Another thing to keep in mind when comparing BCs is related to caliber. As for distances, I'd already decided to choose 50 yards as the close mark, and after some discussion the editor settled on a max of 400 yards- a long shot, for sure, but a range at which most accomplished riflemen can make clean, ethical hits from field positions. BC is measurement of how efficiently a bullet is able to cut through air . Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. It adjusts the trajectory prediction for each bullet type. Adding more tin, the weight can go down to 545gr from the same mold. A quarter flying this way makes a lousy bullet, right? Available Calibers: 6mm, 6.5mm, and .308. It's often been compared to the 6.5 Creedmoor. G1 (flat base with two caliber (blunt) nose ogive), G5 (short 7.5 boat-tail, 6.19 calibers long tangent ogive), G6 (flat base, six calibers long secant ogive), G7 (long 7.5 boat-tail, ten calibers tangent ogive), G8 (flat base, ten calibers long secant ogive). We'll send you the latest guides and training tips geared Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS, and Exclusive Coupons Codes >>>. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. was better than the .30-06 because it bested that venerable round by another 300 fps. The G7 is more representative of the current state of rifle rounds. Learn the 3 most popular shooting stances & more. presaged the 6.5mm frenzy. In general, heavier and larger caliber bullets have higher BCs than smaller calibers, but not always. Knowing ballistic coefficient allows you to calculate how far your round flies as it loses velocity. But in a shtf scenario the gun I want is a AC-130 Spectre a lottery winners dream come true. It doesnt pass through the air, or the animal, easily. There are actually several different standard projectiles with different measurements and they each measure drag in a different way. Now, lets launch them both at 2,750 feet per second from a Sierra Bullet Blaster 7000 rifle and see what happens. For example, a ping-pong ball is less dense than a marble. Their Hybrid Target design incorporates two different shapes within its nose. Ballistic Coefficient (BC) values can, and usually do change in value with changes in velocity. Whats New And What Really Matters In Bullet Design, 8 On-Target Concealed Carry Insurance Options (2022), 10 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options (2023), Best AR-15 Options For Any Budget And Buyers Guide (2023), Best Concealed Carry Handguns For Women (2023). But unlike standard factory fare, the Cutting Edge bullets are intended to start . However, the science and scientists that got us to this point goes back all the way to the 16th century. All measures of ballistic performance including drop and wind deflection . The drag created by the bullet depends on a number of factors, including the projectiles weight and design. The ELD-X (Extremely Low Drag - eXpanding) bullet is a technologically advanced, match accurate, ALL-RANGE hunting bullet featuring highest-in-class ballistic coefficients and consistent, controlled expansion at ALL practical hunting distances. They are the ones to choose for long range shooting where a flatter trajectory is important. Until now. This also applies to the shooter's skills. Tips, techniques, and equipment are applied to these classroom discussions on how to become more proficient and successful at making long-range shots while hunting with AR-platform rifles. But a higher ballistic coefficient doesnt necessarily mean it is a better bullet. Maybe I cant slam dunk like Jordan but I can still enjoy the NBA right? You can, of course, calculate the ballistic coefficient yourself, but why bother when the manufacturer tells you? The same weight bullets from other manufacturers will have different BC's, because they are slightly different shapes. Additionally, in some locations, lead bullets are not allowed. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. ** Hornady BC values have been corrected back to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standard Atmosphere (Sea Level, 59 degrees F, 29.92 inHg, 0% Humidity). The downside is, of course, inconsistent BC as velocity changes. Beth Shimanski of Savage introduces their all new straight-pull rifle. This Sierra Pro-Hunter is also a .308, 150-grain . Hornady . You have entered an incorrect email address! Theyre sequentially packaged and arent bulk washed after manufacture to protect their integrity. Available Calibers: 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, .308, and .338. Since those early days, other smart folks have developed different predictive models on bullet flight based on a variety of bullet types. google_ad_width = 728; This will support more accurate