Anyone ever use a Meplat Trimmer?

[Mike D Texas]

Anyone use one or heard of anyone use one?

Hoover Meplat Trimmer

Use the Hoover Meplat Trimmer to uniform the ogive length and frontal area of the bullet's meplat to achieve more consistent Ballistic Coefficient.

bullettipping.com

Yes I have one. I have 6.5mm, .308 & .338 bodies.

What would you like to know?

 

[C.O. Shooter]

I would like to talk to a shooter that actually uses trimming the Meplat on bullets and this person is a BR, "F" Class, ELR shooter.
Looks like something that would throw a wrench into my reloading system. If there was a gain in accuracy i would do it, but need to talk to a Bonified Metplat Trimmer.
Please PM me so I can exchange phone #s to talk.
Happy New Year, God Bless
Len & Jill

I don't have a trimmer, but have talked to John Hoover numerous times. Super knowledgeable and a really nice guy. Probably knows more about the 6.5-284 than anyone on the planet. You could give him a call, he'd be more than happy to talk to you about it I'm sure.

 

[BillLarson]

Does it change the weight of the bullet and then have to sort lots?
I see from the picture that the bullets are more uniform now in length, but also have different diameter at the meplat, which would change the BC
I never seen the Meplat that distorted on our bullets, but not to say that I microscope every bullet.
Should this be done only if you want to "Point" your bullets?
How much of a difference with not doing this on bullets for shooting ELR?
Sorry for the lack of knowledge but, "A" question is why ""Point" a bullet? Is it for hunting so the bullet will have better expansion???
We can always learn more from other knowledgeable shooters. I am far from a wiz on bullets and always learning.
All the bullets we have for hunting usually work and the same for Target. Also some Target bullets work well for hunting.
Would like to know more about this from qualified shooters that are using this system.
Thanks much
Len & Jill

I have meplated and repointed bullets.... also sort. for long range shooting it is an advantage.
It can mean mean a partial moa difference at 1000 yds. I would say in my experience outa my guns around .125"moa... 1"-1.5" higher at 1000.... which means a bullets more aerodynamic flight..
When you remove metal from a bullet..... it changes its weight..... fact.... you gotta weigh bullets to the .00 (hundredths) not .0 (tenths)...
IMHO.....
shooting more .....learning to read the wind, mirage and cloud cover is more of an advantage than spending time caressing the bullets we paid 75$/100 for....

bill

 

[Citified]

Fascinating. It has always bothered me that bullets have inconsistent meplats, but I never considered a trimmer. Looks like a great idea!
Couldn't hurt.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I have meplated and repointed bullets.... also sort. for long range shooting it is an advantage.
It can mean mean a partial moa difference at 1000 yds. I would say in my experience outa my guns around .125"moa... 1"-1.5" higher at 1000.... which means a bullets more aerodynamic flight..
When you remove metal from a bullet..... it changes its weight..... fact.... you gotta weigh bullets to the .00 (hundredths) not .0 (tenths)...
IMHO.....
shooting more .....learning to read the wind, mirage and cloud cover is more of an advantage than spending time caressing the bullets we paid 75$/100 for....

bill

Bill
Happy New Year
How do you repoint your bullets after changing the mepalt?
From what i see if you cut/trim the meplat it changes the diameter and also can change the weight/BC.
I have done just about everything to brass and only weight sorted bullets. Have heard some shooters drill open the meplat on Target bullets to get then to open faster for hunting.
not looking to work on the meplat unless could get better results target ELR
Thanks
Len & Jill

 

[BillLarson]

Bill
Happy New Year
How do you repoint your bullets after changing the mepalt?
From what i see if you cut/trim the meplat it changes the diameter and also can change the weight/BC.
I have done just about everything to brass and only weight sorted bullets. Have heard some shooters drill open the meplat on Target bullets to get then to open faster for hunting.
not looking to work on the meplat unless could get better results target ELR
Thanks
Len & Jill

Yes you should repoint after meplatting...
Speedy Gonzales made me a very nice pointer.just like a die 7/8-14 threads.. you adjust it as you would a die... i've got a set up for 6.5 bullets if you wanna try it...
You have to be careful when you repoint not to separate jacket from the core if not using mono bullets.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Yes you should repoint after meplatting...
Speedy Gonzales made me a very nice pointer.just like a die 7/8-14 threads.. you adjust it as you would a die... i've got a set up for 6.5 bullets if you wanna try it...
You have to be careful when you repoint not to separate jacket from the core if not using mono bullets.

