Boattail VS Flatbase

[bullet]

Out to 300yds which is the limit for 95% of the hunters and hunting situations it makes no difference, which ever one shoots best in your rifle.

 

[Bruce Mc]

I've only had one rifle, a Weatherby Vanguard 270 win, that was particular about flat base/boat tail and it just wouldn't shoot a 130gr Sierra BT. I would shoot the 130 flat base into small groups. I believe the reason was seating depth. I could get the flat base closer to the lands and the Bee had a long freebore. The rifle would shoot the 150 Sierra BT into a gagged hole but I could actually get to lands with the 150. It would also shoot the 130 Nosler solid base well.

But having read some of ya'lls experiences it could have been the bearing surface issue as well. The 150 is a long bullet.

 

[onesonek]

Out to 300yds which is the limit for 95% of the hunters and hunting situations it makes no difference, which ever one shoots best in your rifle.

I totally agree, but even stretching out to 450 yds as Doc mentioned, which I totally agree with also,,,the difference is small enough, that the good share if not greater share share can't tell the difference. Specially so when shooting from field positions. Of which brings up some issues in itself.
While off topic,,,,,,
All too often I see hunters, check sight-in from a bench with bags or a machine rest, and even worse, a LeadSled. Whether actually off a bench or over the hood of a vehicle, seems to make little difference.
This or these, are great tools for working up loads and checking accuracy of loads. But more often than not the effects of recoil are different changing POI, from these compared to shooting various field positions.
I rarely butt-in and say anything when I see this at the range, as most take it offensively, no matter how diplomatically it is suggested. But I did make the suggestion to my son's f-i-l when we were out shooting before last yrs elk season. ( he was actually sighting in for the hunt. I was along just to check some loads of a new rifle) To make matters worse, he is of the 10 rnd a year ( at most) type shooter. But when he was using the leadsled off the hood, calling a 2 - 2.5 moa good enough, I asked him if he was going to try from a sitting, kneeling positions, and offhand standing positions. All I got, was a blank stare followed by,,,"won't make that much difference",,,,,,OK, you know how you shoot I guess, I thought to myself, and said no more. If he offered any interest as to why, I would have at least made another suggestion to use a 6 o'clock hold at all ranges out to the PBR I had calculated for him.
Well, he missed his only oppritunity of the season, high at 175 yds.. I told my son it didn't suprise me none, as number one, the range was at or near the high end of trajectory, add in the the possiblity of being on the high side of the 2+ moa, and if he squeezed off on the high side of inherent wobble,,,,well????
My son said it didn't suprise him either, that misses for him beyond a 100 yds., are common of previous seasons. But he don't reload, and is of a titewad in nature, so it pains him greatly for the added expense to shoot enough to be what I'd call,,,competent. Yet he was pretty proud of being on the same box of factory ammo going on the 4th season :lol:
So much for carrying a magnum with what I feel has a 400+ yd capability!!!
Thats why I practice from various field positions, once load work is done from the bench, make adjustments needed for the most often inherent POI change. And even with rigs I don't hunt with on a yearly basis, I shoot no less 200 rounds often more per year out of them, just to keep familiarity with them.

 

[Oldtrader3]

A lot of folks that I see at the range do that and shoot patterns at 100 yards on the range, instead of groups. I always check sight-in by shooting a few rocks at 200 yards sitting before I go hunting but most people don't. I always get a kick out of the guys that put the business end of their barrels (not the stock point where their front hand would be) on the sandbag and shoot off the back of the bench. They will not shoot anywhere near their sight-in POI, offhand.