boat tails

User00003

Well-Known Member
was just reading about boat tailed bullets and how much faster they wear barrels out, particularly in relation to them not offering advantages within ranges where anyone on this forum would take shots (except for Offroad Garry on his fallow of course;)).

makes you realise that you can't really beat a standard flat base soft point, loaded within reason, with a propellant that's right for calibre and bullet weight.

also makes me wonder how much damage I've done by using boat tails where I really didn't need to.
 
PKL, i have never had anyone mention any concern about boattails contributing to significant increase in barrel wear. how much more rapidly are we wearingthe tube out with BTs? Please share. i have had occasions were boat tails just shot the best of the projectiles i have used though. Particularly in .224 cals hence my use. Accuracy drives projectile choice for many users. I would trade accuracy for bbl life.
 
I cannot see why the hot gasses on the end of the bullet should be any different with a flat base.
I use boat-tails whenever possible because I find them easier to seat when re-loading and not for supposed ballistic advantages.

HWH.
 
I'll try to find the article, but it was very scientific about how the gasses are significantly more corrosive with boat tails due to the design, and that if you fired a good number of shots in a row with boat tails, you could theoretically shoot a barrel out in under 200 shots.
 
I'll try to find the article, but it was very scientific about how the gasses are significantly more corrosive with boat tails due to the design, and that if you fired a good number of shots in a row with boat tails, you could theoretically shoot a barrel out in under 200 shots.
you could shoot the barrel out of eney gun with 200rounds up the spout /boat tails will give you more acurate and less wind drift i would rather shoot a fox 9out of ten than have 4out of ten and longer barrel life i onley shoot boat tails my tikka t3 shoots 80g noslers at as fast as they go i have now put over 2000rounds down the pipe and im still under 1inch at 200yards
 
I'll try to find the article, but it was very scientific about how the gasses are significantly more corrosive with boat tails due to the design, and that if you fired a good number of shots in a row with boat tails, you could theoretically shoot a barrel out in under 200 shots.
theoretically my Howa died last time at WMS :D (200+ round day) realistically it didn't I wouldn't worry too much unless you are loading to barrel burning levels anyway.
 
you could shoot the barrel out of eney gun with 200rounds up the spout /boat tails will give you more acurate and less wind drift i would rather shoot a fox 9out of ten than have 4out of ten and longer barrel life i onley shoot boat tails my tikka t3 shoots 80g noslers at as fast as they go i have now put over 2000rounds down the pipe and im still under 1inch at 200yards

More accurate?

Hmmm wonder where you got that idea from?

How strange I just did a quick search for 6mm Bench rest match bullets and low 'n' behold they are flat based HP.
 
More accurate?

Hmmm wonder where you got that idea from?

How strange I just did a quick search for 6mm Bench rest match bullets and low 'n' behold they are flat based HP.
i live and learn bud still have boat tail over flat bottom
 
PKL, some barrels prefer a boattail over a flat base. 200 rounds in quick succession is by my experience, something that will not likely happen often if at all in a bolt gun with normal use even if culling vermin. I do not see this as a reason to stop using Bts. Do you?
 
you could shoot the barrel out of eney gun with 200rounds up the spout /boat tails will give you more acurate and less wind drift i would rather shoot a fox 9out of ten than have 4out of ten and longer barrel life i onley shoot boat tails my tikka t3 shoots 80g noslers at as fast as they go i have now put over 2000rounds down the pipe and im still under 1inch at 200yards
hi + one 80 grain sierra 3300fps tikka t3 well above a 1000 rounds still goin.
 
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I read an old target gun article that described the use of boat tails in some depth. As far as I can remember flat base bullets produce greater turbulence behind the bullet base which can help to stabilise the bullet faster after leaving the bore but at the expense of faster loss of velocity
This was reported to be why the flat base bullets were preferred for short range target shooting eg 100yd bench rest. For intermediate range 300yard competition bullets had a short boat tail or even a stepped boat tail to give some turbulence at the base, nosler bt bullets have short boat tails Long range bullets for above 300 yards had long boat tails to preserve velocity as much as possible. Sierra match kings often have longer boat tails.

Interesting thoughts but I am relying on my memory of an article I read several years ago so cannot guarantee the accuracy of the above

Personally if I am choosing an lead core soft point for deer I would choose a flat base as I think they tend to hold together better
 
srvet, i think you are onto something there. When you look at ITU 300m shooting the guys are using 105/7 gn boat tails in their 6 mms. In my experience the shorter bearing surface of a boat tail provides less friction and can give you an additional 100+ fps in a 150 gn .308 loading.
 
One of the great advantages of boat tails for reloaders is they are significantly easier to seat therefore there is less chance of damage to the base of the bullet and resulting loss of accuracy.

Therefore Boat tails are more accurate :norty::stir:
 
One of the great advantages of boat tails for reloaders is they are significantly easier to seat therefore there is less chance of damage to the base of the bullet and resulting loss of accuracy.

Therefore Boat tails are more accurate :norty::stir:


Seems to make no difference on paper with me, just a damn sight easier to reload!
 
One of the great advantages of boat tails for reloaders is they are significantly easier to seat therefore there is less chance of damage to the base of the bullet and resulting loss of accuracy.

Therefore Boat tails are more accurate :norty::stir:

Or perhaps one should learn to hand load properly?

If a normal flat based bullet is difficult to seat your doing something wrong.
 
Or perhaps one should learn to hand load properly?

If a normal flat based bullet is difficult to seat your doing something wrong.

Or perhaps buy the correct tool for deburing.

Several years ago Bob Pease wrote in an article, “For years I have refused to use any of the conventional deburring tools on the market. The taper is far too abrupt to prepare the case mouth for the bullet to enter smoothly. This is a very critical point in the assembly of accurate cartridges. I once saw a big gun shooter pinch the nose of a hollow point bullet completely flat with a pair of pliers. It went right into his excellent ten shot group. Next he took a pocket knife and put a scratch on the heel of a bullet so small it could hardly be seen. That bullet went out of the group by over ½ inch. One cannot emphasis enough the need for complete protection of the bullet heel and base.” (Taken from the K&M website)

What do you use to debur Brit?
 
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