Just looking for the reasoning behind it. I'll try to find a Utube on it
Thanks for the offer on your 6.5.
All I need is another process added to bullets with my OCD on brass.

Read that Berger and Sierra try to manufacture so this process does not have to be done.

Thanks much

Len & Jill

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

I dont have experience with the Hoover trimmer. However, I have used these in various calibers extensively:

MCR Bullet Meplat Uniforming Tool 308 Cal

This tool allows the reloader to remove the unevenness in the nose of the bullet. This results in consistent projectiles, tighter groups and increased...

www.midwayusa.com

Thanks. I was trying to figure out what they were for. I acquired a few different ones when I bought a bunch of stuff from a friend. They came from his dads reloading days. I'm new to reloading & thought of taking a picture & ask someone. But I'm no where near needing these yet. It also has another tool that looks like a hand type press. Not sure how to use it. But maybe I can find something on YT now that I know what it's for. lol

update

As I said I'm new to reloading. I figured out I have a old school bullet swaging tool. Looks like a nice piece of equipment for the day it was built. I'm quickly seeing how reloading is full of rabbit holes. I believe, I am putting this rabbit hole, on the back burner. Way in the back for now. LMAO

 

[sitkastw]

I use the Hoover meplat trimmer on 7mm 195 bergers along with a tip cleaning for hunting. I take very little off the tips, just enough to true them. Some bullets barely get touched. I am a recreational shooter and hunter with limited experience however my experience shows a significant improvement in predictable terminal performance over non trimmed/cleaned bullets especially at lower impact velocity.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I use the Hoover meplat trimmer on 7mm 195 bergers along with a tip cleaning for hunting. I take very little off the tips, just enough to true them. Some bullets barely get touched. I am a recreational shooter and hunter with limited experience however my experience shows a significant improvement in predictable terminal performance over non trimmed/cleaned bullets especially at lower impact velocity.

This is what I use mine for as well.

 

[BillLarson]

Just looking for the reasoning behind it. I'll try to find a Utube on it
Thanks for the offer on your 6.5.
All I need is another process added to bullets with my OCD on brass.

Read that Berger and Sierra try to manufacture so this process does not have to be done.

Thanks much

Len & Jill

I know... I know..... another step..... it does..make a difference. Even weighing bullets helps...sort them to +/- .02 gr.
You,ll be surprised,....in every box there,s one or two.... that should,nt be used for an important shot....

 

[Mikecr]

For the challenge of it, I loaded a 26cal 140 VLD into some bullet design stuff to see what affects meplat trimming has to BC.
Parameters for the bullet, with each changing for a 10thou trim:
Initial, BC, Trimmed, BC, change
OAL 1.412" 0.609 1.402" 0.609 0.0%
WEIGHT 140gr 0.609 139.1gr 0.605 0.66%
NL 0.740" 0.609 0.730" 0.602 0.50%
MD 0.062" 0.609 0.067" 0.582 3.32%
4.43% Overall

As predicted, MEPLAT DIAMETER has by far the largest affect to BC with trimming.
OAL, NL, and WEIGHT, from trimming, is insignificant.
Given this, meplats should not be trimmed for same OAL, NL, or WEIGHT, but for same DIAMETERS.
We don't have a good way to do that. We don't even have a good way to measure meplat diameters.

If you're gonna do it though, I suggest pointing first, before trimming.
With this, meplat diameter variance from trimming should be affected least, given meplats that are smaller to begin.
And you don't want an abrupt ogive radius change with your pointing. The Hoover system is best at avoiding this.

Also keep in mind that BC goes up with smaller meplats, but then begins to drop with meplats that are too small.
From 0.012" or less, BC undergoes a relatively mild decreasing. So a good trim-to meplat diameter of pointed bullets would be ~0.015" or greater. Don't sharpen tips, but shape for a slight rounding radius at edges.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Micker:
Thanks for that information.
I have read that OTM bullets (hollow point) create a "uniform pressure bubble" in front of the bullet.
Since we are discussing the Meplat with the diameter of the Meplat having an effect on the BC. There is a scientific reason to have an "Open Tip" opposed to a Pointed Full Metal Jacket for ballistics.
If you are Trimming the Meplat and Pointing it - the Meplat diameter changes and also the size of the Open Tip (hollow point).
Anyone have the information on the "Pressure Bubble" effects on "Open Tip" bullets?
Thanks
Len & Jill

 

[Mikecr]

My basis likely came out of: https://bisonballistics.com/articles/modern-exterior-ballistics-by-robert-mccoy
My software is based on McDrag which comes with this book.