Match Grade Ammo

[wcd]

So I am trying to understand why a lot of match grade ammo appears to be Hollow Points Versus a FMJ? I would think that round nose lead would offer better accuracy? Just wondering if somehow there is better weight distribution with Hollow Points. or?

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Yes the weight distribution of some hollow points lends to better stability and therefore more accuracy.

The most accurate round would be made on a lathe from a homogeneous metal like beryllium copper.

 

[hammerd13]

The target bullets, which often feature a small hollow point tip, form a small bubble of air at the tip as they travel through the air. It works as a bearing of sorts, that's virtually perfect in shape as the bullet spins extremely fast and moves forward. This makes for a very repeatable flight path.

If you were to, instead, form these bullets with a sharp point (no hollow point), there would be no room for the perfect bubble of air to form. With no leading air bearing/bubble, the path of the bullet could vary more...depending on how precise and perfect this point is.

On a related note, the bullet tail design (shape, length, etc.) makes a big difference too. Lots of technology/physics in bullet design for sure.

 

[wcd]

Yes the weight distribution of some hollow points lends to better stability and therefore more accuracy.

The most accurate round would be made on a lathe from a homogeneous metal like beryllium copper.

Thanks guessing the specifics that go into design and manufacture of them are far above my pay grade.

 

[2tonic]

Yes the weight distribution of some hollow points lends to better stability and therefore more accuracy.

The most accurate round would be made on a lathe from a homogeneous metal like beryllium copper.

My "Hillary Clinton Special" depleted uranium 5.56 rounds group awfully well.

 

[natdscott]

Yes the weight distribution of some hollow points lends to better stability and therefore more accuracy.

The most accurate round would be made on a lathe from a homogeneous metal like beryllium copper.

WTC FLAT LINE BULLETS - Warner Tool Company

FLAT LINE STARTINGLOAD DATA SHOP OURBULLETS DOPPLERDATA SHEETS FLAT LINE BULLETS Warner Tool Company Flat Line Bullets are designed and manufactured in-house to help you shoot farther, faster, flatter. With an increased BC and higher muzzle velocities when compared to bullets in its weight...

www.warner-tool.com

And others. The brothers Warner just do most things a little better than the rest.

 

[natdscott]

The target bullets, which often feature a small hollow point tip, form a small bubble of air at the tip as they travel through the air. It works as a bearing of sorts, that's virtually perfect in shape as the bullet spins extremely fast and moves forward. This makes for a very repeatable flight path.

If you were to, instead, form these bullets with a sharp point (no hollow point), there would be no room for the perfect bubble of air to form. With no leading air bearing/bubble, the path of the bullet could vary more...depending on how precise and perfect this point is.

None of that happens.

The open tip (not a true "hollow point") is a relic of the manufacturing process, not a feature.

The cutting edge users of this type of match bullet are taking steps to remove nearly all of the open tip, by pointing the bullets even more than the factory is (or was...there are quite a few factory-pointed bullets now).

FMJ bullets can be made to be very accurate, but it's a very ponderous thing, slow AF, and expensive. True "match" FMJ have never really existed because the front-loaded open tip bullets have mostly won everything to be won.

There is, or was, a Lapua .30 cal FMJRBT used in some specific NATO-esque European matches. It is decent, but not a head-to-head competitor against anything better. Same for some of the really high-quality Ball ammo around the world.

Swiss GP11, for example, is loaded more precisely than many hand loaders can turn out. But it's still an FMJ.

If it can't win a real match of any account, well..I guess it ain't "match grade".

Oh. And Hornady A-tip and other polymer-tipped bullets are STILL in the open-tip match, front-loaded category. They just get some plastic (or aluminum) shoved in the front.

 

[natdscott]

Thanks guessing the specifics that go into design and manufacture of them are far above my pay grade.

Probably not. It's not super complex stuff, and since you have the balls to stand here and ask a question, thereby admitting to the world that you don't know already... well, that's worth a lot.

Ignorance is easy to solve, if a person will show up and listen.

Lacking propulsion, bullets can't even be considered rocket science, even though a few rocket scientists work on them.

 

[hammerd13]

Just for another reference point and more interesting info...
Eley Tenex ammo (.22lr) also has an unique bullet tip design (a bit similar to OTM), which optimizes pressure areas etc.

https://eley.co.uk/eley-tenex/

"The iconic flat nose projectile of ELEY tenex is one of many innovations pioneered by ELEY engineers. As it cuts through the air its revolutionary design pulls the centre of pressure forwards, aerodynamically stabilizing the projectile and increasing accuracy at the target."

 

[cedartop]

So I am trying to understand why a lot of match grade ammo appears to be Hollow Points Versus a FMJ? I would think that round nose lead would offer better accuracy? Just wondering if somehow there is better weight distribution with Hollow Points. or?

I see we got to rifle bullets, what were you asking about originally rifle or pistol?

 

[natdscott]

I see we got to rifle bullets, what were you asking about originally rifle or pistol?

Most pistol target ammo is either FMJ, or WC/SWC.

Not too many open-tip match pistol bullets. Thus, all of our assumptions.

 

[cedartop]

Most pistol target ammo is either FMJ, or WC/SWC.

Not too many open-tip match pistol bullets. Thus, all of our assumptions.

I shoot "hollow point" match bullets. That is why I was interested. As we looked at in another thread somewhere there is quite a bit of hollowpoint 9mm match rounds

 

[wcd]

Probably not. It's not super complex stuff, and since you have the balls to stand here and ask a question, thereby admitting to the world that you don't know already... well, that's worth a lot.

Ignorance is easy to solve, if a person will show up and listen.

Lacking propulsion, bullets can't even be considered rocket science, even though a few rocket scientists work on them.

Well there is a lot that I do not know lol. But there are quite a few around here that are really knowledgeable.

I can not tell you how many times I get asked something then it’s followed up by well you are a … aren’t you. Well yes but that does not mean I am an all knowing gun guru. It just means that I know my chosen platform and I train diligently.

 

[700 LTR 223]

Found this on Shooting Sports USA:

Weight variations are easier to hold in hollow-point bullets as the soft lead core easily fills the jacket and the front face of the core under the hollow point remains flat. In an FMJ bullet, weight variations resulting from seating the hard lead core in the tapering jacket are much harder to control and create variations in base configuration. Hollow-point match bullets often vary less than ½-grain in total weight, while FMJ bullets can vary by twice that and more.