I am wondering what you all are finding out as the most "accurate" bullet for certain calibers. For instance I have found over the years for my 7mm the "old" 162 Hornandy BTSP worked the best in most of my rifles. I also have had very good luck with the 180 gr. Sierra BTSP in my 308's. I have not worked much with Berger's or other newer bullets. How about you?
most accurate bullet brand
- Thread starter Elkman
- Start date
All I can say, all firearms have their particular likes and dislikes. It's up to us to find out what those are. Beyond that, whenever I get a new setup, I have always checked the inherent accuracy of a rig with the NBT. Most often, with close to the same weight I intend to use in that firearm. That's not saying another mfg., may be more or less accurate. But I have found the NBT regardless of firearm, caliber, or chambering, to give consistant results, and not be overly fickle with charge weights and seating depths. I believe that can be attributed to their design and quality in all aspects. They just give me a very good idea of what to expect, and or what is capable in that firearm. Then I will switch if needed or wanted, to the bullet design I want to use for that setup. I'm not just saying that because this is a Nosler board, but have years of notes attesting to such. My experience is for the most part, if it won't shoot a NBT, chances are, anything else is going to have some tweaking issues as well, or there is a gun problem to begin with.
Man, that is a tough one. I shoot mainly Noslers and a sprinkling of other stuff, but overall, I haven't found many Nosler's that wouldn't print excellent groups for me. The BT's are accurate as all get out, and like Dave said, I will usually goof around with them first to see what the rifle is doing. I have found the AB's require a touch more goofing around with that other bullets, but still nothing out of the ordinary. Haven't shot alot of Sierra bullets, but I haven't found them any more or less accurate in my rifle. Hornady is hit or miss. They have shot really well or not at all. Speers have been great as well. They are always my 2nd choice for bullets. I like the Speer line up of bullets and have a bunch of useful bullets that are pretty tough, without being overly expensive. So, my vote is for the Nosler! Scotty
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,858
- 6,417
I'm not sure that there is a single "most accurate bullet brand." Each of the bullet makers produces some real whiz-bang accurate bullets.
Sierra Matchkings are still the favored bullet of the NRA Highpower competition shooters, from 200 - 1,000 yards. Sierra has been making very accurate bullets for decades and I'll often try them first from a new rifle or new barrel. If something won't shoot a Sierra well, it often just won't shoot. Many time National Champion David Tubb used a lot of Sierras during his shooting career, and still relies on Sierra to produce the very accurate DTAC bullets he sells.
Feel much the same about some Nosler products. Years ago I got a great deal on some of their .30 cal competition bullets, which appear nearly identical to the Sierras. I tried them, liked them and have shot thousands of them since, mostly in 600 yard prone competition & practice.
Nosler's Ballistic Tip has been the most accurate hunting bullet from several rifles. Famed barrel maker Dan Lilja discusses using the early Ballistic Tips from some of his long-range hunting rifles, and has very good things to say about them. Ballistic Tips have always shot well for me.
Partitions have never been The Most Accurate for me, but in recent years they too have impressed me with their accuracy.
Hornady - I haven't used them as much, but it was a few years back that their 105 gr 6mm A-Max bullet was used to set a new record at the 1,000 yard range near Missoula Montana.
Berger bullets are supposed to be held to very high standards, and I tend to believe that. They have long been a favorite for benchrest competitors and varmint shooters. They've made big gains in the NRA Highpower competition crowd in recent years and of course they've also become more popular among hunters, particularly hunters who tend to shoot game at longer ranges. I've used them in .20, .25 and .30 cal rifles and have found them to be quite accurate.
The most accurate? Darned if I know, that gets debated at every rifle match, on the firing line. The argument goes on, not with words, but with every shot fired, from every match shooter using the most accurate ammo he can build or buy, from various makers. I don't think there's a clear cut accuracy winner. The competition among bullet makers is good for us shooters and hunters.
Guy
Sierra Matchkings are still the favored bullet of the NRA Highpower competition shooters, from 200 - 1,000 yards. Sierra has been making very accurate bullets for decades and I'll often try them first from a new rifle or new barrel. If something won't shoot a Sierra well, it often just won't shoot. Many time National Champion David Tubb used a lot of Sierras during his shooting career, and still relies on Sierra to produce the very accurate DTAC bullets he sells.
