A bullets efficiency is measured by its ballistic coefficient (BC). Its great for lever-action rifles and hunting. USA -(Ammoland.com)-Heres why obscure [and some say boring] bullet ballistic concepts like ballistic coefficient and sectional density are essential if you want to hit targets regularly when shooting at long-ranges. All long-range bullets have three things in common: Theyre long and slender; theyre built to stringent specifications with a high level of quality control; and they deliver ballistic coefficients (BCs) much higher than traditional bullets. That means that the BC numbers for a G1 and G7 drag model are different. And this means it will also be less affected by external variables. Give a Gift Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . The 7mm caliber offers some of the highest BC bullets on the market. Enjoyed your discussion on BCs. So are barrel twist and length. Want a bullet that has both a high BC and a consistent BC? In the world of ballistic coefficients, a bigger number means that a bullet flies more efficiently. Even their ammo is great. The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character. of all the other stuff like rifle, ammunition and even reloading. Good question and its a controversial one. Put another way, its the ratio of the bullets sectional density to its coefficient of form. This interactive bullet database is free and containst 173 caliber ballistics, history, stats, and their trajectories charted out in full detail. This makes the bullet less sensitive to seating depth and makes load development much easier. Please let me know how it can be improved upon. Speed and Energy are figured out using an average of all the known cartridges. The highest-BC 7mm match bullet is the 190gr Hornady A-Tip Match, and the highest-BC 7mm hunting bullet is the 195gr Berger EOL Elite Hunter. Scott Rupp gets a chance to talk to Aaron Oelger about a few new products from Hodgdon and why reloading store shelves are empty. The Sierra GameKing has been cleanly killing critters for many years. REcently I have been casting bullets for and competing with Black powder cartridge rifles and competing at ranges out to 1000yds. The ACE Match is only available in one caliber, and you might be wondering why this bullet is even mentioned. There are lots of ways to get around the expense That boils down to more complex factors like shape, length, and weight distribution. Absolutely not. From front to back along the flight path, the quarter is only 0.069 inches long when its flying face first because thats the thickness of a quarter. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Interestingly, the Trophy Bonded Tip was the only bullet that penetrated less (23.5 inches) at 400 yards than at 50 yards, testifying to its consistent expansion characteristics. Mag., and .300 WSM.and as a component for handloaders. Hornady . G1 is most commonly used because its the old standard and the industry has not adapted to the more modern incarnations. Another factor isRead more . It's often been compared to the 6.5 Creedmoor. A more efficient bullet will maintain its speed better, and its not affected as much by the environmental variables. Subscriber Services. Ballistic coefficient, and to an extent drag itself, is what is going to determine some of the most important factors in shooting. Ballistic Coefficient values at Mach 2.0 and 1.75 offer comparisons to other manufacturers that publish multiple BCs based on velocity. Due to the sensitivity of BCs to velocity, it can highly skew the comparison. Available Calibers: 6mm, .257, 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, .308, and .338. Long range shooting absolutely fascinates me. | Much of your article is reinforcement of what I have gathered previously in several different articles. Unfortunately its not as simple as just comparing the single numbers. Its .224-diameter bullet with ridiculously high Ballistic Coefficient (BC) number can maintain supersonic speed and drift less in the wind right up until about the 1,300-yard mark. It also demands purpose-built bullets. It may seem as simple as comparing numbers printed on the bullet box, but there are some considerations to be aware of to make intelligent comparisons of BC. After running the trajectory numbers based on atmospheric conditions here where I live in South Carolina, we get the following results. Available Calibers: 6mm, 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, and .308. gear. Note that in the .308 pair, the heavier bullet (which has the greatest sectional density) has the better BC. Enfield No. In the end, the best way to understand the performance comparison between two bullets is to enter their details into a ballistic solver including the muzzle velocity, and see how the predicted drop and drift compare, all things considered. As a result, bullet manufacturers have never made high-BC bullets in .277 diameter (the actual size of .270 Win. Mach number is the velocity of the bullet divided by the speed of sound. This is an extreme example but illustrates that the different shape of a projectile will affect your ballistic coefficient. . As Sectional Density is a key input to Ballistic Coefficient, well look at that first. Make sense? Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, Ammoland will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. This article originally appeared in the Fall 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. Ryan Cleckner is a a former special operations sniper and author of the Long Range Shooting Handbook. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Our first offering in the Blackjack Bullets lineup is the 25 Caliber 131 grain ACE Match bullet with an outstanding 0.330 G7 Ballistic Coefficient (1000 yd Average BC) tested on the Oehler 88 System. The same Doppler radar verified Heat-Shield Tip is unaffected by aerodynamic heating and retains its shape to offer some of the highest BCs you can find in a hunting bullet. . CNC machined solids are probably the best for higher BC (handloaded only) and the most expensive to produce. I wonder if anyone has validated a continuum mechanics equation with rifle testing a super high speed sensors. Get Our Top Shooting Drills and Zeroing Targets ($47 value - but FREE for a limited time). Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air drag. These variables, which well discuss in the next column, can change each time and location you shoot. The following at the most standardized: The G1 is the oldest and still the most commonly used. But the more streamlined bullets have a higher ballistic coefficient. You can, of course, calculate the ballistic coefficient yourself, but why bother when the manufacturer tells you? (, We noticed that you have previously logged in with your, Check what do you get by creating an account, Bookmark and compare your favorite firearms, Ballistic Coefficient: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know, One of the first terms I ran across while discovering my fascination with long-range shooting was. If a bowling ball was used for the drag model, the BC would be very high because the bullet would be much more efficient as it flew through the air. /* GunData.org Ballistics */ Theyre sequentially packaged and arent bulk washed after manufacture to protect their integrity. And stay in touch with newsletters of our best articles on techniques, guns, & gear. By adding an aerodynamic resin tip to the MatchKing, Sierra was able to reduce drag and produce a more favorable down-range ballistic coefficient. The unsurprising part is that, on average, a .40-caliber bullet makes a 6-percent-larger hole than a 9 mm bullet, and a .45-caliber bullet makes a 6-percent-larger hole than a .40-caliber bullet . Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. It starts as a secant ogive like their famous VLD bullet, but as you move toward the bearing surface, the bullet changes to a tangent ogive. Heck, few whitetails, antelope, mule deer and even average black bears measure much more than 12 inches broadside through the vitals. J. Scott Rupp takes a first look at the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. Here are a dozen bullets to help you go the distance, whether your target is an animal or paper and steel. Ballistic coefficient is typically measured with a 3 digit expression. Starting all three bullets at a muzzle velocity of 3100 fps from a scoped 6mm rifle zeroed at 300 yards, the trajectories are as follows. This means that the speed and energy will vary from cartridge manufacturer to manufacturer. YouTube - Store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen - 2. With modern ammunition, we are seeing higher ballistic coefficients such as the ridiculously high BC of the. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The best styles for long-range shooting will have high density and aerodynamically efficient shapes. Nice article, well explained except for the fact that you assumed people would know that they were both zeroed at 100 yards. Available Calibers: .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, .308, .338, and .375. These are all pointed hollow point, boat tail bullets. For 2020, Federal will be offering a new line of ammunition called Terminal Ascent, which uses a bonded bullet with a solid-copper rear shank to penetrate deep on close targets, and a polymer tip to initiate expansion at velocities 200 fps slower than comparable designs. Some hunters prefer a solid copper or solid gilding metal bullet. Ballistic coefficient makes a tremendous difference in downrange ballistics. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Fluid properties (air) vary with velocity and environment. Succinct explanations for someone just getting started. The best styles for long-range shooting will have high density and aerodynamically efficient shapes. It doesnt pass through the air, or the animal, easily. 270, 7mm,. Drag slows a bullet down, and we dont want slow bullets. Let's compare the practical ballistics of a traditional flatbase bullet with a modern high-ballistic coefficient bullet when both are zeroed at 200 yards and fired in standard sea-level conditions. Mag @ 100 yds. Making those long range shots past a 1000+ nice! ** Hornady BC values have been corrected back to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standard Atmosphere (Sea Level, 59 degrees F, 29.92 inHg, 0% Humidity). These hypothetical examples show us two things: 1) A more aerodynamically efficient bullet wont slow down as much on its way to the target, and 2) efficiency doesnt matter as much when the air density is low (thin air). Fifty years ago, when hunters argued over which cartridge was best, they focused on muzzle velocity. presaged the 6.5mm frenzy. As Hornady moved into production of these bullets, the BC value increased (a positive gain) due to the improvements in the manufacturing process from R&D to production