trajectory predictions, including wind and drop predictions. I count myself among them, and I think the market for high ballistic coefficient bullets will likely explode with the release of the new Hornady 7mm PRC. For example, consider a smaller caliber like a 6.5mm (.264 Caliber) 144 grain Long Range Hybrid Target thats relatively heavy for its caliber, compared to a larger caliber bullet like a .308 Caliber 175 grain OTM which is absolutely heavier, but is relatively light for its caliber. To illustrate the practical difference between these three styles of bullets, let's use Hornady's trajectory figures for the 100 grain 6mm bullets above. Without getting into the math, I'll define the ballistic coefficient in words as: The ability of the bullet to maintain velocity, in comparison to a ' standard projectile '. Introducing the latest products from the worldwide leader in ammunition. With the right BC you can make a . This means that the speed and energy will vary from cartridge manufacturer to manufacturer. Pick a tough, bullet with a high ballistic coefficient to get the best out of it..260 Rem. This anonymous data helps us to better understand users' needs and customize the website accordingly. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. My takeaway is this data is really of more interest to long range (over 300 yards?) Terminal Ascent will be available in a wide range of cartridgesincluding the 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .270 Win, .270 WSM, .280 Ackley Improved, 28 Nosler, 7mm Rem. Richard Mann G1 is most commonly used because its the old standard and the industry has not adapted to the more modern incarnations. His latest projects include an online course to help people get an FFL (. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Learn how your comment data is processed. Slow-burning, temperature-stable propellants like H4831SC and . Copyright 2001, 2013 by Chuck Hawks. Most of the professional ballisticians I've spoken with agree that a projectile's rotational velocity has little effect on impact expansion. For this example, I am going to use a Hornady 30-06 Springfield load with a 125 grain SST projectile, found here. Hornady originally published 800 yard* average Ballistic Coefficient (BC) values for ELD-X and ELD Match bullets. Lets design a standard bullet and do all the math for that one. Mag., .308 Win, .30-06, .300 Win. Simply, large and light bullets are less dense than small and heavy ones. Fluid properties (air) vary with velocity and environment. Please let me know how it can be improved upon. They will also sometimes require a faster twist rate. Unfortunately, the .270's relatively slow 1:10 rifling twist, as spec'd in SAAMI's reg book, won't stabilize the stretched-out, heavy, streamlined bullets that offer extremely high ballistic coefficients. Learn all the important stuff about handgunswith none of the attitude. I didnt know, but the term came up enough in forums, articles, and videos that I had to do some research. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". External/environmental variables, such as air pressure, temperature, altitude and humidity can change the density of the air. For example, if you like to shoot old cap and ball revolvers you are familiar with standard round balls as projectiles. In actuality, the smaller caliber, lighter-weight bullet actually has a BC thats 28% higher than the larger caliber, heavier bullet. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. In words, the Ballistic Coefficient of a bullet is it's sectional density divided by its form factor. The Remington Model Seven is ready, willing and able to handle just about any task. Built to maximize long-range performance for target shooting, Logan Schamburg from Blackjack bullets says the ACE Match bullet works very well on big-game animals too. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. It also demands purpose-built bullets. Almost any bullet can be made to expand at long range, but the thin jackets and soft cores that promote such expansion don't support bullet integrity when impact distances are close and velocities extremely high. Hornady's Precision Hunter 178-grain ELD-X at 2,600 fps is probably the best long-range option, but look also at the new 168-grain Berger Hybrid Hunter load from Federa l. Ballistic Coefficient . If youre looking to learn more or reload your own ammocheck out our Ammo & Reloading Definitive Resource. Ballistic coefficient (BC) is a mathematical representation of how efficiently a bullet flies through the air. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air drag. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8417283882784443"; purchase helps support my work in bringing you more awesome gun and gear articles. Conversely, it's not that difficult to produce a bullet that will hold together at close-range, high-impact velocities, but the heavy jackets, harder lead-alloy cores and bonding processes used to create such bullets can inhibit expansion when distances stretch and velocities drop. The G1 drag model is based off of a stereotypical spitzer bullet (pointed nose) with a flat base. At the peak of the market-hunting era, waterfowlers We interviewed fourth-generation master flintlock rifle maker John From forcing cones to action bars, here's a Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. Many shooters choose 7mm cartridges for the potential of incredibly high BC bullets. Type your new password and hit button below to confirm it. Long range shooters who understand that Ballistic Coefficients (BCs) are an important performance measure often compare BCs to see which bullets are good candidates for long range shooting. This includes the rounds trajectory, velocity, and wind drift. At the very bottom, you see the BC listed. Now, to save you the time and effort I put in, Im going to share just about everything I know about ballistic coefficient. Data are also found in the accompanying charts. If you chase this rabbit down the hole it will lead you around the internet and sometimes confuse you, anger you, and then all of a sudden youll have a breakthrough. The majority of industry published BCs is measured over relatively short ranges of 100 to 300 yards, which corresponds to velocities around 2500 fps depending on muzzle velocities. Hes a lifelong shooter who just happened to be mediocre enough with a gun and a keyboard to combine the two and write. Save my name and email to use for future comments. Hunters who choose a 195 Berger EOL hunting bullet compared to a 140gr Nosler Accubond-even if both bullets are shot at 2,800fps- would see 6 less drop and 8 less wind drift at 500 yards. We have discussed how gravity and wind are the two main variables that affect your bullets path. The main benefit of the 55-grain bullet is its ballistic coefficient. (w/7000) Section Density = w = bullet weight in grains (caliber diameter squared) cal dia in inches BC Section Density divided by Form Factor i Form Factor, usually represented as I, is the ratio of the aerodynamic drag of subject bullet to the standard bullet. Just an old curious guy. Ballistic Performance of Rifle Bullets, 3rd Edition, 6.5mm (.264 Caliber) 144 grain Long Range Hybrid Target. So why the significant differences even though bullets were of the same diameter, weight, and velocity? Shooters taking these long shots have to factor in their BC to ensure the round gets where its going. The Sierra GameKing has been cleanly killing critters for many years. We appreciate your patience and continued support! Rest assured, there will be performance differences between every two bullet designs of the same weight and different shape, just not as dramatic. Three words: Use Berger Bullets! Note that with bullets of the same weight and style, such as the 100 grain .243" and .257" bullets or the 150 grain .311" and .323" bullets, the smaller diameter bullet always has the superior BC due to its better sectional density. ; G7 Ballistic Coefficient - this is an updated equation and the preferred system of measuring a BC for long range bullets. Jim Harmer is a host of the Backfire Youtube channel. In the world of ballistic coefficients, a bigger number means that a bullet flies more efficiently. Think about it this way: An arrow is more aerodynamically efficient than a tennis ball. If they penetrate only 12 or 14 inches (inhibited by that same massive frontal diameter that's causing such dramatic tissue destruction), that's usually adequate. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Knowing ballistic coefficient allows you to calculate how far your round flies as it loses velocity. Its that simple. A variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. Interestingly, the Trophy Bonded Tip was the only bullet that penetrated less (23.5 inches) at 400 yards than at 50 yards, testifying to its consistent expansion characteristics. Its a lead-tipped, jacketed bullet with a flat-point tip and a flat base. REcently I have been casting bullets for and competing with Black powder cartridge rifles and competing at ranges out to 1000yds. Ballistic Coefficient (B.C.) Subscriber Services. Enjoyed your discussion on BCs. To show viewers how to succeed at long range, J. Guthrie gears up for a challenging shot while chasing Colorado pronghorn at long range with DPMS' Panther 6.5 Creedmoor. A bullet's BC will differ depending on whether the G1 or G7 drag model is used. The best styles for long-range shooting will have high density and aerodynamically efficient shapes. Available Calibers: .