Thread: Projectile performance

More meplat is definitely "more better" in certain situations.

Hi guys, seem to have had a message come through wanting my thoughts.
OK first is everyone wants max BC on their bullets as its the popular thing BUT it comes at a cost.
To get higher & higher BC the tips have to be nice & "pointy", there is the open tip gone & with it the positive expansion.
That is why I make mine with an "open tip" version which works well for hunting with very good expansion using all the energy up in the animal.
Close the tip & problems will occur like in this discussion.
For those that want them I also make a "closed tip" version in 6mm ULD which I wouldn't recommend as a hunting bullet because there is no hollow tip left to initiate expansion but the BC goes up.
I have an advantage though as all my bullets are made by hand through the exact same set of dies for each bullet type & I can control all this & "see" every bullet as I make it.
BC to be honest in hunting bullets is over rated as its not much good hitting animals "way" out there if they don't fall down.
The difference in hold is very little too in the real world, a few "clicks" & we still have to adjust for wind whatever the BC.
Most hunters/shooters would gain far more by doing long range shooting practice than wanting the highest BC possible.
So, tip closed too much poor game performance but higher BC.
Tip open right amount, good hunting performance. Slight loss in BC.
As an aside often the highest BC bullets aren't the most accurate & they are also harder to "tune".
Cheers
Hope this helps.

my old Nosler #2 manual has same line of thought...two guys shooting pairie dogs,one is using super accurate match projectiles and wounding lots,the other a soft point,slightly less accurate but way faster expanding,he was leaving red mist and piles of dead dogs....HOW accurate you actually need to do the job is often not as much as folk think.

If hunting and shots are inside 200 metres a medium heavy round nose projectile is the best choice like the 6mm 100/105 RN 25 cal 117 RN the 6.5 156/160 RN 7mm 175 RN and the .30 180 RN
as long as the impact velocity is above 1800 fps they will expand,
But they are not cool like those super slick $2.00 and $3.00 projectiles,
The standard run of the mill cup and core projectiles will work on any animal in NZ at reasonable distances .

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

The Meplat hole in the tip was less than 20 thou in diameter

The tiny meplat caused the jacket to stay intact and the projectile acts like a FMJ often resulting in a lost animal

Seen it plenty with bergers and their J4 jackets

It pays to sort new packets and anything with a meplat hole less than 20 thou just use it on gongs/targets

Is this an exercise on 87gr VLD to drill all projectiles to avoid any issue? Going to load some for my son who is hunting in the Pureoras and surrounds. Dont want grief about deer not dying. What size drill?

Originally Posted by mopheadrob

I'm interested in @TARGEX's thoughts on this thread, as I believe he uses the same jacket for the projectiles I run in my .243. All the reports I've heard on the terminal performance of his projectiles are good, so he obviously knows how to get this sort of construction to work on game.

Bryn can also play with the ogive and meplat when he makes them.

@TeRei i do this with all my bergers and matchkings. I use a needle drill with 0.80mm bit

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/20-piece-mi...1-6mm/p/TD2406

Is this any advantage? Go up in gradations or go straight to 0.08mm? Do I need a needle drill or pin vise? Have ordered a pin vise.

Originally Posted by TeRei

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/20-piece-mi...1-6mm/p/TD2406

Is this any advantage? Go up in gradations or go straight to 0.08mm? Do I need a needle drill or pin vise? Have ordered a pin vise.

I had to google pin vise but it appears needle drill and pin vise are the same thing.
I just use the 0.8mm bit, dont step up in increments. All you're doing is clearing any of the jacket thats folded over to make sure the tip is open. I just go until I touch the lead core.

Thanks. Meant going up to 0.08mm.Just picked up the drills from Jaycar. Man 0.08mm is small. Awaiting the Tamiya pin vise. Jaycar jaw did not accomodate that size..under 1mm.Getting email off to Kaikohe to order some 95gr Targex. My shooter is arriving later today so overcome my horror run this morning. Fattys running away into the scrub.

you COULD also take nose off straight across with GENTLE application of grinder....a file would be much better.just enough to clean them up and expose the hollow nose properly.

Or go fancy and get a meplat trimmer. Which is basically an end mill with a projectile holder.

Awaiting the pin vise. Tried hand using the 0.08mm drill.About as effective as hand milking cows with vaseline hands.Think a 0.05mm is a better starter. A different exercise I have encountered in reloading. Always learning.

Surely you mean 0.8 not 0.08?
0.08 sure is bloody small.

Typo. 95GR Targex on there way.Interesting to compare with the 87gr Berger. Shot 2 stags last night in rain @ 20m with 95gr SST. Yelling at my son to shoot them.I have was the reply. They then fell over. The smaller stag you could not see the entry hole in the shoulder it was so tiny. The big stag was marginally more noticeable. Both thru the shoulder. Using 43gr R17.Musta been zipping along.The big stag was very fat.Got cold in the wet getting them out. .