Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Cult of “Bullets matter way more than headstamps”

Ok... but what facets of a bullet are important —- Seems like some guys get it that bullets are important (at least if your shooting at a distance).

I actually agree with this that having good bullets does have a greater impact to your ability to connect with your target...
BUT - I also know that chambering & Cartridge choice also come into play with the person driving (meaning depending on the guy / gal running the rig) can make those important as well.
Simply put bullet quality is consistence to everyone... Rifle accuracy capabilty is consistent to the rifle - and shooting skills link to the shooter.
Not everyone knows your rifle is going to shoot .1-2 Mils higher then it did in the morning because it’s not 60 degrees like it was in the morning - that’s something you have to experience.

BACK to the Main subject—- Bullets what should one be looking for?

Before you ask - I like Vaportrail Bullets, Clay Spencer’s gear for bullet making was bought by them - There are multiple precision bullet makers out there... but few people seem to know
The voodo (it’s unknown) why those bullets perform better.

- Yep - I used Stick’s line on purpose..


So - What’s the lift of factors big to small - If you say “bullet maker” - go sit in the penalty box (we’re talking attributes of the bullet).

—.

First - it might be smart to split this into 3 Major categories ...
** Keep in mind there are cartridge (what drives the bullet) variables per category like velocity, neck characteristics, ..
A good account would also mention these linkages. ... but that ain’t the bullet.

1). Bullet characteristics / consistency that effect Accuracy / Precision

2). Bullet characteristics / consistency that effect bullet flight (drop & resistance to wind)

3). Bullet characteristics / consistency that effect terminal performance

Extra points - Indicate which variables have the most impact (remember we said ... matters more).

Calibration and correct metering of your powder charge and a clean barrel are factors I put above and beyond the little pill coming out of the pipe


For all you cited, why not just go with the prettiest packaging or whoever sends a cool hat?

Are you talking about shooting at paper from a benchrest, or trying to connect with a big game animal?

Only 3 things,
1. consistency within the batch of bullets,
2. is the bullet appropriate for intended use?
3. Does the bullet shoot well out of your particular rifle?
The rest has to do with whomever is behind the trigger.
Other than that, the OP's question is somewhat puzzling.

On my best days, I'm consistently a 1/2MOA shooter. It doesn't really matter how "good" the equipment is, I'm not consistent enough myself to be better. I zero pretty much everything I hunt with @ 200yds. 1-1.5" groups @ 200yds that put the center of that group as dead on, that's going to work for me. Everything I hunt with I practice out to 600 from field positions on steel at a minimum.

I live/hunt in open country. Mostly spot/stalk. Despite my best efforts, sometimes it turns into busted-stalk, shoot the summbitch on the run, sometimes @ very poor angles. My choice goes to #3 as top priority. Consistent terminal performance from a bullet that will "get there" is my top priority. I'll do the work I need to do on my end to ensure I've managed an accurate load, precise zero, and what needs to happen regarding POA/POI at a distance I'm comfortable with given the geography and atmospherics at the time. Sometimes that means I'm happy to shoot out to 600 or 700yds, sometimes that means no more than 250yds.

I sight my rifles in 1 1/2 inches at a hundred. If my rifle and load will shoot an inch or better I’m good for the hunting I do. The longest shot I have is 275 yards. I load Nosler and Barnes, some Sierra. They all kill if I make a good shot. None of them are worth a cshit if I shank a shot.

Have built more than a few rifles around a bullet or type of bullet. With the variety and quality of projectiles available it is a major consideration.
The whole package needs to compliment the delivery of said bullet to it's mark to do the job intended.....

+1

I like the red boxes. They seem to go the best with the battleship gray loading bench. I even wangled a free matching stool and 500 rounds of one of my favorite deer bullets. That's better than a hat.




. . . but then I'm usually only shooting at whitetails inside 150 yards. It's a matter of not worrying about what don't need worrying over.

Other big concerns:

What's the box of 100 cost? No, not 50. I said 100.
Are they in stock? Are they going to be in stock next year at this time?

That about sums it up.

I'm a member of "The Cult of It's the Indian, not The Arrow."

,

You try killing an elk with a judo head screwed into a flu-flu.

OK then, "It's the Indian, not the arrow, assuming the Indian has half a brain."

Might make that my new sig line!

Your results will be no better than the input you neglect the most.

That's assuming a LOT for the 'Fire.

Those that shoot a LOT, not BR though, know that a clean barrel can be over rated. As to metering, weight might not be it, it might be volume.

I've shot enough around sweet spots to know that in the 223 you can easily be 2-4/10 off the middle and it not affect much at all unless true long range is involved.

That said I still try to get charges pretty close the further out the ammo use is.

And with that, I've won enough things at 600 with thrown charges that I also know a lot of what folks think that matters is in their head only.

Bullet stuff... makes two holes. Expands some in the process. Not to much for my tastes. Thats for hunting. For targets its highest BC that will shoot accurately for the use.

What do we use? Berger target bullets for slower rounds and when I need BC for longer distances I even switch over to the hunting ones with thinner jackets. For general use in slower rounds too, like 308 and 185s or heavier. And now in 6.5 creedmoor 140s.

But I still use TTSX in a lot of rounds. Can't quite recall using anything else much in years.

And actually an elk could be killed with a judo on a flu flu... but it would take the right shot. I've seen stuff killed with judo tips that surprised the heck out of me but you'd have to have a bit of archery experience to understand the implications

Yeah, clean barrel don't mean nothing to me. It's akin to wiping your ass before you take a sheit.

He whips his own ass?

That is truly badass.

I have lots of reloading dies I have bought over the years, with the intention of taking up reloading, but I still just buy Remington Core Lokt ammunition which does everything I require for a cartridge. BTW, I shoot my rifles, I don't "drive" them or "run" them.

Agreed........