How to get boattails accurate

[goodconcretecolor]

I have been          Hornady 150 gr. spire points in my 30-06 for several years with good success at short to moderate ranges.(10 deer with 11 bullets when shots are under 200 yards) I was wanting to see if I could improve long range accuracy with boattails(Interbond, SST and nosler ballistic tips) The flat based bullets easily shoot 1 inch groups at 100 yds but the boat tails never do better than 2-2.5 inches no matter what i do with powder charge or type.
Can I do anything to get my rifle to shoot boattails better?

[leverfan]

I know that this isn't the answer you're looking for, but I wouldn't switch to boattails if I was you.  Your rifle likes a very effective flat based bullet, and it's working great for you, so why mess with success?  Boattails don't do diddly for you until the ranges get out past 400 yards or more.  You weren't planning on shooting any big game at 400+ yards, I hope?  I'll whack away at the 400 yard gong from the bench at the local rifle range, but I can't imagine shooting a deer from a field rest at that sort of range.

[goodconcretecolor]

I do have a very solid tower stand that over looks 3 pastures on my uncles farm. It is very solid; telephone pole legs cross braced with 2x4s and the box is plywood and 2x4s with a padded rail to rest a rifle on. There is potential for a 450 yard shot here. I was wanting to get a better ballistic coefficient to minimize drop and wind deflection should such a shot present itself again.

[Lone Star]

Boattails don't do diddly for you until the ranges get out past 400 yards or more.

This is a commonly repeated misconception not borne out by fact.  An example from the Hornady Manual using the .30-06 and 150-grain bullets @ 3000fps MV:

Bullet.......300yd V....300 yd E
150 SP......2212.......1630
150SST.....2348.......1836

Bullet......400 yd V....400 yd E
150 SP.....1979........1305
150 SST...2151........1540

The BT bullet makes the .30-06 the equivalent of a .300 SAUM or a .300 H&H Magnum (when using the 150SP bullet).  This may be significant to some, not to others, but enough folks buy the latter two cartridges to make me belive they want the extra power. Of course, if the BT won't shoot accurately there is no advantage.....

[Redhawk1]

I would not switch to boattails either. If your gun is shooting flat bottoms that well at 100 yards, you should get close to the same accuracy at longer ranges.  

[beemanbeme]

I would stick with what you KNOW will work and just practice, practice, practice at the extreme distance.  
I do agree that 450 yards is a looong way.  You would have to be able to put ALL of your shots in a pie plate at that distance to be fair to the animal.
Oddly enough, my 30-06 doesn't like BT bullets either.

[skb2706]

Although I agree with the others in that you can't really knock a good thing...if you just have to shoot BT bullets try a few things with them. First they tend to be more difficult to minimize "runout" so load up a few and check them. That is the straightness from end to end....roll a loaded round back and forth on a mirror. You will easily see if the round is true or you can purchase a device made to check this for you.
Experiment with OAL, make sure you are not pulling the necks crooked on the cases during the loading process....there is a reason that Sierra Match kings, Hornady Amaxs and a host of other bullets primarily used for longer range target work are BT bullets. ....They may not be inherently more accurate but they certainly are not less accurate.

[SuperstitionCoues]

When you are loading the BT, seat it part way in the case, and then rotate the case 1/4 to 1/2 turn.  Seat some more, rotate again.  Then fully seat, and apply a crimp if you want.  

I've been loading Sierra and Hornady BT's for years (just about all that I use), and this has always worked for me.  My groups at 100 are 3/4" or smaller, and I can hit the metal gong at 300 every time.

Good luck and have fun!

[davidsan]

Funny thing I have a 06 that would not shoot bt's nearly as well as flat base bullets untill the barrel was recrowned at the suggestion of a local gunsmith,now that rifle is more accurate with bt's.Somthing to do with the way they depart the barrel if crown is not perfect.

