I Got The North Fork To Shoot

[FOTIS]

I am either spoiled or have hard luck I guess.
When I gear up for close shots I get long. When I bring out the LR guns I get short shots.

Based on that I want everything in a bullet and in my favor.

Expansion, penetration, High BC etc.

That is why I use Accubonds, E-tips and some others.

“FORTUNA FORTIS PARATUS”

 

[SJB358]

Scotty,
I can see that. Everyone has their reasons for the bullets they select. I pay attention to the BC with the bullet I shoot in my 300 Ultra Mag. and not so much with the 30-06 and 35 Whelen. I use the latter differently than the RUM. Your point is received and a good one.

I may not be up to date on this but I always thought all bullet manufacturers listed a BC on their product offering. I'm not familiar with NF as a bullet manufacturer. Just was surprised no BC was listed.

Don

I do look at BC a little, but I really don't get too wrapped up in it for the most part. I kinda look for a bullet about a .400 (or more if it is suitable) for most of the long shooters and if they are somewhere in that range, I don't really worry about it too much. I know BC is very important for the longer shots mainly for its ability to slip through the air.. Mainly, another reason I like PT's a bunch, they meet my minimums pretty easily and I know they will perform at my intended ranges. Scotty

 

[bullet]

I am either spoiled or have hard luck I guess.
When I gear up for close shots I get long. When I bring out the LR guns I get short shots.

Based on that I want everything in a bullet and in my favor.

Expansion, penetration, High BC etc.

That is why I use Accubonds, E-tips and some others.

“FORTUNA FORTIS PARATUS”

FOTIS, you are looking at things from the perspective of where you live and do most of your hunting and what you hunt. When it comes to black timber, thick woods, swamps, thickets, pine groves, narrow canyons, and heavy underbrush are in many cases across this country, the hunters realm, and on top of that, dangerous game should not be hunted from long distances. The NF has a real place and especially in the above mentioned terrain, not to speak of African hunts where it really shines and is becoming a popular bullet for tough game. Now, all of that said, I really like the AccuBond for BC, opening up quick and holding together on longer shots on deer, hogs, coyotes, mule deer, antelope and elk, and this is where BC can be an advantage, but 95% of the hunting that takes place every year does not depend on the BC of a bullet, but upon its terminal results. Remember, "FORTUNA FORTIS PARATUS - Fortune Favors the Prepared"

 

[atmoshpere]

Mike,

Thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations with getting the NFs to shoot in your rifles. They seem like a great company to deal with and you certainly make a good argument toward the effectiveness of their design.

I still think I have to agree with FOTIS and here's why:

I shoot cartridges that produce midrange velocities (<3000fps at muzzle) with bullets of high SD (7mm 160). I really like the AB's, one for their BC which helps me maintain what speed I do produce at the muzzle and two, I need expansion at lower speeds on the high SD 7mm bullets or I risk just poking on through with a shot that may not hit heavy bone(double lung broadside f.e.). If I was shooting a much larger, wider bullet, the speed would not be much of an issue.

I also like to shoot alot during the off season and am fortunate enough to live and work where I can do that. As such, I've found that I really like to be able to load a cheaper bullet of similar characteristics that I can practice with on vermin/steel/paper for the "other" nine months. Shooting 150 BT 2nds to a very similar velocity and POI as the 160 AB's is one such scenario, providing me very cheap practice ammo(can get about 300 of them for the $ of 50 NF) that mimmicks my hunting load ballistics and accuracy. Now I could load down the NFs (as I understand they can produce a nice velocity bump due to their lower pressure)to the same velocity as another cheap spitzer design for practice but then that kinda defeats part of their purpose imho.

Also, I not gonna lie, I kinda can't get over the sticker shock :shock: For the price, I'm just not sure they'de show enough of an improvement in terminal performance over the AB in my set up.

I guess the only way to tell would be to buy a box though :mrgreen: I'd love to hear what your experience is with them on game, especially outta your 358!

atm

 

[bullet]

Mike,

Thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations with getting the NFs to shoot in your rifles. They seem like a great company to deal with and you certainly make a good argument toward the effectiveness of their design.

I still think I have to agree with FOTIS and here's why:

I shoot cartridges that produce midrange velocities (<3000fps at muzzle) with bullets of high SD (7mm 160). I really like the AB's, one for their BC which helps me maintain what speed I do produce at the muzzle and two, I need expansion at lower speeds on the high SD 7mm bullets or I risk just poking on through with a shot that may not hit heavy bone(double lung broadside f.e.). If I was shooting a much larger, wider bullet, the speed would not be much of an issue.

I also like to shoot alot during the off season and am fortunate enough to live and work where I can do that. As such, I've found that I really like to be able to load a cheaper bullet of similar characteristics that I can practice with on vermin/steel/paper for the "other" nine months. Shooting 150 BT 2nds to a very similar velocity and POI as the 160 AB's is one such scenario, providing me very cheap practice ammo(can get about 300 of them for the $ of 50 NF) that mimmicks my hunting load ballistics and accuracy. Now I could load down the NFs (as I understand they can produce a nice velocity bump due to their lower pressure)to the same velocity as another cheap spitzer design for practice but then that kinda defeats part of their purpose imho.