Feel much the same about some Nosler products. Years ago I got a great deal on some of their .30 cal competition bullets, which appear nearly identical to the Sierras. I tried them, liked them and have shot thousands of them since, mostly in 600 yard prone competition & practice.
Nosler's Ballistic Tip has been the most accurate hunting bullet from several rifles. Famed barrel maker Dan Lilja discusses using the early Ballistic Tips from some of his long-range hunting rifles, and has very good things to say about them. Ballistic Tips have always shot well for me.
Partitions have never been The Most Accurate for me, but in recent years they too have impressed me with their accuracy.
Hornady - I haven't used them as much, but it was a few years back that their 105 gr 6mm A-Max bullet was used to set a new record at the 1,000 yard range near Missoula Montana.
Berger bullets are supposed to be held to very high standards, and I tend to believe that. They have long been a favorite for benchrest competitors and varmint shooters. They've made big gains in the NRA Highpower competition crowd in recent years and of course they've also become more popular among hunters, particularly hunters who tend to shoot game at longer ranges. I've used them in .20, .25 and .30 cal rifles and have found them to be quite accurate.
The most accurate? Darned if I know, that gets debated at every rifle match, on the firing line. The argument goes on, not with words, but with every shot fired, from every match shooter using the most accurate ammo he can build or buy, from various makers. I don't think there's a clear cut accuracy winner. The competition among bullet makers is good for us shooters and hunters.
Guy
big rifle man
Handloader
- Dec 21, 2005
- 850
- 0
My feeling is that every rifle is different and will like a certain brand of bullet more than others. I've done a lot of shooting and usually try a Sierra bullet at first. I base the bullet on what I am going to use the specific rifle for. I've shot a lot of Partitions and find the accuracy excellent. At present I'm using a Flat base225 Grain Sierra pro hunter for my .338RUM and find accuracy exceeds what I was thinking I would get. The partitions also shoot excellent in this rifle. On the other hand I can't get accubonds to shoot decently out of this rifle. I think it's the right choice of powder/bullet/primer combination plus OAL. (can drive you nuts).
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,576
- 9,695
I used to shoot Sierra for accuracy but found out that the Nosler BT is about the best. If any given rifle doesn't shoot BT's, there is a problem with the rifle.
JD338
JD338
As a general rule, the least complex bullet will tend to have better accuracy potential. The accuracy of the NBT despite being a relatively complex design speaks to the quality of that product.
I've had my best accuracy with non-match bullets using conventional cup and core flat base bullets. Sierra, Hornady, Speer and Rem. bullets have all shined in my rifles. Given a sweet load in that rifle, any of the four may produce top accuracy. I just pick a bullet style and weight suitable for my application and develop a load that is within my desired accuracy parameters.
I am partial to Speer or Hornady in cup and core bullets for deer so I pick one of those and work up a load. If I can't make that one shoot well enough, I try the other one. I'm now shooting only NPs at deer so I make them work even if I have to sacrifice some accuracy, I prefer the performance.
For match bullets, I shoot only Nosler. They are the equal or better of all I've tried, including Lapua and the price is right. They also seem to produce less copper fouling than SMKs.
The best answer is as above, test, document, experiment, repeat ad-infinitum until you are satisfied, then shoot the heck out of it.
I've had my best accuracy with non-match bullets using conventional cup and core flat base bullets. Sierra, Hornady, Speer and Rem. bullets have all shined in my rifles. Given a sweet load in that rifle, any of the four may produce top accuracy. I just pick a bullet style and weight suitable for my application and develop a load that is within my desired accuracy parameters.
I am partial to Speer or Hornady in cup and core bullets for deer so I pick one of those and work up a load. If I can't make that one shoot well enough, I try the other one. I'm now shooting only NPs at deer so I make them work even if I have to sacrifice some accuracy, I prefer the performance.
For match bullets, I shoot only Nosler. They are the equal or better of all I've tried, including Lapua and the price is right. They also seem to produce less copper fouling than SMKs.
The best answer is as above, test, document, experiment, repeat ad-infinitum until you are satisfied, then shoot the heck out of it.
