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Remember when...... .

ARlife4me

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2018
Messages
3,471
Location
Texas
Not just tomes changing, but bullets per caliber! When I started back in '84 with only 1 rifle cartridge to reload (264wm) 140gr was the heaviest in that caliber I remember. A year or 2 later I started reloading 270win for my dad and 140gr was the heaviest I knew of. Fast forward thru the years bullets got heavier, longer and faster twist was being required to stabilize. Should we be expecting heavier bullets per caliber in the future.........say...275's in 30cal, 225's in 28cal, 195's in 27cal and so on........?
 
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I can't remember how it all works but I remember reading something at one time that once a projectile became 6x longer than it's diameter it became increasingly difficult to stabilize. (this was a fast at loose rule, I'm sure there is math to go with it)
Sure you can make short heavy bullets but they are going to sacrifice bc and will be a tough sell.
 
Sure you can make short heavy bullets but they are going to sacrifice bc and will be a tough sell.

Not if someone is using them inside of 300 yards. And in the real world, outside of the 'net, almost no one even sees game past about 150 yards. Back when I guided a few folks there were some who could not see a deer 150 yards away in a clearing. One guy couldn't see three does and a buck in a clearing no more than 75 yards away.

The last guy asked me to sight in his rifle!
 
I can't remember how it all works but I remember reading something at one time that once a projectile became 6x longer than it's diameter it became increasingly difficult to stabilize. (this was a fast at loose rule, I'm sure there is math to go with it)
Sure you can make short heavy bullets but they are going to sacrifice bc and will be a tough sell.
I wonder at what point does increasing twist become self defeating by pressure increase
 
I guess I need too throw in twist rates of factory rifles as custom's can always change. 9 for/in 26cals or at least in 264wm and 10 for/in 270win's. Was there any faster twist back then ('84) for those calibers (not just cartridges) in factory rifles?
 
I wonder at what point does increasing twist become self defeating by pressure increase
I don't know the pressure numbers but rule of thumb is usually 300k RPM before you start to tear jackets off, give or take. obviously that doesn't apply to solids.

Also to be said is that I don't knows how tight of twist is possible to be made. Tightest I am aware of is 1:6.5"

At Low elevation 90 gr 22cal Bergers essentially aren't properly stable before they blow up. I do shoot them out of a 7.5 twist and have still exploded a few, barrel needs to be kept clean.
 
I don't know the pressure numbers but rule of thumb is usually 300k RPM before you start to tear jackets off, give or take. obviously that doesn't apply to solids.

Also to be said is that I don't knows how tight of twist is possible to be made. Tightest I am aware of is 1:6.5"

At Low elevation 90 gr 22cal Bergers essentially aren't properly stable before they blow up. I do shoot them out of a 7.5 twist and have still exploded a few, barrel needs to be kept clean.
The 8.6black uses a 3 twist.
 
There was a time when bullet weight/length and barrel twist were not a serious consideration for me. It was a time much simpler, and I still seemed to fill the freezer every year. A super long range shot while hunting was 300 yards.
Sometimes I miss the old days. As with just about everything else technology has changed the game. It sure keeps my wallet light with all the new wiz bang things to try.
 
When I started in 1974 the heaviest I can remember were, 24/100, 25/120, 26/140, 27/150, 28/175, 30/220.
My M-16 was loaded with 55 gr FMJ and the M-60 I lugged around for 2 yrs shot either 147 or 150 gr, dont recall.
I would not be surprised if one day solid copper, longer and lighter will replace c/c. JMO
This is where I'm at. I still use the older so called weight system. If I want a heavier bullet, I go to the next caliber size up.
But someone will start making Titanium bullets, then what will happen. 🤯
 
This is where I'm at. I still use the older so called weight system. If I want a heavier bullet, I go to the next caliber size up.
But someone will start making Titanium bullets, then what will happen. 🤯
They don't have the give that copper does, so it could lodge in the throat and blowup the barrel/receiver.
 
This is where I'm at. I still use the older so called weight system. If I want a heavier bullet, I go to the next caliber size up.
But someone will start making Titanium bullets, then what will happen. 🤯
Like you, I go up a caliber also or just get a bigger case/cartridge in the same caliber. Part of the reasoning behind having 5 26cals and 3 30cals.
 
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