ballistic coeffecient

[bob_dobalina]

how big a difference in accuracy does ballistic coeffecient make? I know it's probably not that simple, but comparing - for the 25-06- 120 gr Partition's .391 BC to the AccuBond 110 gr w/ a BC of .418 - will that number alone make a significant accuracy difference - if both loaded with optimal powders? in other words, should i shoot the AccuBond just because of that number? i've always liked the synthetic tips for durability, but have always chose the partitions for knockdown power.

 

[nodak7mm]

In basic terms you can say that BC is not a measurment of accuracy, it is a measurment of aerodynamic effeciency. Basically, with all other varibles the same (speed, weight, etc) a bullet with a higher BC will shoot flatter (more effecient).

That said, a bullets with a high BC (lets say above .500, this is also caliber dependant, this would apply to say .243 & above) tend to be a bullet of a higher quality design and not just your typical mass produced bullet. So in a sense, higher BC bullets can be/tend to be more accurate, this is not always true..

There are more reasons and scientific explanations, but that is it in nutshell. Welcome to a hobby that may very well consume you... :lol:

Rod

 

[chet]

ditto what rod said...

in my opinion, ballistic coefficient doesn't mean diddly squat until about the 400 yard mark...... of course depending on caliber

punching paper at 100 or 200 or even 300 yards, the BC means very little.

often times, the bullets with the worst BC shoot tighter groups @ 100yds than others.... but @ 500 yards those same bullets are absolutely worthless due to tremendous drop and/or impact velocity weakness.

a sub moa load at .200 BC is better than a 2 moa load at .600 BC simply because it is more predictable....... do your homework and use a rangefinder.

accuracy prevails all other attributes as long as the proper knowledge and practice take place.

sorry for all the bable....... quite possibly the result of too much wild turkey in my coke tonight!

 

[Guy Miner]

Agree. As a long-range shooter, I like the advantages of a high BC bullet - BUT - that high BC bullet might not be the most accurate for different applications...

Many target and varmint bullets with outstanding accuracy are flat base bullets, which don't typically have the high BC of boat-tail designs.

I don't get all hung up on getting the highest possible BC number when selecting a bullet. It's important, but it's not the only thing. With different needs, it may well be the least important thing...

Regards, Guy

 

[30-338]

how big a difference in accuracy does ballistic coeffecient make? I know it's probably not that simple, but comparing - for the 25-06- 120 gr Partition's .391 BC to the AccuBond 110 gr w/ a BC of .418 - will that number alone make a significant accuracy difference - if both loaded with optimal powders? in other words, should i shoot the AccuBond just because of that number? i've always liked the synthetic tips for durability, but have always chose the partitions for knockdown power.

What I try and do is select the most accurate bullet first and if I find two bullets that are pretty close then I'll select the one with the highest BC for my deer/elk rifles.

I wish I could tell you the higher BC shoot better that something your rifle tell you.

Well good luck

 

[DrMike]

Under 400 yards, shooters and hunters often find that a flat base bullet tends to be more accurate, probably due to less complexity in design.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Ditto also

The difference in BC between the two bullets in question won't make enough difference even at 500 yards to offset the benefit of which bullet is more accurate. A bullet with .391 BC at 3100 fps will drop 45.8" at 500 yards. The bullet with .418 will drop 44.6". 1.2" difference. The difference in bullet performance between Partition and AccuBond is small. Either will do an outstanding job. The front of the Partition tends to open more violently at higher velocities (over 3000 fps) while the AccuBond tends to open at a more linear rate. They both end up with about the same retained weight. I prefer the AccuBond based on my experiences.
Greg

 

[FOTIS]

http://noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2459

run some simulations.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Ditto again. More then on shooter on this forum has fixed an accuracy problem by switching form a Boattail to a flat base bullet. The Flat base is a more stable design. In addition some other tricks that increase the BC also introduce instability into the bullet. Case in point, a long ogive will shift the point of balance away from the center of the bullet, introducing a tendancy to yaw in flight. It's my personal belief the Nosler BT/AB bullet design is a good balance of characteristics. A boat tail, but not too sharp, nice ogive, but not sharp enough to disturpt the balance of the bullet.

As for low cost noslers in the area. Check out the next Tanner gun show. There's a gentleman there who normally has a large table with a large selection of loose bullets. He normally has 200gr Nosler Combined Tech BT's in bulk for a very good price.

With a good load of H4831 or 4350 (either one) you can usually launch these around 3k. That combination makes real short work of Elk.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

At LR yes it helps and makes a world of difference.

Out to say 300 yards, no it dont make much difference.

 

[jmad_81]

If nothing else a high BC translates into a cool looking number. Much like a Magnum does. Out to 300 yards do you really need a really high BC, or a magnum? Of course not.

Its a huge numbers game, and I love it!