ScreaminEagle
Handloader
- Jan 20, 2011
- 1,373
- 0
I think a lot of accuracy depends more on the gun than the bullet. If you got a junk rifle then no matter what bullet you use, you will never get top notch accuracy.
For what it's worth, My most accurate rifle(22-250) shoots Sierra Matchkings. I have never tried anything else in it though. My 280 shoots sub MOA with Barnes TTSX and my 257 Bob shoots dimes with Nosler BT's. The 300 Bee shoots lights out with Nosler AB's and the 7mm-08 with Sierra gamekings.
With the right powder, charge, and primer I can make most any bullet shoot great.
For what it's worth, My most accurate rifle(22-250) shoots Sierra Matchkings. I have never tried anything else in it though. My 280 shoots sub MOA with Barnes TTSX and my 257 Bob shoots dimes with Nosler BT's. The 300 Bee shoots lights out with Nosler AB's and the 7mm-08 with Sierra gamekings.
With the right powder, charge, and primer I can make most any bullet shoot great.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
In my old age, I have (7) bolt action centerfire rifles in the safe. They range in caliber from .204 to .340 Weatherby. My tastes or natural selection must favor Mausers because my rifle collection is comprised of former life survivors which includes: 1-Minimauser, 2-Custom Mausers, 2-Model 70 Winchesters, 1-Sako Model 85 and a Weatherby Mark V. Not much design diversity there!
I use one tuned handload per rifle and mostly use Nosler Accubonds and Partitions for hunting bullets with a refined loads that will deliver at or below MOA accuracy to 200 yards. For all other use, I use Nosler Ballistic Tips ad CT Silver Tips for practice and for varmit hunting in all of these rifles, except the .340 Bee which I exclusively shoot Partitions in. These bullets in all of these rifles with refined handloads deliver 1/2 to one MOA accuracy out to 300 yards or beyond and I can not practically shoot any better.
This may be and sound simple minded but it works well for me.
I use one tuned handload per rifle and mostly use Nosler Accubonds and Partitions for hunting bullets with a refined loads that will deliver at or below MOA accuracy to 200 yards. For all other use, I use Nosler Ballistic Tips ad CT Silver Tips for practice and for varmit hunting in all of these rifles, except the .340 Bee which I exclusively shoot Partitions in. These bullets in all of these rifles with refined handloads deliver 1/2 to one MOA accuracy out to 300 yards or beyond and I can not practically shoot any better.
This may be and sound simple minded but it works well for me.
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,433
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NBT
Jimbeaux82
Handloader
- Jan 6, 2011
- 413
- 188
Its just hard to go wrong starting with a Nosler Ballistic Tip. If they made them in the weights I wanted , ie 6.5mm - 140 gr and 7mm - 160 gr, I would shoot nothing else
I have been a Nosler guy for 4 decades for the most part. I shot one season of Speers in my 270 win and they we okay. I shot many seasons of 235gr. speers in my 375 H & H. Not many things got away from that bullet :wink:
I am going to get Scotty to post my photos of the load I just shot the day before yesterday. I up the powder .5 and increased the OAL. there are 6 Shots that aren't bad in the group I pulled one shot in each but that is first time at range since last fall. Just have to make more time as I enjoy it a lot.
Blessings,
Dan
I am going to get Scotty to post my photos of the load I just shot the day before yesterday. I up the powder .5 and increased the OAL. there are 6 Shots that aren't bad in the group I pulled one shot in each but that is first time at range since last fall. Just have to make more time as I enjoy it a lot.
Blessings,
Dan
- Thread starter
- #13
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
Some rifles will not shoot boatailled bullets? I have had a couple of rifles that would not shoot boatails as well as flat bottomed bullets. I read somewhere once (Hatcher, I think) that some barrels need more bearing surface to stabilize bullets.
Antelope_Sniper
Handloader
- Jan 25, 2008
- 2,618
- 0
In my opinion, the most accurate:
Target bullet, is the Sierra Match King.
Hunting bullet it the Nosler Ballistic Tip.
Target bullet, is the Sierra Match King.
Hunting bullet it the Nosler Ballistic Tip.
