Flat base or boat tail

[aglass1987]

I recently got me another 243 for strictly varmints up to 600yds. I having a hard time on choosing the right bullet. Ive narrowed it down to either the sierra blitzking 55gr flat base or sierra blitzking 70gr boat tail. Whats the advantage of a boat tail design over the flat base.

[Graybeard]

Don't over look the Hornady 65 grain V-Max or the Nosler 70 BT. Both are excellent bullets very accurate and both are boat tail designs with plastic noses for excellent BC.

[SD Handgunner]

Whats the advantage of a boat tail design over the flat base.

Typically a Boat Tail Bullet will have a higher Ballistic Coefficient than a Flat Base Bullet of the same weight and same basic design. This allows a Boat Tail bullet to travel through the air with less resistance.

As Greybeard stated the 65gr. Hornady V-MAX and 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip are both excellent Varmint / Predator Bullets in .243 Caliber. While I do not have any experience with the 65gr. Hornady V-MAX I have read many good things about the bullet. I do have a fair amount of experience with the 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips having used them in 6mm-223 Handguns as well as .243 Rifles and Handguns.

One thing is for sure the 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip from a .243 (Rifle or Handgun) will anchor a Coyote for keeps. However they are not very fur friendly if you are concerned with saving pelts. I have always obtained very good accuracy with the 70gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips as well, regardless of what velocity I was pushing them at.

In the end the Boat Tail vs Flat Base Bullet debate can get trickier. Some Rifles just do not shoot Boat Tail Bullets as accurately as Flat Base Bullets, but then the reverse is true also. In the end your rifle will let you know by the size of the groups it produces as to which it prefers.

Larry

[aglass1987]

In yalls opinion what do you think would be more accurate in 243, the vmax or sierra blitzking?

[Sensai]

I think that your rifle is going to have to tell you that.

[JASmith]

Accuracy and trajectory trades aside, I prefer the boat tail designs simply because I have less trouble starting the bullet into the case mouth!  (Yeah, I can be lazy at times.)

[Catfish]

When working up a load for a new rifle you should never limit your bullet choice to 2 or 3 bullets or your powder choices. Every gun is different and they do not all like the same bullet or powder. They also have difference preferences for oal of the rounds. THERE IS NO MAGIC WAY TO KNOW WHAT LOAD A GUN WILL LIKE!!! That is why they call it working up a load.

[SD Handgunner]

When working up a load for a new rifle you should never limit your bullet choice to 2 or 3 bullets or your powder choices. Every gun is different and they do not all like the same bullet or powder. They also have difference preferences for oal of the rounds. THERE IS NO MAGIC WAY TO KNOW WHAT LOAD A GUN WILL LIKE!!! That is why they call it working up a load.

While that is absolutely correct, I have found exceptions to that rule. There are some specific bullet / powder combos that have and do shoot quite well in a variety of different guns of the same chambering. Case in point, 150gr. Bullets with 4350 Powder in the .30-06. While it is true that I work up on every different .30-06 I load for, generally I end up at the same powder charge but with a different Cartridge Overall Length for each individual rifle / chamber.

There have been other combos of bullet and powder in different cartridges that I have used over the years that are much the same as the .30-06 combo mentioned above. One I have had fantastic results with is 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded with Varget in the .243. Yet another is 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded with H-4895 in the .223.

Again I work up the load in each individual rifle but generally end up at the same powder charge just with a different Cartridge Overall Length for each individual rifle.

Larry

[aglass1987]

In yalls opinion what do you think would be more accurate in 243, the vmax or sierra blitzking?

Thanks for the replys. What I was trying to say was: From yalls experience what has everybody found to have better accuracy. I do my far share of reloading and I know every gun is different, Just asking for opinions. But, I believe Ive settled on the sierra's.

[Swift One]

Typically a Boat Tail Bullet will have a higher Ballistic Coefficient than a Flat Base Bullet of the same weight and same basic design. This allows a Boat Tail bullet to travel through the air with less resistance.

Quite right.  If out to 600yds is your game, a 243 bullet with a boat tail is the way to go and will be quite effective