I love the round nose bullet,I shoot a 25/35 that needs hornady 117gr rn,and I really like the 160gr rn in my 264 win mag, wish sierra would bring back there 6.5 160's,and my Winchester 54 loves the 180 and the 220 rn,and my 35 rem in 141 loves the 200gr rn hornady's. I know the spitzers shoot flatter, but someone said life is to short to shoot an ugly rifle,I think life is too short not to shoot and kill big game without a round nose bullet. They just look cool to me tell me what you think,and I know I'll smoke turds in Hell for this!

mooshoo -

G F Y = Good For You...

The more round nose bullets you buy, the more GOOD bullets are available for ME...

Jerry

I think the 6.5 160 grain round nose is the coolest looking bullet I've seen. I'd love to get something that I could use it in.

Fastest deer kill I've ever seen was with a Speer 165gr RN from a .300 Savage. I'm a big fan of RNs.

I can understand using them in certain rifles where they are needed, but pointed bullets make a huge difference even at close range. And it isn't trajectory as much as retained energy.

Fire a 180 gr AB and a 180 gr RN from a 30-06 at the same 2800 fps and at only 50 yards the pointed bullet has a 100 fps advantage and 200 ft lbs more energy. AT 50 YARDS!!! The AB has a 200 fps advantage at only 100 yards with an additional 300 ft lbs. This is at only 100 yards, not long range.

At 300 yards the pointed bullet has an extra 500 fps and and 800 ft lbs more energy. The RN bullet only drops 4" more so the trajectory difference isn't that much different.

I understand that where it matters, but my longest shot at a deer was 110 yards, and where I hunt now, 100 yard will be the farthest I can see one. I've had better terminal performance from the RNs and shorter tracking. I shot a small 8 pt. two years ago with a .257 110gr. AB at 2900 from 75 yards, and was less than impressed. I got the deer, but it was a longish track job in thick stuff, and the deer was still alive 25 minutes after I shot it. I never had a deer go more than 10 yards with an RN. It works for me, sounds like your mileage varies. That's what makes hunting interesting.

That sounds like you have what works well in your hunting area. If you ever venture west get you a pocket full of spbt.

IMHO based on the experiences I have had, the RN bullets do an excellent job and give up little under 200 yds. JMR40 is correct in his ballistic figures but in reality most of the cartridges we use on deer have more than ample energy to do the job. While I've never had any real issues with pointy bullets the RN bullets do seem to put the knock on deer and drop them right there. I have also had good accuracy out of RN bullets. my 7x57 seems to shoot the 154 gr RN well and the 150 gr speer 30 cal shot well in my 308.

I've had Winchester 180 RN drop deer quicker than any spitzers. I've been saving my last box of Speer 165 RN. Guess it time to work up a load for them.

Here is the 200 gr Silvertip 358 Winchester RN that I have taken the most deer with.

All have been my handloads.

I'd love to be hunting where I Need it !
Been hearing reports of Rogue Mastadon lurking in the Boreal Forest hereabouts
;-)

Back when I was a kid some 40 years ago our hunting group had a bunch of guys who carried Remington pumps, they all thought that "The" ammo of choice for Adirondack hunting was the corelokt 180gr RN.

Of course they believed a bunch of things that sound crazy now like the RN "hits harder" or the RN can shoot through brush. Even if they had some odd beliefs they all killed deer pretty much every year (not exactly easy in the dacks)and I never heard them complain that the rifle or bullet was at fault.

06 in a pump with 180 gr round nose is a bear combo in my parts. Where they also anticipating a chance of a bear to shoot?

I shot my last two elk, last 2 mule deer, and last 3 antelope with round nosed factory ammo. All but one elk was under 250 yards. All with the same old Winchester 30-06. Two elk and one deer was shot using Remington's old discontinued Mushroom Core-Lokt hollow point bullets. All the others were shot using Winchester's old 180 grain round nose power points. Superb performance on all except the one elk that was that was at 385 yards. That one took two shots because of poor marksmanship and a tough bullet. I only recovered one bullet from all the animals and that was from the distant elk. Not a tremendous amount of expansion on that bullet. I have used the same Remington Mushroom Core-Lokt bullet in a 30-30 to take and elk and a buffalo. Again the only recovered bullet was from the elk which was shot at 200 yards and the old 30-30 was running out of gas at that point. I really like those old discontinued bullets and have shot other animals over the years with them.

love to here stuff like that! that is way cool!