[jcunclejoe]

You might try a faster burning powder. It can lower the exit pressure which can help mimimize the bullet tipping. It might help. Also I would have to agree with getting the crown checked, that can be huge.
Good luck.
Joe

[stork]

Keep trying different bullets.  My 30-06 likes 180 gr Gamekings.  It will put 5 shots right around an inch.  Your gun may not like certain bullets, so keep trying.  Those "regular" bullets are cheap enough that you can buy a couple different brands and not break the bank.  Expensive bullets are not needed for accurate loads as you already know.  I guess I have been very lucky with my 30-06.  It shoots flat base and boat tail bullets accurately if I do my part.

[leverfan]

Boattails don't do diddly for you until the ranges get out past 400 yards or more.

This is a commonly repeated misconception not borne out by fact.

Shoot at a target out to 400 yards with boattails and flat bases started at the same MV.  The difference in drop will probably not be significant.  Shoot at game at any sane range, and the difference in bullet performance between the two will not be noticeable, given bullets of otherwise similar construction.  It's not a "commonly repeated misconception," it's just fact.  I shoot at those kinds of ranges, although not at game, and boattails offer no advantage inside of 400 yards.  Set down the books, head to the range, and put your own "misconceptions" to the test.

[goodconcretecolor]

Thanks everybody, I will definitely try the faster powder(been using IMR 4350, will try 4064) and the staged seating of the bullet. Next I will have the crown on my muzzle checked. But that will have to wait until deer season is over. In the 8 weeks between now and opening day, I figure I am better off practicing with a flat based load I know to be accurate. What really peaked my interest in boattails was the battering the soft lead tips of the bullets I am using.  All the plastic tipped bullets are boattails though I could try Remington Bronze points. I have seen Remington core-locked bullets come apart with out hitting any bone and understand that the bronze point bullets expand more violently than the core-locked.

[Swamp Fox]

One other possibility is that the most accurate load maybe much slower than then max loads. If you are using the hight velocity for distance theory you might think about finding an accuracy node a little lower on the speed scale.

[beemanbeme]

Its been fairly well proven that the battering of the tip of the bullet does not affect accuracy.  And to repeat the old saw, "at what point in the dead deer did the bullet fail?"

[TCBrian]

My 06 never grouped any bullets better than the flat base 150gr sierra game kings. I just tried some 150 grain hornady innerbonds the other day and they seem to be just as accurate as the sierras. I fired two groups, side by side and they were identical. I was fighting a wicked crosswind, so neither group was as good as they would be on a calm day, but both would mean a dead deer. Other boattails, including other hornardys never shot as well. Just try different bullets. The new bonded,  boat tail, plastic tipped bullets are very accurate. Just got to find the one that works.

Good shooting,
Brian

[goodconcretecolor]

Just an update on the experiments. The Hornady 150 gr. spirepoints yielded 1" groups with charges of 56 grains IMR4350 and 53gr Win 760. Both loads chronographed just over 2700 fps. Ran out of 760 at this point. changing charge of 4350 in a pressure series ranging from 55 grains to 59 grains. 56 was  best group. tried Interbonds and ballistic tips(both 150 grains). Both yielded near 2 inch groups. repeated firings of the spire point  with 56gr 4350 confirmed 1 inch grouping.  
Deer season is upon us so I will hunt with this load. I do have a lot of confidence in this load as it duplicates the velocity and  accuracy of the load I had previous success with. I will experiment more after deer season. I plan to experiment with H414 and IMR 4064. I welcome thoughts and comments . on this line of experiments.

[cal sibley]

It's unfortunate but still a fact, some rifles simply will not shoot boat tail bullets well.  You can try different brands, but I doubt that will do it either.
I'd concentrate on a flat base that will do the job.  If you later find a boat tail that will also do the job you'll still have an accurate flatbase in the wings.  Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[PaulS]

In my 3006 the most accurate load that I have ever used is a 168 BTHP from Sierra with H414 but I have found a substitute that is very close to as accurate. The Speer 165 grain spitzer BT routinely shoots groups of 5/8 inch. I have loads that range from 130 grain HP up to 180 grain spitzers and all of them shoot groups less than one inch but for my hunting I use the 165 grain Speer for its accuracy and consistancy.
PaulS