Both increase the BC of a bullet. When it comes to hunting or defensive use, you need the bullet to be in a certain velocity range to ensure the expansion of the projectile when it hits a target. Savage Impulse Big Game Straight-Pull Bolt-Action Rifle: Full Review, How Rifle-Shot Recoil Affects Scopes, Rings and Bases, Ruger No. 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. We'll only use the information provided according to our privacy policy. Ballistic Coefficient of Hunting Bullets - The Old Deer Hunters Very helpful! When comparing BCs of different bullets, it is important to use an apples-to-apples approach. shoots flat, hits hard, and fits in standard length actions. Even their ammo is great. guns & The definition according to Wikipedia is, "the ballistic coefficient (BC) of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight.". I'm looking at building my own ballistic computer and it's been difficult to find the actual equations for not only bc but for everything else for long distance shooting. This article originally appeared in the Fall 2017 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. 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. Need more? While factory .22 LR round-nose bullets have BCs in the 0.072 to 0.149 range for bullets of 26 to 40 grains started at typical low .22 LR velocities, the Cutting Edge bullets come in at only about 0.111 (G1 BC), according to the company's president, Dan Schmitko. This is because the value for the shape of the bullet is determined by how close its shape is to the drag model. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesnt necessarily mean it is a better bullet. Your choide for the two examples was excellent.. at first I wondered why you were trying to compare two radically diffferent bullet shapes.. THEN it hit me the differences would be so radical they would be very distinct, then you could go into the details and explain WHY. Obviously, a lighter "G7" type bullet will fly thru the air faster, but will it penetrate & expand enough when you're hunting a particular animal? I suspect this would lower the BC..but any idea how much? In each pair, the first bullet has a flat base, and the second has a boat tail. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Finally, if your goal is to indicate performance potential of a bullet at long range, you have to consider the muzzle velocity of the bullet as well as the BC. Instead, the BC is best used as a comparative number between different bullets. Subscriber Services. This is a specialized bullet intended for a specialized purpose: killing big-game animals at extreme distances. tried some sierra boattail in 300 win. Understanding basics means more game on the table, and more steel pings. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. For the last several years, Hornady has developed some of the best long-range bullets on the market. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The 10 Best Rifle Bullets for Long-Range Shooting The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. It does not store any personal data. Some manufacturers offer BC values at different velocity ranges. Nice article, well explained except for the fact that you assumed people would know that they were both zeroed at 100 yards. To throw a little light on the subject (and out of my own curiosity), I recently shot a selection of eight of my favorite bullets into 10-percent gelatin at 50 and 400 yards. Speed and Energy are figured out using an average of all the known cartridges. When it comes to hunting or defensive use, you need the bullet to be in a certain velocity range to ensure the expansion of the projectile when it hits a target. Article No. I want this to be the best ballistic trajectory calculator out there. Making those long range shots past a 1000+ nice! The ability to know, in advance, how much a bullet will drop or drift in the wind at a certain distance allows you, the shooter, to make scope holdover adjustments that will increase the odds of you hitting your target. Enjoyed your discussion on BCs. Highest BC 7mm (.284 caliber) Bullet Comparison Chart Niccolo Tartaglia was the first to notice that a shot trajectory was continuously curved. Thats where it started, and since then its gone from simple experiments all the way to engineers and scientists at places like Aberdeen Proving Ground working to improve ballistic calculations. Almost any bullet can be made to expand at long range, but the thin jackets and soft cores that promote such expansion don't support bullet integrity when impact distances are close and velocities extremely high. The higher the BC, the less drag on the bullet. Note that in the .308 pair, the heavier bullet (which has the greatest sectional density) has the better BC. Great scores on paper targets do not equal the best shots when hunting -- unless you're using the same bullets for both target practice & hunting. PDF Ballistics Coefficients - Rifle - Sierra Bullets *Velocity at International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standard Atmosphere (Sea Level, 59 degrees F, 29.92 inHg, 0% Humidity). presaged the 6.5mm frenzy. Its really very simple. Each one of these projectiles is engineered for tight groups at long range, By To show viewers how to succeed at long range, J. Guthrie gears up for a challenging shot while chasing Colorado pronghorn at long range with DPMS' Panther 6.5 Creedmoor. The following at the most standardized: The G1 is the oldest and still the most commonly used. /* GunData.org Ballistics */
