid copper bullets, which offer superior performance compared to traditional lead-based ammunition. Their products include Controlled Fracturing bullets, which are designed to expand and fragment upon impact, providing maximum stopping power and minimal over-penetration. This makes them a popular choice for personal defense and law enforcement.

Lehigh Defense is known for its commitment to research and development. Lehigh Defense is renowned for its commitment to research and development, consistently pushing the boundaries of ammunition and reloading bullets, ensuring their customers receive the most advanced products available. Their dedication to quality and innovation has earned them a loyal customer base and a solid reputation in the firearms community. Whether you are a professional shooter, hunter, or simply a firearm enthusiast, Lehigh Defense offers accessories and ammunition that enhance performance and reliability.

Lehigh Defense Ammo History

Lehigh Defense was founded in 2004 by Dave Fricke in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. The company began as a small enterprise focused on creating innovative and high-quality ammunition and projectiles. Fricke, an engineer with a passion for shooting sports, aimed to improve traditional ammunition designs, leading to significant innovations that have defined the company’s success.

One of Lehigh Defense's most notable early achievements was the development of the Controlled Fracturing (CF) Bullet. This projectile design features pre-stressed fractures that cause the bullet to split into multiple segments upon impact, creating a larger wound channel. This innovation has been particularly effective for hunting and self-defense applications, earning the company a strong reputation in these markets.

Lehigh Defense continued to innovate with their Xtreme Defense (XD) and Xtreme Penetrator (XP) bullet lines. The XD bullets are designed to cause maximum tissue disruption without over-penetration, making them ideal for self-defense. The XP bullets are engineered to penetrate barriers such as glass and metal while maintaining trajectory, catering to the needs of law enforcement and military personnel.

In late 2021, Wilson Combat acquired Lehigh Defense. This acquisition integrated Lehigh Defense into Wilson Combat's portfolio, allowing Lehigh to benefit from Wilson Combat's resources and expertise. As part of the acquisition, Lehigh Defense increased its production capacity and expanded its manufacturing capabilities. Dave Fricke retained minority ownership and continues to contribute to the company's operations.

Lehigh Defense has established relationships with several notable customers, including law enforcement agencies and military units. Their ammunition is often used in specialized applications where traditional bullets may not perform adequately. Additionally, their products are popular among civilian shooters who demand high performance and reliability.

Throughout its history, Lehigh Defense has been dedicated to advancing ammunition technology. The company's ongoing commitment to research and development has resulted in numerous patents and industry awards. Today, Lehigh Defense is recognized as a leader in the field of high-performance ammunition, trusted by professionals and enthusiasts alike.

Lehigh Defense Ammo Products

Controlled Chaos

  • Use Case: Designed for hunters and self-defense enthusiasts who require reliable terminal performance. Available in calibers such as .223 Remington, 6.5mm Grendel, and .308 Winchester.
  • Unique Features: This bullet fragments upon impact, creating multiple wound channels. The initial penetration is deep, followed by a controlled fragmentation that ensures the bullet effectively disrupts the target's vital organs, leading to rapid incapacitation.

Controlled Fracturing

  • Use Case: Ideal for self-defense and medium to large game hunting. Available in calibers like 9mm, .357 Magnum, and .458 SOCOM.
  • Unique Features: The Controlled Fracturing bullet is engineered to split into several pieces upon impact. This controlled break-up increases the probability of hitting vital areas, enhancing the bullet's stopping power and ensuring a more effective and humane kill.

Match Solid

  • Use Case: Best for competitive shooters and those practicing precision shooting. Available in calibers such as .243 Winchester, .260 Remington, and 6.5mm Creedmoor.
  • Unique Features: These bullets are designed for superior accuracy and consistency. The Match Solid bullets are made with precision machining techniques, resulting in a projectile that offers tight groupings and minimal deviation, essential for competition-level performance.

Maximum Expansion

  • Use Case: Specifically designed for hunting to ensure quick, humane kills. Available in calibers like .380 Auto, .45 ACP, and 10mm Auto.
  • Unique Features: The Maximum Expansion bullet dramatically expands upon impact, creating a large wound channel. This rapid expansion ensures that the bullet transfers all its energy to the target, causing significant damage and reducing the likelihood of the target fleeing.

Tipped Controlled Chaos

  • Use Case: Optimal for long-range hunting where accuracy and terminal performance are critical. Available in calibers such as 6.5mm Creedmoor and .308 Winchester.
  • Unique Features: These bullets combine the fragmenting characteristics of the Controlled Chaos line with a polymer tip. The tip improves ballistic coefficients for better accuracy and initiates the fragmentation process upon impact, enhancing the bullet's performance over extended distances.

Tipped Maximum Expansion

  • Use Case: Perfect for hunters needing precise shots and maximum damage. Available in calibers like .223 Remington, 6mm ARC, and .308 Winchester.
  • Unique Features: The polymer tip in the Tipped Maximum Expansion bullets enhances their aerodynamics, making them more accurate over long distances. Upon impact, the tip helps the bullet expand rapidly, creating extensive damage to the target.

Tipped Xtreme Chaos

  • Use Case: Suitable for hunting large game that requires deep penetration and extensive energy transfer. Available in calibers such as .300 Blackout and .350 Legend.
  • Unique Features: This bullet is designed to maximize energy transfer to the target. The polymer tip improves flight stability and upon impact, the bullet ensures deep penetration followed by substantial energy release, making it effective against larger animals.

Wide Flat Nose

  • Use Case: Ideal for lever-action rifles and suitable for both hunting and target shooting. Available in calibers like .38 Special, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt.
  • Unique Features: The Wide Flat Nose bullets offer reliable feeding and performance in lever-action firearms. They are known for their excellent terminal ballistics, providing a balance of penetration and expansion, which is crucial for hunters and target shooters alike.

Xtreme Cavitator

  • Use Case: Versatile for both hunting and self-defense, providing reliable stopping power. Available in calibers like 9mm, .45 ACP, and .458 SOCOM.
  • Unique Features: The Xtreme Cavitator bullet features a unique design that creates a large wound cavity. This increases the bullet’s effectiveness by enhancing tissue disruption, leading to quicker incapacitation of the target.

Xtreme Chaos

  • Use Case: Effective for hunting large game where deep penetration is necessary. Available in calibers such as .308 Winchester and .300 Blackout.
  • Unique Features: These bullets are engineered to deliver maximum energy transfer and deep penetration. The Xtreme Chaos design ensures that the bullet reaches vital organs even in large animals, making it highly effective for big game hunting.

Xtreme Defense

  • Use Case: Tailored for self-defense scenarios where deep penetration and quick incapacitation are critical. Available in calibers like .380 Auto, 9mm, and .40 S&W.
  • Unique Features: The Xtreme Defense bullets are designed to penetrate deeply and create large wound cavities. This ensures that the bullet can incapacitate an attacker quickly, providing reliable performance in critical situations.

Xtreme Penetrator

  • Use Case: Suitable for both hunting tough game and self-defense. Available in calibers such as 10mm Auto, .45 ACP, and .458 SOCOM.
  • Unique Features: The Xtreme