OT, Round nose vs Spire Point

[mikld]

I thought I'd seen this subject here before but I did a quick search and found nuttin'.

Round nose vs Spire point bullets as far as accuracy. I believe I read the difference between the two is so slight as to be of no importance (accuracy wise) out to a couple hundred yards. I'm starting to reload for my 30-30 rifle (not a lever) and have purchased some Hornady 155 gr. A-Max, I have some Beartooth 160 gr LFP cast, and am looking for a round nose in 150 gr or 170 gr. and will soon get a Lyman 311041 mold.

No specific game in mind just couldn't remember the specifics of round vs pointy...

[chainsaw]

I always assumed it was more of a manufacturer thing than a rn vs. sp thing.

[Old Savage]

Both can be very accurate. Cast or jacketed.

[Pisgah]

A certain spirepoint may show better accuracy than a certain roundnose in a particular rifle, or vice versa; but I don't believe you could legitimately generalize and say one style is more accurate that the other. Where a spitzer has the advantage is in its superior ballistic coefficient, which theoretically gives it a flatter trajectory at long ranges.

[t.r.]

I've fired badly dented 22LR bullets that struck to same spot as pristine bullets. Inexplicable but true.

Germans invented the boat tail bullets for long range machine gunning. They were not seeking greater accuracy but simply longer usable range. Somewhere along the time line since then a myth has perpetuated that boat tail bullets are vastly more accurate. My good friend, Rick, has loaded every brand and weight for his 25-06 rifle. Most accurate by far is the Sierra Pro Hunter which features a flat base. I've likewise achieved very excellent accuracy with Sierra Pro Hunter fired in my .308 carbine.

The attached photo shows my favorite "long range" load for my 30-30 carbine. In this case, the pointed 125 gr bullet along with lighter weight and higher velocity shoots tighter groups at 200 yards than any flat nose bullet I've tried.

In summary, there are many factors which affect accuracy and trajectory. I do not pretend to have all the answers.

TR

[mikld]

If I can remember correctly, this topic generated much more intrest when posted before (I wish I could find it). Many more personal examples and data like t.r. posted. Oh well...

[Old Savage]

I think that flat base generally prove to be more accurate but depends on the rifle and the bullet. BC through flight is more consistent with flat base - check the Sierra tables on this. I have a 280 which has put five of the 165 RN factory in .9" at 100 and they do not look like precision formed bullets.

[Hobie]

Every rifle is different...

[earlmck]

My favorite old Marlin 30/30 makes about a 2.5 to 3" for 5 shots group at 100 yards with most everything including various 170 grain jacketed and the 311041. Which does me fine for everyday shooting, of which this baby sees quite a lot. But it does especially like the Speer 110gr. spire point with 32 gr. RL7. Puts these into about 1.5". I haven't tried the 125 Sierra that TR recommends, but I believe I'm going to have to change that...

Ya just never know 'till you try, and it is fun doing the trying.

[Old Savage]

Comparing 30-30 accuracy, mine will shoot 3/4" for 3 with either the 170 Power Point or the Federal 170s. With the 25-35 I got good accuracy, inch groups with the Hornady 117s, the Winchester factory loads and the 100 Gr Barnes TSX that I made up for condor country and those are a mild boattail. With that same rifle Jeff of Gunblast got excellent accuracy with both spire and round nose and the targets are available on his site.

[JReed]

The relationship of the bearing surface of the bullet and the rifling of the barrel in combination with twist rate and velocity is what really comes into play when it comes to accuracy. Round nose or spire point means next to nothing. If the above don't match up with the rifle you are shooting a match grade bullet will key hole and look like a shotgun pattern.

[El Chivo]

I agree that it has more to do with twist rate and balance than a little bit of drag. I have had a very good load for .357 and Oregon Trail roundnose flatpoint 158's. I also tried a box of their 158 semi-wadcutters. I loaded them up the same way - Same powder, cases, primer, everything, but for some reason the swc's were all over the place. It got a little embarrassing to shoot them up. I was shooting swingers and would hit the one next to the one I was actually aiming at if I hit anything at all. Since these distances were 50-75 yards a little extra drag could not have had anything to do with it. Just something wrong with the amount of "english" the barrel puts on that particular bullet.