I've noticed in the tech sheets in the Fouling Shot that most shooters use heavy for caliber bullets. Why are heavy for caliber bullets more accurate? Is it the better BC? Do longer bullets align better in the bore? I'm interested in your opinions and experience.
Tyler
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One reason is that you are limited in velocity with cast bullets. In order to get the energy up, you increase the bullet weight. This applies to hunting situations especially.
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idahocaster,
Your observation is dead on and both your reasons are correct.
For similar nose shapes, the longer bullet will have a higher ballistic coefficient, and less wind drift, because BC is promotional to sectional density thus the longer the better as long as you have a twist fast enough to stabilize the bullet.
Longer bullets are easier to get aligned with the barrel and tend to stay better aligned while accelerating.
It is not just the fashion or a fad that you don't see any short bullets in a match.
John
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Something else to consider. In the above pic, both are .35 cal., both have similar nose profiles, both have similar weights (actually the NOE is 2-3 gr heavier). Without a jacket, the same weight cast bullet will be shorter, therefore a heavier cast bullet is required to obtain an equivalent length.
Wayne
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I don't shoot competitively, but I've accumulated a variety of .30 caliber moulds over many years. I'm sure there are exceptions, but it seems like those designs in the 190-220 grain range are usually more accurate than the lighter bullet designs in popular chamberings like the .308 and .30-06 with standard twist rate bores of 1 in 10" or 1 in 12".
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Several factors:
At the Windhill Range many years ago, we had a bullet recovery box we used to experiment with light and heavy loads. The RCBS 45-300-FN bullet left sideways witness marks on opposite sides. This bullet was found to be traveling in the bore slightly sideways while the RCBS 45-4-5-FN was not. Then we next tried the RCBS 45-500-FN mold with the same results.
After this, I became a sincere devotee of the heaviest bullet the twist rate will sustain.
Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest
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Not a serious target shooter as such but my experience has been the same in 06 and 30/40 and especially in 243 Win.
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Additional to the above mentioned reasons the heavier bullet allows the powders at the charge level used to ignite and burn efficiently while maintaining the lower velocity level needed for best accuracy.
LMG
Concealment is not cover.........
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Years ago there was member of our gun club who worked for Honeywell, travelling the world as a consultant for the manufacture of small arms ammunition. Prior to our monthly club meeting this member conducted a 30-minute tech session. He picked the topic and when addressing ammunition, he related tecnical and experience related details about the subject ammunition.
One tech session he focused on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. He had chrono teadings, charts, bc data, bullet examples, etc. He pointed out what you've read here....the heaviest bullet available in commercial ammunition was the most accurate for a given chambering. For the '06 at that time, it was the 220-grain bullet. That was a frequent question of his audience....what bullet is the most accurate in my hunting rifle? Of course there are trade offs considering bullet weight vs. accuracy.
We as handloaders have an advantage, we can expand that concept by increasing the length/weight of our projectile, as long the barrel twist rate can accomodate our choice.
Tom
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The 30-06 and the 30-40 Krag make sense the heavier 220 grain bullet is more accurate because both calibers/rifles were designed to shoot the 220 grain bullet. This means the twist was too.
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Yes, the '06 and Krag were "twisted" at 1:10 for the 220 Round Nose.
Not necessarily for really long 220s.
Mine have done well with 190-200 SBT bullets. I think about the same length as the 220 RNs
beltfed/arnie
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I load for three .35 Whelens, one of which is an Ackley Improved with a faster twist.
NOE has a couple even heavier 358 moulds, one of which they call "Thumper". NOE 360.310 a 310 gr FP GC . The other is NOE 360.280 a 280 gr GC Spitzer.
I have used Thumper with a cast softnose on deer. Excellent results and good accuracy, although I have not yet shot it from the standard twist barrels. No bullet recovery from any deer. It would most likely exit even on a Texas heart shot.
I have not tried the 360.280.
Lee
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Lee what twist is your 35 Whelen that you're shooting the heaver cast bullets from?
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I shoot the NOE thumper 310 gr. but with my soft lead drops at 315 gr out of a 358 win. 1-14 twist, have shot several deer and several hogs, never recovered a bullet from them as they shoot both sides , also might add they are paper patched
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Interesting point about the 30-40 and 30-06 twist rates being optimized for the 220 grain round nose bullets. I am currently trying the Lyman 311284 in my 1903 sporter. Haven't got to shoot them yet (too cold!), but hope to soon.
Tyler
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Been shooting the 311284 from my Krag and 03 Springfields for longer then I care to remember. Excellent bullet for them with great accuracy.
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My "recollection" is 1 in 14. To be certain I'd have to look at Shilen receipt. I'm certain that it is either 1 in 12 or 1 in 14.
The rifling on a Shilen (at least circa 1980s) is very fine and relatively shallow.
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My "recollection" is 1 in 14. To be certain I'd have to look at Shilen receipt. I'm certain that it is either 1 in 12 or 1 in 14.
The rifling on a Shilen (at least circa 1980s) is very fine and relatively shallow.
Lee, My 35 Whelen is built on a 1903 Springfield and according to some experts of these they believe I may have a A.O. Nieder built rifle. It has all the taletale signs of one of his rifles. With that said my twist is 12". It shoots really great. It's a 1911 action and Nieder knew about reheat treating them, but I'm not going to shoot any hot jacketed loads from it.
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What would "heavy for caliber "be for 25 caliber? Obviously 120g would, but how about 105g??
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I have the following .358 moulds. Only a couple have shot really well for me. Thumper and the NEI are both good.
Lyman 3589-1 280gr HP GC
Lyman 358009-2 280gr RN GC
Ideal 358315-2 200gr RN GC
Lyman 358318-2 250gr RN GC
NEI 358-290-1 290gr FN GC
NOE 360.280-4 280 gr GC Spitzer B
NOE 360.310-5 310 gr FP GC “Thumper”
SAECO 358-2 200gr PB FN
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Give it a try. Just remember that you are shooting cast and not jacketed.
I have this mould NEI 257-115 115gr FP GC, but at the time I was working with it I was still loading like it was jacketed.
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Aaron
25
jeff houck
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Tom Acheson
17
Wilderness
14
John Carlson
13
sghart3578
10
MarkinEllensburg
10
Spindrift
5
alphabrass
5
SkinnerD
5