I have shot other animals with that long discontinued Remington Mushroom Core-Lokt but some of these are actually more spritzer like. The 200 grain in the 348, which I recovered from an elk, and the 100 grain in the 250 Savage are more spritzer than round nose. I recently acquired a couple hundred 243 Hornaday round nose bullets for reloading. I am hoarding the Remington 100 grain round nose bullets for the 250 Savage. I have fantasies about someone producing a 224 diameter true round nose big game bullet. My other fantasy that will never come to fruition is parallel sided round nose tough full metal jacket bullets in 22, 24, 25, and 27 caliber. And a good tough 30 caliber 180 grain fmj would be appreciated.

How would they hold up at say 3000-3100 fps?

I also have a preference for round nose bullets but came by this honestly which was my early years with shooting the 175 gr round nose in the 7X57. In my book the Remington core-lokt round nose bullets are really a "Premium bullet" if shot a the speed they were intended. Since Remington has exited the bullet component business most of us will have hoard the round nose core-lokts what we have left.

Doc

They were probably from PA. That was THE deer load when I was a lad.

I like the round-nose bullets okay - but how do they kill faster than "instantly" ?

You a re going to have to use your discontinued Speer 165 gr RN bullets sparingly.

Doc

Those 160 grain Hornady RN's shoot better than anything else out of my Swedish Mauser. Great bullet.

To paraphrase someone else here: Foot pounds don't kill, holes in vital organs kill.

The round nose does have style. I always felt like if someone had given Bell a spitzer, Bell would have laughed in his face. I've no idea why I concluded that.

Right you are Doc. They have been on the shelf for years waiting for just the right time and now is the time. ;)I just looked at them and saw the sticker on them marked $6.14.

Bearstalker,
I've shot a handful of elk with the Sierra 180 grain roundnose out of a 300 H&H. They start at just under 3100 fps. They have worked well so far. They lose weight, expand pretty rapidly etc.. I wouldn't want to push them any harder, at least for big game. They shoot better than about 6 or 8 other bullets tested out of this rifle.

I have a 100 pack of 150 gr .277 bullets. Bought them from a guy for 7 bucks. The price on the box said 4 bucks or something. I am going to load em up and use em for deer and maybe a bear.

I grew up shooting RN Core Lokts. Never had a problem on PA deer.

I sure like the old 200gr RN Cor-Lokt bullet in the 35 Remington. It seems to be a perfect match and has never let me down.

I think ever body oughtta shoot what they like to. Why a body would choose a RN bullet is any body's guess.
The logic plumb evades me.

One reason is to have a bullet of a particular weight that will stabilize in a barrel that is not twisted fast enough to stabilize a (longer) spitzer bullet of the same weight.

The logic that evades me is these guys who agonize over ballistic coefficients, velocity, fractions of an inch of trajectory, penetration, weight retention, expansion and tenths of a minute of angle when they have never, and probably never will have, shot anything but whitetail deer under two hundred yards.

@OP ... This topic came up about a year ago. I offered to pay the postage for anyone who wanted to clear the arcane round nose bullets off their loading bench. Still have not had any takers...

Offer still stands...

I can't take you up on that offer.

I've "never" bought R N bullets.

I don't expect to "ever" buy any.

Whatever floats UR boat.


Jerry

I agree. However, for close range and maybe up to 200 yds, depending on the cartridge, I don't feel there's much disadvantage in trajectory. I just will not hobble myself with close range bullets, cartridges, or rifles.

It doesn't hurt me to carry 'Lite' rifles with better ballistics.

This floats MY boat.


Jerry

Are you saying that agonizing over a particular bullet weight is logical?

When I recently purchased a new 270 Winchester , I never considered any other Ammo/Bullets other than Federal 150 gr RN ...
I think the use of RN bullets is how the 30-30 and other cartridges ..have such great reputation of success ...
Like the 6.5x55 160 gr RN or the 7.5x57 175gr RN bullets have both have a stellar reputation.. Those heavy for caliber bullets expand and penetrate like no tomorrow.....

