Nosler boat tail vs Berger flat base

[FromSA]

Evening all,

I've read some of the threads on this forum about the advantages and disadvantages of flat base (FB) and boat tail (BT) bullets. It seems the old preference for BT at longer ranges and FB at shorter ranges still holds? It also seems the reason for the preference of BT at longer ranges has to do with their generally higher BC.

Now I have a question about a FB vs BT scenario where the FB actually has a slightly higher advertised BC. The bullets I have in mind are the 90 gr Nosler Ballistic tip (BC 0.365) and the Berger 88 gr High BC FB varmint (BC 0.380).

I am aware that there are other higher BC 6mm bullets available in the 80-90 gr class and I am also looking into them (such as Berger 87 gr Hunting VLD). However, if for no other reason than to satisfy my curiosity, would the Berger offer similar (or even better) long range (600-800 yds) performance than the Nosler because of the higher BC? Or would the Nosler win out because of the boat tail design?

Thanks

 

[Rich Coyle]

tag

 

[Canadian Bushman]

The berger will get the nod in this scenario.

The simple fact that a bullet has a boat tail does not gain it anything. You can actually design a boat tail that has just as much drag as a flat base.

For a long time, nosler's boat tails were too short, and too steep, so that they pretty much did nothing. Add this to the fact that boat tails are harder to produce than a fb bullet, typically dont release as well, and encourage muzzle blast around a bullet, and you basically spent more time to make a bullet shoot worse.

 

[redbullitt]

I like that the boat tail is easier to load into the case if nothing else lol.

Other than that, either style of bullet can be shot very well.

At long range the higher BC will win out I would think, regardless of bullet style. There may be some issues that crop up though when the flat base goes trans and subsonic. Some bullets, even with boat tails have issues at this point. That is all going to depend on the design of the bullet though, so I cannot really say for sure in your case.