Bullet Nose Profiles

[Don McDowell]

The full wadcutter has problems at 100 yards or so because the blunt nose is slowing the velocity down rapidly and the bullets loose stability.

[Distant Thunder]

Hi Don,

Yes that is my understanding. I tried to develop at 200 yard offhand bullet in both.40 & .45 caliber that was a wadcutter or semiwadcutter design so it would take up much powder space. They shot well at 100 but were all over at 200.

[Kurt]

I like to fool around with different types of bullets, always have. That full wadcutter photo came around when I was swaging cores for the Metford nosed .45 PP bullets and I wondered how they would shoot through a rifle. I used .38 spl full wad cutter loads in my .38 Master pistol and the .38 1911 gold cup with great accuracy.
I swaged a bunch and patched them to fit the .450 bore and shot a bunch. Now It's been a while since I shot those and I cant remember if I shot them on the 200 yard range or here on my 135 yard range but the bench in the picture is on my front porch but I clean my rifles on that bench when I get home.
But regardless if I shot them on my range at 135 yards I cant argue looking at those 10 shots with the holes cut like they were cut with a paper punch and that tight of a group. Those cores are most likely 1.5" long. what I used for the Metford bullet that was 1.45" long swaged from those cores.

[beltfed]

Funny about the full wadcutters. I guess, just too much of "blunt"
Also interesting is that Semi Wadcutters can fly very well out to long distance....
ALA Elmer Keith's famous 429421 /250 grain for 44 spl and 44 mag.
I shot thousands of them and they were Very accurate to 200yds in handgun silhouette.
beltfed/arnie

[Martini2]

Admittedly this subject peeked my interest because I purchased Lyman mold # 457122 HP at 330 gr. for short range 45-70 loads. Have yet had chance to make casts due to health issues. I liked this hollow point design because the nose cavity pushes lead into the body profile for perhaps better grip in bore. Worst case these pills could pass thru a Lee .454 sizing die and be sent forth with my 45LC ;-) I have both a S&W 25-5 and 24 inch '92 lever rifle used in side matches. I believe the 45-70 rifle intended for use has 1:20 twist. Best M2

[Distant Thunder]

The 457122 has been a very accurate bullet in my .45-70 and .45-90 Sharps as well as my .45-70 levergun. I have cast it both as a hollow point and as a flat point. Both work well but the hp can be much slower casting. I finally put a sliding block in mine so I can hollow points with speed. have sized it down to .452 as you suggest. A great bullet in .45 caliber.