- Thread starter
- #16
I think this is going well. As stated several times every rifle is a little different and will do better with one brand and weight than another. I was suprised at the strong performance of the Noslers. Like Guy, my go to bullet for 308 accuracy is the Sierra, for the 7 mm class its always been the 162 gr Hornady PSP BT. Again like already mentioned I also shoot the Nosler PT for game but never found them to be that accurate but several here are stating different. I have not found the Nosler BT to be accurate in the one rifle I tried them in so I gave my supply to woodycreek (brain). The Bergers also came up several times, I have tried them a couple of times but can't justify the price for my style of shooting. No one mentioned any of the Barnes bullets. Interesting to say the least?
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,537
- 6,604
Interestingly enough, I have two rifles that shoot Partitions as though they were match bullets. My 7mm RM digests 175 grain Partitions and spits them out more accurately than any other bullet I've tried in that rifle. That isn't a bad thing. My 325 WSM shoots 200 grain Partitions into tiny groups at 100 yards. It has accounted for several head of big game. I'm with others on this thread in stating that one can't say definitively which bullet is the "most accurate" as there are too many factors involved in determining accuracy. I've worked up loads using Berger VLDs for quite a few people; they were influenced by television shows. Generally the loads worked up were accurate, but not decidedly more accurate than loads I worked up using TTSXs or ABs. I just finished working up a load for a 300 WSM that shot 0.09 inch groups, and across the spectrum of loads tested, the largest group was 0.53 inches. The load was built around a 168 grain TTSX. I suspect that I could have built just as accurate a load with that rifle using an AccuBond or a Hornady InterBond, or using an E-Tip or a Hornady GMX.
I have had very good accuracy from PT's as well. Even for a complex bullet design, I don't find them overly difficult to find a good load for. Any design that has 2 cores or a boat tail lend themselves to complications. What I have found with Noslers across the board, is testiment to their quality. Just no other explanation I can think of.
And going back to the BT's, why I like them for testing, is while they are boat tail, it is relatively short, making it less suseptible to possible minor inconsistencies in the base and heel, when compared to the longer vld designs.
But I always tend to go back to the Partition for hunting. I personally just don't see much advantage in a boat tail for hunting when shooting under 500 yds. And I very rarely, shoot within a 100 yds of that range. Only place I tend to use BT's is in certain Specialty Pistol rounds. And even then I still prefer the PT's for hunting.
And going back to the BT's, why I like them for testing, is while they are boat tail, it is relatively short, making it less suseptible to possible minor inconsistencies in the base and heel, when compared to the longer vld designs.
But I always tend to go back to the Partition for hunting. I personally just don't see much advantage in a boat tail for hunting when shooting under 500 yds. And I very rarely, shoot within a 100 yds of that range. Only place I tend to use BT's is in certain Specialty Pistol rounds. And even then I still prefer the PT's for hunting.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
I have the same experience as DrMike. I have (2) custom rifles (.270 Win and 7mm Mag) that will shoot Partitions extremely accurately as long as I weigh the bullets, which I do anyway, and sort they by .3 grain groups. Plus, I have a .30-06 that shoots sorted Partitions into 1/8 inch groups (most of the time) at 100 yards.
I have several other rifles that shoot either Partitions or CT Silver Tip bullets as accurately as any other bullet, match or not. Like I said a couple weeks ago in another post, if a hunting rifle will shoot 1/2 MOA groups to 300 yards, I am more than satisfied and lose all compulsion to improve on that.
Berger has spent a lot of money to convince people that they are the most accurate bullet and many have bought into that premise. My issue is the Berger bullets are not designed as game bullets and if Partition will shoot close to being as accurate as Berger, weight for weight, I see no reason to change. An accurate "game" bullet is my goal. Being "Best of the West" is not!
I have several other rifles that shoot either Partitions or CT Silver Tip bullets as accurately as any other bullet, match or not. Like I said a couple weeks ago in another post, if a hunting rifle will shoot 1/2 MOA groups to 300 yards, I am more than satisfied and lose all compulsion to improve on that.
Berger has spent a lot of money to convince people that they are the most accurate bullet and many have bought into that premise. My issue is the Berger bullets are not designed as game bullets and if Partition will shoot close to being as accurate as Berger, weight for weight, I see no reason to change. An accurate "game" bullet is my goal. Being "Best of the West" is not!
- Thread starter
- #20
