Bullet Accuracy-B.C., G1 and G7

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT BALLISTIC COEFFICIENTS (B.C.) AND BULLET ACCURACY

At Arizona Ammunition, LLC.® we are very serious about accuracy at short and long distances so we spend a lot of time trying to keep up on the new information on ballistics and bullet performance. It is a task that can be over whelming. Now there is a sudden rage about Ballistics Coefficients (B.C..). Every other inquiry we get is about the B.C. of the planned bullet we are going to use. 1,000 yard long range and benchrest shooters have long been aware of the application of B.C. This is not new. In the 6PPC game they shoot up 300 yards. Now this is the most serious group of shooters on the planet too. They absolutely know that B.C. means little until AFTER 300 yards. We also know that bullets that have a B.C. less than 600 willnot benefit from any calulations made on G-7 ballistic’s.

Another point is that bullet manufacturers assign their own B.C. to each bullet. Their is no company, board, government agency, or industry standard about the B.C. assignments. All of us have to trust the manufacturers that they properly and fairly assigned the B.C. Another point is that most shooters do not realize that the B.C. of a bullet changes as it travels down range. The B.C. of the bullet changes based on the speed it travels and then as it slows. An absolute fact that the faster the bullet flies the better the B.C. So the longer it flies fast the better the good is B.C. sustained.

Now there is the Meplat or the sharpness of the point on the bullet. We have a Melpat adjuster here and we use it from time to time. BUT, scientific studies using Doppler Radar has clearly shown that you can over adjust the Meplat and cause the bullet to be less accurate! Famed gunsmith Dave Tooley recently experienced that in some testing with Accuracy International and Walt Berger has been tell us that for quite some time. If the Meplat is to be adjusted then the adjuster must know what he or she is doing and if it is even necessary. Part of this all means that the bullet point can be too sharp!

When you , as the shooter, becomes concerned about the B.C. or Meplat think of the last 5 years of your shooting and remember the ranges you shot. Most game in the United States is shot at under 300 yards. B.C. does not matter! Most shooters practice, test, or sight in under 300 yards. B.C. does not matter. We recommend that you concern yourself with what does matter, a well placed shot with the correct caliber applications. Use great optics, know how to use the features, use a quality firearm and know how to use it, and use the ammunition that has the correct speed, accuracy, and bullet for the application. That and Practice, Practice, Practice will make the difference more than B.C. and the Meplat!

Bullet manufactures often list a recommended speed for best performance. We accept and respect that but, we have found in 98% of the cases where we greatly increase speed the bullet has an improved performance. We often discuss our plans our results with the manufacturer. Most shake their head (while they smile) at our results. Our opinion shown here is on bullets that we push to the limit. Therefore other ammunition and bullet manufactures may have legitimate results that differ from ours do to our higher speeds. Compare their data with ours carefully.

A final important note on BC. Benchrest competitors found many many years ago that BC means nothing under 300 yards. What did we say? BC means nothing under 300 yards. Absolute fact! So if you are a hunter that never shoots longer than a few hundred yards BC means nothing to you…nothing. Do not get hung up on it. If you regularly shoot in competition or in hunting situations over 300 yards then BC is important to you.

Finally we look at other factors that do make a difference in bullet performance like the consistency of the Ojave location on the bullet. Some manufacturers can not get the Ojave in the exact same location on their bullet. This directly and greatly effects the performance of their bullet. We have a bullet run out testing machine and some manufacturers can not make a bullet with true and consistent run out from bullet to bullet. This again directly and great effects the performance of the bullet.