Just 2 weeks ago I was in my local gun shop and a fellow was having Leopold scopes mounted on a two Tikka rifles he just bought, A 270 for him and the .243 for his son. We spoke for a while as the scopes were being mounted by the shop owner and he told me he primarily hunts Sika
on Maryland's eastern shore. The Sika deer is non-native and is actually are part of the Elk family....in fact they are baby Elk.

The Tikka buyer said he was buying the .270 because he wanted a lighter rifle than his 7MM magnum also saying the 7Mag was too "destructive" on Sika Deer...no surprise there.

I recommended he try the Federal .270 round nose load and he could eat right up to the hole. Besides a Tikka .270 will shoot just any load....MOA.

Doc

They work very well for me....
Shot a coyote this fall with a 117 rn 257 Roberts...nickel size exit hole..
Amazing results on deer too...

You get a lot of 500-1000 yard shots during hunting season with a hurricane in the background? If you killed anything last year, what ranges?

What does a 'hurricane' have to do with my/our posts?

Yes, I killed a few last yr. Posted pics in "Deer Hunting" & "Hunting Rifles" forums.

Regardless of distance last year - I believe in being prepared for 'longer' than 'short' range.

You don't have to get to 500 yds for a RN to be slower and arched much lower.

Remember I said, "This floats my boat"

Shoot what floats your boat. You will NEVER convince me to load and carry RNers.

Jerry

I've killed a moose with a 220 CL in .30-06. A pronghorn with a 150 RN as well as a whitetail doe. A buck with a 180 CL RN in .30-06. I've killed a lot more with flat points though.

i have a box of 160 grain sierra rn 6.5 id sell if anyone is interested

My family took a lot of white tail with 30-30 150 gr. Winchester factory loaded silvertips...most of them one shot kills.

Latter on, I realized those deer were not dead enough. So, I bought a 30-06. The deer I shoot now are much deader.

Just bought these
two diameter 220gr .308
Barely longer than a 168gr Nosler match.

I'm not particularly wedded to RNSP bullets, but whenever I've used them they've worked fine. They seem to be ideally suited for modest velocity, for use at modest distances, and they seem to kill game perfectly well, which is of course the important thing really. I particularly like the 286 gn Woodleigh RNSP in my 9.3x74R - I prefer it over the PP version in fact - and it seems to do a good job for game up to buffalo.

I've also used the 220 gn Remington CorLokt in .30/06 on a bunch of big pigs, and it bowled them over in fine style, one after another, though admittedly I still prefer Winchester's 150 gn Power Point on pigs and deer, for the additional reach it gives. Others I've used include Prvi Partizan's 139 gn 7x57R, Hornady's 174 gn RNSP in .303, and various RN (and FN) bullets in .30/30 and .45/70. All have done a good job killing deer and pigs.

Sleek bullets will kill at close range, as well as long.

Details? Those look really interesting. Where, what, etc?

It mightn't be that simple. For example, the "sleek" bullet might need a bit more velocity to do its best work. A case in point is the Woodleighs I mentioned, pictured here:



Side by side, on several dozen head of game (pigs and buffalo) it was apparent that the sleeker PP wasn't expanding well unless it met a lot of resistance. The RN would open up and kill pigs well, while also performing well on buffalo, while the PP would zip through a pig and not do nearly so good a job. The PP might have done a good deal better if driven faster, but at the velocities in question (MV about 2400 fps, shots under about 100 yards) the RNSP definitely had an edge.

Dan -

I only shoot rifles/cartridges that are already skooting.

So..



I've been handloading since 1975--to date. I've never seen any situation or circumstance where RN bullets would have been an advantage.

Now I do understand where Dangerous Game is concerned RN -FMJ are preferred or required. I haven't seen any pachyderm tracks in areas I've hunted.

Other than D G, round nose bullets offer no advantage and AFAIC (as far as I'm concerned) are only a DISadvantage.

Jerry

...and therefore no great surprise you don't have much use for RNSP bullets. As I said:



Personally, I have some rifles which send bullets downrange fast, and some which don't. Sometimes I want to be able to reach out. Sometimes I don't need to. Horses for courses.

Yes I understood AND I'm glad you understand.

Jerry

In that case, why are you posting in this thread? Nobody's trying to convince you. Some people have use for RN bullets. We get that you dont, I think we can all move past that now.

