soft point v ballistic tip

[Mauserstalker]

in the case of both bullets suiting the particular rifle what would be an advantage on using a ballistic tip over a soft point for example using a 270 when out stalking fallow or sika?...is the €10-15 extra per box worth it or will the cheaper soft point do the same thing?

 

[Dave881]

in the case of both bullets suiting the particular rifle what would be an advantage on using a ballistic tip over a soft point for example using a 270 when out stalking fallow or sika?...is the €10-15 extra per box worth it or will the cheaper soft point do the same thing?

I know this will sound nit picky but to get the best advice more information would help.

What bullet weights are you looking at?

What construction of each type?
Ballistic tips have different jacket thickness for different jobs, are the soft points cup and core or bonded?

Are you chest or head/neck shooting?

What ranges are you typically shooting at?

I know this may seem like a lot to ask but it would help in getting better advise.

Dave

 

[enfieldspares]

Some estates don't like plastic tipped bullets. The advantage they offer is as with the tip filler with the old British 303 MK VII. They improve the ballistic properties of the bullet and so flatten its trajectory. But if all you ever do is shoot at two hundred yards or less then IMHO I'd save your money and buy a good quality exposed lead soft point as at that distance the cheaper soft point will do the same thing as you've already speculated.

 

[swaro79]

Ballistic tips have a bit flatter trajectory compared to soft points due to there bullet shape out at longer distance compared to soft points.only thing about ballistic tips is if you don’t put bullet in right place it can leave a bit of a mess especially in a 270 if you clip bone!they seem to expand explode rapidly.soft points don’t leave as much of a mess if you even if you go off a bit and don’t expand as fast.i use both bt and soft points in my 270 norma 110 vmax awesome flat trajectory up on the hills even with cross winds stays true for them longer shots.and a i use norma 130 soft points up to 200yards don’t here any deer complain.to be quiet honest I use more soft points than bt..

 

[Rusty Gate]

Hard to beat a Partition

 

[hybridfiat]

Just a bit of trivia: Some time ago I watched a video (which I cannot find again) that showed the effects of air on a soft nose bullet travelling around 3000fps. The video showed for the first time that the soft lead nose is wiped off by the air a millisecond after it leaves the barrel.
So it is superfluous to the whole business of ballistics and impact expansion etc.
If I ever find the article and video I'll post it.

 

[scrumbag]

I always understood it was the back of the bullet that made it "slipperier" rather than the front end.

Some ballistic tip bullets got a bad reputation with some estates as people used "Varmint" bullets on deer with messy results.

The Nosler Accubond is strictly a ballistic tip and pretty tough. As the Nosler Ballistic Tip with the green plastic tip and they are great deer bullets.

I also understood that the real reason for ballistic tips was to stop hollow point and soft point bullets getting damaged.

I wouldn't worry to much and just go with what your rifle shoots best.

Scrummy

 

[Kalahari]

Some estates don't like plastic tipped bullets. The advantage they offer is as with the tip filler with the old British 303 MK VII. They improve the ballistic properties of the bullet and so flatten its trajectory. But if all you ever do is shoot at two hundred yards or less then IMHO I'd save your money and buy a good quality exposed lead soft point as at that distance the cheaper soft point will do the same thing as you've already speculated.

I was told the tip filler was to move the C of G back so the bullet tumbled.

David.

 

[Mauserstalker]

I know this will sound nit picky but to get the best advice more information would help.

What bullet weights are you looking at?

What construction of each type?
Ballistic tips have different jacket thickness for different jobs, are the soft points cup and core or bonded?

Are you chest or head/neck shooting?

What ranges are you typically shooting at?

I know this may seem like a lot to ask but it would help in getting better advise.

Dave

the gun im getting is cloverleafing with 130 grain fedral fusion softpoints but from hearing/reading so many mixed reports on them im wondering am i better off changing to a more premium bullet like the sako 140 grain with the Sierra game head.. most shooting will be sub 200 meters and most shooting is head/neck with the occasional chest shot when the head/neck shot isnt on

 

[enfieldspares]

I was told the tip filler was to move the C of G back so the bullet tumbled.

Yes to you....the primary reason. And yes to me...a secondary benefit...as well. We are both correct as the feature of the tip filler did both. But as you correctly say it was done to produce a bullet that was unstable but did also have the benefit of giving a higher figure for the bullet's sectional density. I've seen in some references it referred to as the "velopex" principal.

 

[Smellydog]

A tumbling bullet is undesirable. It is unpredictable and the end result could be disastrous.
The only time a tumbling projectile can have some benefit is in low powered air guns.

 

[stubear]

A tumbling bullet is undesirable. It is unpredictable and the end result could be disastrous.
The only time a tumbling projectile can have some benefit is in low powered air guns.

For civvie purposes yes I'd agree, but when you're belting out 600 rounds a minute in a war zone it probably doesnt matter so much and in some cases would be desirable as it makes it more likely people are going to keep their heads down!

 

[Smellydog]

For civvie purposes yes I'd agree, but when you're belting out 600 rounds a minute in a war zone it probably doesnt matter so much and in some cases would be desirable as it makes it more likely people are going to keep their heads down!

I didn't know the ballistic tip was developed for military use.

 

[stubear]

I didn't know the ballistic tip was developed for military use.

I think they were as it happens!

Expanding bullet - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Smellydog]

I think they were as it happens!

Expanding bullet - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Huh....are you saying that the Nosler Ballistic Tip was originally developed for military use or have you taken a thread based on hunting off on a tangent?

 

[stubear]

Huh....are you saying that the Nosler Ballistic Tip was originally developed for military use or have you taken a thread based on hunting off on a tangent?

No - Enfieldspares mentioned the old .303 LE bullets with the tip on them. I thought thats what you were referring to?

 

[Smellydog]

No - Enfieldspares mentioned the old .303 LE bullets with the tip on them. I thought thats what you were referring to?

Oh I see, a tangent. You quoted me though....I'm confused....need a darkened room.....

 

[Sika98k]

the gun im getting is cloverleafing with 130 grain fedral fusion softpoints but from hearing/reading so many mixed reports on them im wondering am i better off changing to a more premium bullet like the sako 140 grain with the Sierra game head.. most shooting will be sub 200 meters and most shooting is head/neck with the occasional chest shot when the head/neck shot isnt on

If cloverleafing with Federal 130’s I wouldn’t be too worried. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Kalahari]

A tumbling bullet is undesirable. It is unpredictable and the end result could be disastrous.
The only time a tumbling projectile can have some benefit is in low powered air guns.

The Geneva convention banned expanding bullets, so a bullet that tumbled on impact did huge damage without breaching the convention. The bullet was stable in flight.

David.

 

[ashray]

good evening, I use sp out to 200/250 yards normal stalking distance if I were to take longer shots 300 plus fox etc then ballistic tips would be my choice, solely for the bc and wind beating effect . to me ,having used both types over the years the soft point is a better deer bullet for body shots,but not in the 270 as I have never used one so cant help with that caliber.