Waay different point of impact for ballistic tips

[Idgunner]

This is odd and has me perplexed. Friday I missed two easy shots on coyotes at 100 and 150 yards. I was using ballistic tip bullets by a different manufacturer than what I used to sight in the rifle but the same bullet weight. I had used FMJ ammo to set up the rifle and have a Burris 4.5-14 C4 scope. The rifle with the FMJ ammo has proven accurate out to 400 yards so far. Not great but passable for now. The rifle is a new Savage .223 bolt action with only about 100 rounds through the barrel.

After missing those coyotes on Friday I decided that I needed to see how far off the ballistic tips were from the FMJ rounds. I expected them to be faster and hitting higher. It turns out that they hit 1 3/4 inches higher and 6 1/2 inches to the left of the FMJ rounds. I had set up two targets at 100 yards and swapped back and forth between full magazines of each type of ammo and the error was consistent for three sets of 4 rounds each.

As I said, I expected the ballistic tips to shoot higher but why so far left?

 

[elkaholic]

This is odd and has me perplexed. Friday I missed two easy shots on coyotes at 100 and 150 yards. I was using ballistic tip bullets by a different manufacturer than what I used to sight in the rifle but the same bullet weight. I had used FMJ ammo to set up the rifle and have a Burris 4.5-14 C4 scope. The rifle with the FMJ ammo has proven accurate out to 400 yards so far. Not great but passable for now. The rifle is a new Savage .223 bolt action with only about 100 rounds through the barrel.

After missing those coyotes on Friday I decided that I needed to see how far off the ballistic tips were from the FMJ rounds. I expected them to be faster and hitting higher. It turns out that they hit 1 3/4 inches higher and 6 1/2 inches to the left of the FMJ rounds. I had set up two targets at 100 yards and swapped back and forth between full magazines of each type of ammo and the error was consistent for three sets of 4 rounds each.

As I said, I expected the ballistic tips to shoot higher but why so far left?

This is not unusual and has nothing to do with whether or not it is a ballistic tip. Every bullet is different even though the weight is the same. It is entirely possible that a lower b.c. bullet could hit higher at 100 yards, or left or right as you experienced. This is because jackets are different, weight distribution is different, different shaped ogives, etc. I see this often when I test the bullets that I make, and also with factory stuff. Also, even the same bullet loaded at a different coal will impact at a different point most of the time.......Rich

 

[royinidaho]

Simply a newbee mistake

What Rich said

Wait till u change lots of the same bullet.....

 

[Idgunner]

I appreciate the answers gents. I expected the ballistic tips to hit higher but the 6 inches to the left at 100 yards threw me for a loop. Is there any possibility that the barrel will settle down and give closer results from one load to another after it has had more ammo run through it?

 

[BountyHunter]

I appreciate the answers gents. I expected the ballistic tips to hit higher but the 6 inches to the left at 100 yards threw me for a loop. Is there any possibility that the barrel will settle down and give closer results from one load to another after it has had more ammo run through it?

Short answer is NO. You must rezero with different ammo every time!

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Short answer is NO. You must rezero with different ammo every time!

+1

No exception to this
You may get lucky here and there but its better safe than sorry and verify every bullet out of a rifle.

 

[justgoto]

I had noticed the answers given were about the bullets themselves, seems that the question was about loaded ammunition.

I have shot the same weight bullets of different brands and types, in my 30-06 using the data of one of my favorite loads. All bullets hit within a sub-moa group at 350 yards.
But I can't change powders and charge weights expecting a sub-moa group, let alone 3moa group. Different factory ammo with the same bullet weight can be, and usually are completely different powders, charge weights, and in turn velocities.

So your barrel harmonics are going to be totally inconsistent when using ammunition with inconsistent components and/or component ammounts.

 

[JakeL]

Whenever you change ammo, you must re-zero. There are some exceptions to this, but that's the rule. 6" horizontal at 100 yards is a little bit on the big side, but not totally unusual.

 

[Idgunner]

Well, crap. I reload for my 44mag, have for 40 years but don't have much experience reloading for long guns. I was hoping that I would not have to buy a reloader but I can see that if I want any consistent accuracy I will have to do just that. Looks like I will have to get set up for both my .223 and my 25-06. Let the fun begin.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Welcome to the addiction

 

[Idgunner]

Welcome to the addiction

HA, thanks. I'm already into too many things as it is. Fly fishing and riding my motorcycle are the two big ones. I also have a Non-profit corp that is working on restoring a river here in SE Idaho.

I have a Dillon Square Deal B that I reload my 44mag and .380 with. I think I need to sell that stuff and get another one. I see a Dillon 550 in my future.