machinery. Sectional Density is a measurement that reflects the ratio of somethings mass to its cross-sectional area. Ballistic Coefficient is a bit of a new word when we look at the history of physics. Bullets with low sectional density are short and fat. We cover this subject further in our next article, Form Factors. With the jackets thick shank and the Hornady InterLock ring, you can expect 50 to 60 percent weight retention inside 400 yards and as much as 85 percent weight retention at greater distances. Pick a tough, bullet with a high ballistic coefficient to get the best out of it..260 Rem. Luckily, there are, G1 or Ingalls (flat base with 2 caliber (blunt) nose ogive by far the most popular), G5 (short 7.5 boat-tail, 6.19 calibers long tangent ogive), G6 (flat base, 6 calibers long secant ogive), G7 (long 7.5 boat-tail, 10 calibers tangent ogive, preferred by some manufacturers for very-low-drag bullets), G8 (flat base, 10 calibers long secant ogive). 2-Reloading the real Pleasure of the shooting with math. All bullets start to slow down the moment they leave the barrel. These bullets also feed very well from the detachable magazines being used by most long-range semi-auto and bolt-action rifles. If more than one bullet shoots equally well, then choose the one with the higher BC. Hornady now publishes 200 yard Mach 2.25 (2,512 fps @ ICAO Standard Atmosphere**) G1 and G7 Ballistic Coefficient (BC) numbers for all A-Tip, ELD-X, and ELD Match bullets. I would imagine the best BC would be the Berger 168 VLD. Commissions are earned for links to Brownell's, Amazon, MidwayUSA, GoHunt, OpticsPlanet, Sportsman's Warehouse, and other retailers. The BC of a bullet is a ratio calculated by a mathematical model based off of its density and its particular shape. .243" 100 grain Spire Point BT (BC .400): -1.5" @ muzzle, +3.6" @ 100 yards, +4.4" @ 200 yards, 0 @ 300 yards, -10.4" @ 400 yards, -28.6" @ 500 yards. As an example, a bullet can have a G7 BC of 0.279 above 3000 fps, but when averaged from 3000 fps to 1500 fps, the G7 BC is 0.273. When using 90-grain bullets with a very high ballistic coefficient at .563 G1 BC, the 224 Valkyrie is a legitimate three-quarter-mile cartridge. Red Oak, White, or Chestnut for Deer Herd? Sierra MatchKing bullets have a worldwide reputation for stellar accuracy and have probably won more target competitions than all other bullets combined. I suspect this would lower the BC..but any idea how much? One must take barrel twist into account depending on the type of 243 Win cartridge that is fired. A bullet's ballistic coefficient is calculated by a model based off its density and shape. Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS, and Exclusive Coupons Codes >>>. I like the way you played it out, easy to understand for me as a new loader. Unfortunately, many shooters did not understand that Hornady was listing a more useable 800 yard BC while other manufacturers list 200 yard* BCs. is both capable and popular, especially on the heavy-bodied game where bullet performance becomes critical. The Standard projectile is the base we establish to gauge ballistic coefficient. Long range shooters have to practice, and they must have consistent ammo to practice. Tom says Ballistic Coefficient & Bullet Math is simple, keep reading to learn some shooting skills in our new long-range shooting science series. google_ad_height = 90; The G7 is more representative of the current state of rifle rounds. Available Calibers: 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, .308, and .338. All of the figures that follow are taken from the Speer Reloading Manual Number 13. If we change the density of what the two objects are traveling through, the less-efficient tennis ball will be affected by the change more. Instead, when youre making the decision on which one to use for the best long-range performance, choose the one that shoots well in your rifle first. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. Thats because the BC varies with speed. The 55-grain bullet provides a good balance between the light 40-grain and the heavy 77-grain bullets. There is a pretty big difference in trajectory between the round nose bullet and the two pointed bullets, making it obvious why it is folly to choose a round nose bullet for long range shooting with a high velocity rifle like a 6mm Remington or .243 Winchester. Bullets for hunting, however, might benefit from not having an aerodynamic shape. As examples of very streamlined bullets, note the BC of these Speer match type bullets. Copyright 2001, 2013 by Chuck Hawks. was better than the .30-06 because it bested that venerable round by another 300 fps. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. Hornady originally published 800 yard* average Ballistic Coefficient (BC) values for ELD-X and ELD Match bullets. At the very bottom, you see the BC listed. No 168 grain .308 caliber bullet will have a high BC, simply because it is an awkward shaped bullet. Hornady's Precision Hunter 178-grain ELD-X at 2,600 fps is probably the best long-range option, but look also at the new 168-grain Berger Hybrid Hunter load from Federa l. Ballistic Coefficient . Imagine launching a quarter at a target, but we somehow get it to fly face first, so the top flat side with Georges head is leading the way. All BCs (G1 and G7) advertised by Berger Bullets are averaged from 3000 fps to 1500 fps. The boat tail helps, but not nearly as much as the point on the front of the bullet.