I like and use roundnose bullets in several applications. If we accept that the vast majority of game is killed at under 300 yards and much of that at less than 200, the round nose in practical application gives up little to any other style of bullet. I currently load them in;

256 Mannlicher
25 Remington
6mmx222
30-40 Krag
300 H&H
35 Whelen
9.3x57
401 WSL
400 Whelen
10.75x57

So far I've taken game with them in the 30-40, 300 H&H, 30-06, 308, and 400 Whelen and I've taken game from just a few yards to just a few yards over 300 and haven't ever felt handicapped. I'm not saying they're any better than spitzers but they often get an undeserved bad rap.

At least as logical as a lot of stuff we agonize over here.

the rn sierra 6.5 bullets i offered are spoken for

I always thought the 7X57 175 grain solids that Bell used on elephants looked really lethal. Long and lean --- and mean!

I have a box of 129 gr. 6.5 Hornady RN if any one is interested. Just pm me.

yondering - I am being VERY polite.

I have the same privilege as you to post on ANY Thread I want to.

WE don't need anyone's permission.

Jerry

Neither of those bullets are sleek...

I have a related ?

I've tried to section bullets like that but they haven't turned out nearly as CLEAN & NEAT as those.

Is there a trick to it or does anyone have a suggestion as to how to get that kind of result ?

Jerry

I was just asking why you keep responding that you have no interest in round nose bullets, as if someone were trying to convince you to use them.

Not trying to be rude, but I see that my comment might have been taken that way, my apologies.

I also am interested in those sectioned bullets, they look really good. I have sectioned bullets on my mill, and then sand them, but yours look a lot better.

Yondering -

Apology accepted.

After my first 2-3 post, others addressed me and I was responding.

I'm a confessed LOONY, I can't help it.

Jerry

The easiest way to get sectioned bullets to look good is to run them over some sandpaper after they're sectioned. That will give them that clean look. Or if you have strong fingers hold them on a belt sander but that's a good way to remove fingerprints and trim your nails.

I didn't do those ones, but FWIW if you put wet and dry paper on a pane of glass, ideally with water running over it, and stroke the specimen back and forth being careful not to rock it, you get a nice flat surface. It is even easier to keep it nice and flat if you mount the specimen in resin, as that gives you more to hold.

I wouldn't joke about losing fingerprints on a linisher either, just quietly. I've had blank patches in several fingerprints for about 30 years, and it was not fun getting them

Thnx Dan & Mart

I appreciate the help.

I have removed fingerprints with a side grinder.

It was QUICK and NOT painless and I don't recommend it.

Jerry

I too bemoan the slow demise of the RN bullet. I scored 500 RN 154 gr blems in 284 a few years ago. The results of their use has been delicious.
I think most American shooters are magnumized and brainwashed by the gun/ammo companies to embrace the flimsy theory that " If it costs more it's better". I think you should buy and use what you want but then the demand drives the industry and the RN is the latest casualty.
A huge percentage of game killed is shot within the range of any round nose bullet driven at speeds compatible with the design of the cartridge. Competition shooters have other requirements. Varmint hunters/shooters deal with other requirements. But given terrain and habitat limitations the RN suffers for no disadvantage to the premium bullets.
What works and meets the needs is what matters to you and to me. However, I do ponder the man who dumps 100 grains of power into a brass tube longer than his fingers and needs wait 10 seconds so his eyeballs stop rolling like cherries in a slot machine and then asks "Did I git im?" (Tongue firmly planted in cheek)

Midway has 25 cal. round nose Horandys on sale.

PM inbound

I like heavy for caliber bullets.
I have killed a lot of elk with Sierra 220 gr RN and never had reason to fault them.Are they necessary? Probably not,but they work for me. Usually my shots are less than 100 yards

One advantage,since I like heavy for caliber is the 220 gr RN will fit in my Win.FWT .06 magazine box,whereas spire points or BT's won't

It doesn't get much better than a .30 caliber 180gr Sierra Prohunter.

Turns out I found a coup,e of partial boxes of 243 RN. There are probably 60-70 105 gr speer and 30 or so 100 gr Hornady. These need a new home since I sold my 243 PM me if you are interested.

Went to a local gun show today and scored 2 full, 100 count, boxes of .338 250 ROUND NOSE. I may have over paid though, $9/box. I may have to load some up this fall and see if I can't find an elk that is lead deficient.