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, .308, .338, and .375. Drag slows a bullet down, and we dont want slow bullets. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Love your simple explanations. Great scores on paper targets do not equal the best shots when hunting -- unless you're using the same bullets for both target practice & hunting. This interactive bullet database is free and containst 173 caliber ballistics, history, stats, and their trajectories charted out in full detail. To throw a little light on the subject (and out of my own curiosity), I recently shot a selection of eight of my favorite bullets into 10-percent gelatin at 50 and 400 yards. Calculates the ballistic trajectory of a bullet fired from a rifle, handgun or other firearm. Instead, when youre making the decision on which one to use for the best long-range performance, choose the one that shoots well in your rifle first. Ballistics is an odd, but fascinating science, and it can be intimidating to go too deep. Weve built dozens of ARs and well cover all the best AR-15 upgrades such as handguards, triggers, BCGs, gas blocks, and more. Heres why. With the AccuBond Long Range, Nosler made some wise enhancements to make the bullet shoot flatter and hit harder at distance, while still delivering that legendary Nosler Partition-like lethality. A bullet with a high ballistic coefficient is slippery and less subject to drag (slowing down) as it continues on its merry way. Mach 2.0 (2,233 fps @ ICAO Standard Atmosphere) and Mach 1.75 (1,954 fps @ ICAO Standard Atmosphere) BC values are also available. "These new bullets beat everything out there, even at the highest levels of competition, by 20%." - Alan Warner, Warner Tool Company. Also, using the G1 model gives bigger ballistic coefficients, which look better in terms of marketing. 308 Ballistics Chart & Coefficient. Maybe NOT, POF 5PK MP5 The Budget Reverse-Stretch Semi Auto from Pakistan, ATI Schmeisser 5.56/.223 AR15 60 Round G2 MLE Magazines just $39.99 each ~ VIDEO, Survival Deal: Thyrosafe Potassium Radioactive Iodide Tablets $21.95 FREE S&H, Ammo InStock: Remington Ammo 22LR Golden Bullet 36Gr 1400 Round Bucket $104.49, Brownells Coupon Codes www.brownells.com Updated Monthly. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Copyright Hornady, Privacy Policy | CCPA Request | Accessibility Policy | Terms of Use, Designed and developed by IdeaBank Marketing, drag coefficient based trajectory calculations, Product Warning & Recall Notice - Item #8263, Product Warning & Recall Notice - Item #90226, Product Warning and Recall Notice - Item #9249, Product Warning & Recall Notice - Item #81153, Product Warning & Recall Notice - Item #82730. I agree with the entire article and its explaining of coefficients and their applications. I dont see how a BC can be constant for varible velocities over a given trajectory. Each one of these projectiles is engineered for tight groups at long range, By It's when game such as elk, moose, caribou, mountain goats and the bigger bears are on the menu that bullet integrity becomes critical. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air drag. The longer they have to act on your projectile, the more of an effect theyll have. The higher the BC, the less drag on the bullet. Weve got a dedicated section for the AR-15 here. If looking to acquire an automated powder-charge dispensing unit to speed up precision reloading, don't judge the RCBS ChargeMaster Lite powder scale and dispenser by its name; the Little Green machine packs a heavy-weight punch with speed and accuracy. Published Dec 17, 2019 5:47 PM EST, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. For BC calculations, the shape of a bullet is compared to pre-determined drag models. The two most common drag models are G1 and G7. Boat tail bullets are designated "BT," all other bullets have flat bases. The BC of a bullet is a ratio calculated by a mathematical model based off of its density and its particular shape. The .30-06 Springfield was better than the .30-30 because it spit the same .308-inch bullets 400 to 500 fps (feet per second) faster. Thats where it started, and since then its gone from simple experiments all the way to engineers and scientists at places like Aberdeen Proving Ground working to improve ballistic calculations. 8. There are three variables that determine a bullets speed on its way to the target: We explored the first variable, the initial speed of the bullet, in the last column. Making those long range shots past a 1000+ nice! gives us a very small window of the projectile/bullet's ability to overcome external factors such as wind and gravity. These variables, which well discuss in the next column, can change each time and location you shoot. However, some point out that since rotational velocity maintains itself much longer than downrange velocity, it must, to some extent, affect expansion via centrifugal force. Eight major concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the millions of Americans who carry concealed. So for purposes of flying through the air efficiently, the bigger the BC number the better. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 5 Mk 1 Rifle: History of the 'Jungle Carbine', Kimber Hunter Pro Desolve Blak - A Lightweight Heavy Hitter, Browning BLR Lightweight '81 Stainless Takedown Lever Rifle, Mossberg Patriot Predator 6.5 PRC Rifle Review, Review: Springfield Armory M1A Loaded Rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor, RCBS ChargeMaster Lite Review: Not 'Lite' on Ability, Remington Model Seven SS HS Bolt-Action Rifle Review. Now imagine a nail flying point first. Two measurements that help define the downrange performance of a bullet are ballistic coefficient and sectional density. Its a jacketed bullet with a tiny hollow-point, non-expanding design. Manufacturers might be tempted to advertise high BCs for their bullets, and the comparison to the drag model is more complicated than I made it out to be and actually changes with speed. To grossly abuse math and physics, bullets with high sectional density are long and skinny. Granted, for 80 percent or more of the game (whitetails) shot by Americans, bullets don't really need to hold together and penetrate particularly deeply to provide clean, humane kills. .243" 100 grain Spire Point BT (BC .400): -1.5" @ muzzle, +3.6" @ 100 yards, +4.4" @ 200 yards, 0 @ 300 yards, -10.4" @ 400 yards, -28.6" @ 500 yards. Travis Pike is a Marine infantry veteran, firearms enthusiast, and NRA certified instructor. Available Calibers: 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, .308, and .338. Spitzer, which means pointed, is a more efficient shape than a round nose or a flat point. The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character. Put another way, its the ratio of the bullets sectional density to its coefficient of form. Type your email address and well send Its a product of the early 1900s, so at the time it was representative of rifle rounds. That boils down to more complex factors like shape, length, and weight distribution. Im not an expert at long range shooting by any means, but from what Ive read and seen consistency is king. In the end, the best way to understand the performance comparison between two bullets is to enter their details into a ballistic solver including the muzzle velocity, and see how the predicted drop and drift compare, all things considered. It has a better trajectory than the lighter 36-grain and 40-grain bullets. Heres what you need to know about drag models. The 55-grain bullet provides a good balance between the light 40-grain and the heavy 77-grain bullets. The base is a boat-tail shape. Get Our Top Shooting Drills and Zeroing Targets ($47 value - but FREE for a limited time). Heck, few whitetails, antelope, mule deer and even average black bears measure much more than 12 inches broadside through the vitals. All three of these bullets have a sectional density (which is the ratio of a bullet's diameter to its weight) of .242, because they are all .243" in diameter and weigh 100 grains. google_ad_height = 90; For the last several years, Hornady has developed some of the best long-range bullets on the market. Access features of the Reloading Handbook on your mobile device with the Reloading App. Ballistic Coefficient (BC) values at Mach 2.25 (2512 fps @ ICAO Standard Atmosphere) should be used when comparing to other published BC values within the industry. .375 H&H Magnum (L), .338 Winchester Magnum (R) Public Domain. Spitzer rounds with a boat tail have a slightly higher BC than Spitzer rounds with a flat base. The ability to know, in advance, how much a bullet will drop or drift in the wind at a certain distance allows you, the shooter, to make scope holdover adjustments that will increase the odds of you hitting your target. I do not know how I could have possibly left out Lapua bullets. So what is the standard projectile? To enhance its long-range performance, Sierra has reengineered the GameKing by adding a hollow point and a resin tip. There is a pretty big difference in trajectory between the round nose bullet and the two pointed bullets, making it obvious why it is folly to choose a round nose bullet for long range shooting with a high velocity rifle like a 6mm Remington or .243 Winchester. . This is done so you have an accurate number that represents the bullets performance over long range. Did this help sort out just what ballistic coefficient is? e dont want slow bullets.