Also, I not gonna lie, I kinda can't get over the sticker shock :shock: For the price, I'm just not sure they'de show enough of an improvement in terminal performance over the AB in my set up.

I guess the only way to tell would be to buy a box though :mrgreen: I'd love to hear what your experience is with them on game, especially outta your 358!

atm

For deer, hogs, black bear and like animals there is not enough (in my opinion) of a terminal advantage if any to warrant their use if one does not want to spend the money. Now when you talk about tough stuff and some cartridges on the big stuff I would give the edge to the NF and they will open up at low velocities. I in my humble opinion I would not have a use for them except in certain game specific applications (such as the 180gr SS moving at 3193fps on brown bear, large moose and plains game in Africa). I would be hard pressed to find a better bullet for those specific task. My catch all bullet is the Partition and the AccuBond, because they do some many things well.

 

[onesonek]

Looks like they shoot pretty darn decent!
What is the length of that 180 gr. SS?

 

[bullet]

Looks like they shoot pretty darn decent!
What is the length of that 180 gr. SS?

1.287"

 

[atmoshpere]

A 180 at nearly 3200 fps (I'm guessing from your 300?) would be some potent medicine indeed! I can see the need for a tough as nails, controlled expansion bullet in that situation.

atm

 

[FOTIS]

Mike,
I do agree terrain does play a big role and yes where I live it can be 80 yards or 800 yards per se.
So I need to be prepared. Now when I went to Texas for pigs a while back the 300 gr Partition in my 45-70 did not bother me at all.

Besides you know me, when I find a load I am done.

 

[bullet]

Mike,
I do agree terrain does play a big role and yes where I live it can be 80 yards or 800 yards per se.
So I need to be prepared. Now when I went to Texas for pigs a while back the 300 gr Partition in my 45-70 did not bother me at all.

Besides you know me, when I find a load I am done.

Not only when you find a load are you done but you do use some big bullets on game, need I mention a certain 416Wby and antelope??? Of course I love it when you do that. Why use an AR-16 on the enemy when you can drive him into the ground with a howitzer???? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[FOTIS]

Nothing exceeds like excess!

 

[onesonek]

Looks like they shoot pretty darn decent!
What is the length of that 180 gr. SS?

1.287"

Being it has been a point of interest, and while I don't have the bullet in hand for some more measurements, I kind of made some guesstimates, then plugged them in to the BP.
The BC. figures out roughly .397,,,,,,But.
That don't take into account the drag generated by the bearing reliefs.
I would expect it to be more like .300 considering those grooves.
Then another but,,,,
If I had the actual nose length, along with it's radius, rather than my swag, then too I kind of guessed the meplat,,,all on the conservative side. That .397 could very easily a bit higher, albeit, I doubt more than .020. Still the biggest factor are those grooves, when you look at a plain bullet compared to one with cannelure, generally has a BC difference of .010.
Now a +/- .010 difference isn't going to show a major difference, only slightly over a +/- 1/2" at 500 starting out at 3200 fps. If the difference is from .300 to .350, then I show about 3" difference in drop with a 250 yd zero. But even with a BC of .300 and a 250 zero, one would roughly have a PBR of 300 yds on a 6" target and still be on the hair at 400yds.. This is all subject to a few other parameter plugged however. Other than shooting an actual time trial, one could shoot a 100 yd zero, then see what your drop is at 300, and figure close also from measuring group centers.
But I would be suprised if the BC is much different than .300 +/- .010.,,, .330 would be be a high side quesstimate, as I'm betting those relief groove add up to .100 loss, or slightly more.

As I see it,,, it wasn't designed to be a long range bullet, but certain would do, at what I call normal average ranges out to 300yds or maybe a tad more. But for it's cost, to me it would be reserved for thin skinned dangerous game, such as brown bear.

 

[onesonek]

Scotty,
I can see that. Everyone has their reasons for the bullets they select. I pay attention to the BC with the bullet I shoot in my 300 Ultra Mag. and not so much with the 30-06 and 35 Whelen. I use the latter differently than the RUM. Your point is received and a good one.

I may not be up to date on this but I always thought all bullet manufacturers listed a BC on their product offering. I'm not familiar with NF as a bullet manufacturer. Just was surprised no BC was listed.

Don

I'm pretty sure they don't publish the BC's, because they know they can't compete in that arena Don.
And I don't know that most any other manufacture actually shoots time trials any more, too costly and too time consuming. I'd bet most if not all are mathmatically calculated, and today's best puter programs are advance enough to be darn close. If they are off +/- .020, (I would venture to say its less that that) it's of little consquence, as the avgerage shooter isn't capable of holding the difference at 4-500 yds where it would start to show up with any significance.

 

[Guest]

Dave,
Well received, good point. I agree they are most likely computer generated too.

Don