Im not an expert at long range shooting by any means, but from what Ive read and seen consistency is king. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Hmmm Looking at the chart, says bullet drop @ 100 yards: 0.0. Just $1 per month , Without the right bullets, you wont get very far. No 168 grain .308 caliber bullet will have a high BC, simply because it is an awkward shaped bullet. ELD-X stands for Extreme Low Drag eXpanding bullet. For this example, I am going to use a Hornady 30-06 Springfield load with a 125 grain SST projectile, found here. Newly Published base of comparison. Under the tutelage of Walt Bergerone of the best bench-rest shooters of all timeBerger Bullets established a reputation for creating some of the most accurate bullets ever produced. A bullets density is a ratio of a bullets mass and its cross-sectional area. BC is what determines trajectory and wind drift, other factors (velocity among them) being equal. Get proficient on YOUR time. They will also sometimes require a faster twist rate. All of the figures that follow are taken from the Speer Reloading Manual Number 13. Most of the professional ballisticians I've spoken with agree that a projectile's rotational velocity has little effect on impact expansion. Mach 1 = 1116.48 fps @ ICAO Standard Atmosphere). All bullets start to slow down the moment they leave the barrel. To further assess the importance of a boat tail, note these pairs of Speer spitzer bullets of the same weight and caliber. That doesn't seem to be an overstatement, based on the Ballistic Coefficients (BC) WTC has published on this new line of bullets. purchase helps support my work in bringing you more awesome gun and gear articles. Give a Gift
This is an extreme example but illustrates that the different shape of a projectile will affect your ballistic coefficient. The flat point Pro-Hunter has a ballistic coefficient of 0.185. AccuBond Long Range bullets will hold up to extreme, high-velocity impacts at close range, and still deliver expansion and penetration at crazy long distances. All Rights Reserved. Available Calibers: 6.5mm, 7mm, and .308. BC stands for Ballistic Coefficient. This cookie is used to keep track on user informations and reports it to Alexa analytics service. anything extra and your You dont have to worry about that as your ballistic software will deal with it. Ballistic calculators like smartphone apps and Kestrel devices take as inputs ballistic coefficients for a given drag model. It's often been compared to the 6.5 Creedmoor. This is the very basics of ballistic coefficients. Simply a .308 case necked down to hold 6.5mm bullets, it was a popular wildcat before being adopted by Remington. This is a much bigger problem with G1 BCs than G7, but there is always some velocity dependence involved in using BCs. When this happens dont leave! Fluid properties (air) vary with velocity and environment. Weve got a dedicated section for the AR-15 here. To enhance its long-range performance, Sierra has reengineered the GameKing by adding a hollow point and a resin tip. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Both can be launched at the same speed, but an arrow will fly farther because it doesnt slow down as much due to wind resistance and therefore maintains its speed better. Americas oldest Second Amendment News outlet. The definition according to Wikipedia is, the ballistic coefficient (BC) of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight.. Im sure I didnt get everything, but these are some of the most popular options. Then, for other bullet types, we can create a fudge factor that adjusts the standard bullet trajectory model. Thats basically what the ballistic coefficient does. The G1 drag model is based off of a stereotypical spitzer bullet (pointed nose) with a flat base. And this means it will also be less affected by external variables. The higher a bullets BC is, the less drop, and wind deflection it will have at all ranges for a given muzzle velocity and environment. Learn the 3 most popular shooting stances & more. Available Calibers (in 2020): .264, .277, .284, and .308. is both capable and popular, especially on the heavy-bodied game where bullet performance becomes critical. For most calibers there are several different bullets available, so you want to consider what you want the bullet to do 1st, then decide which weight & shape will work best for you. 30cal and. These projectiles even come with a polishing cloth. .277 Fury: The Army's Newest Cartridge's Background And Ballistics With an Accu-Fit stock and left hand adjustable bolt, this rifle is a perfect choice for anyone! Tom says Ballistic Coefficient & Bullet Math is simple, keep reading to learn some shooting skills in our new long-range shooting science series. Its great for lever-action rifles and hunting. Ballistic coefficient is typically measured with a 3 digit expression. Available Calibers: 6.5mm, 7mm, and .308. Thats way too complicated, so lets use an illustration. The extent of how much a BC will change depends on each unique bullet shape. Instead search for the bullet on the top left using the search box or browse by rifle, or pistol using the links from the main menu. After running the trajectory numbers based on atmospheric conditions here where I live in South Carolina, we get the following results. Spitzer, which means pointed, is a more efficient shape than a round nose or a flat point. Just an old curious guy. We have discussed how gravity and wind are the two main variables that affect your bullets path. Ballistics Basics: Bullet Efficiency And Ballistic Coefficients A quarter flying this way makes a lousy bullet, right? (Examples being rounds like the 30-30.). There are just so many factors to consider, many of which the manufacturer cant know, including atmospheric conditions, the drag created by your rifling, and more. To do this, bullets should be compared at a given Mach number (e.g. They are both going to fall at the same rate due to gravity, but the arrow will travel farther in the amount of time it takes both objects to fall. They typically expand well through a wide velocity window yet hold together well for deep penetration on animals that measure 20 inches or more through the vitals- on a perfect broadside shot- and offer capable penetration if a quartering-to shoulder shot or a quartering-away raking shot is all that's offered. So for purposes of flying through the air efficiently, the bigger the BC number the better. The Matchking has a coefficient of 0.417. Take a look at the bullets themselves and what we learned. REcently I have been casting bullets for and competing with Black powder cartridge rifles and competing at ranges out to 1000yds. These variables, which well discuss in the next column, can change each time and location you shoot. Available Calibers: 6mm, 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, and .308. Bullets with low sectional density are short and fat. If you are looking to hit a target beyond 600 yards, your really need to learn and understand your rounds BC. 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. Oh, and because our two example bullets above have the same weight and diameter, hence the same frontal surface area, the sectional density numbers are the same: .226. There are lots of ways to get around the expense Contributing Editor for RifleShooter Magazine, Brad Fitzpatrick gives us a review of this modernized version of an iconic favorite. For example, the sectional density of a 175 grain .308 caliber bullet is: 175/7000/ (.308^2) = 0.264 (the bullet weight is divided by 7000 to . The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Does the actual BC matter? The __gads cookie, set by Google, is stored under DoubleClick domain and tracks the number of times users see an advert, measures the success of the campaign and calculates its revenue. In conjunction with the hollow nose cavity and a lead-alloy core, the tip optimizes penetration and tissue destruction over a wide range of distances. A particular bullet will have a different BC depending on whether the G1 or G7 drag model is used. Not so long ago a Barrett or Cheytac was needed at a high price for shots out to a mile+. A slower barrel twist of 1:10 is generally adequate to stabilize bullets weighing up to 100 grains, while the accuracy of heavier, higher ballistic coefficient bullets is improved by a 1:7 or 1:8 twist. He currently teaches concealed carry courses and enjoys spending time in Floridas Nature Coast. Bullets that are too heavy can drop sharply because of an increased rate of drag. There are actually several different standard projectiles with different measurements and they each measure drag in a different way. Back in the day, guys with lots of time on their hands fired boatloads of projectiles to figure out how they behaved in flight. Available Calibers: .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, .308, .338, and .375. Originally, those smart people who did a lot of testing on the range worked out predictive models for bullet flight based on that standard projectile shape. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Lets assume youre shooting a .308 rifle and you have two types of bullets of identical weight. Richard Mann Getting consistent hits at extreme distances requires specialized rifles and optics. The best styles for long-range shooting will have high density and aerodynamically efficient shapes. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Ballistics Test: The Best Big Game Bullets - RifleShooter towards your level. Best .338 Magnum: Showdown at the High-Power Corral He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. Available Calibers: 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, .308, and .338.