Author Topic: Toby's PR bullet tests (Read 793 times)

Omega · « **on:** December 16, 2003, 02:11:34 PM »

Hey Randy, I just read Toby's test report on the QT. Interesting read. I'm curious why the bullet is more accurate at higher velocities when pushed by smokeless powder than T7. Do you have any ideas? Has Cecil ever mentioned why the QT is constructed the way it is with the big belt?
Rich

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2003, 02:37:30 PM »

I don't know for sure, but I suspect the sub-base is doing the job with the smokeless loads. Toby did have sabot problems with super-hot T7 loads, the same as with smokeless.

As far as the QT, no-- I'm not sure. I'd guess (likely wrong) that the idea there was a cylindrical sabot petal grip. The QT's always were very accurate, the DC's are very close, with higher BC's to boot.

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #2 on:** December 18, 2003, 07:03:02 AM »

Quote from: Omega

Has Cecil ever mentioned why the QT is constructed the way it is with the big belt?
Rich

Hi Rich,

Well, I got the answer, and learned something in the process, thanks to you.

The reason for the "big belt" (stepped cylindrical portion) was to get the bullet out of the sabot quicker. When the QT was developed, the sabot technology was not where it is today-- and Cecil found poor accuracy with his continual ogive test bullets with the available, long petaled sabots at the time.

Some still feel the QT's are slightly more accurate than the Dead Centers. Cecil himself has shot his best-ever 200 yard groups with QT's, but his best-ever 100 yard groups with Dead Centers. The QT's are also popular with target shooters, as the step punches an easy to measure, clean hole-- like a wad cutter.

So, where it stands now, the accuracy is just about a push. The Dead Centers do gave better BC's, though, and I think they are better hunting bullets for anything bigger than a deer, or with thicker hide. For deer, it seems about a push-- and I'd just go with whatever a gun tells you it likes the best.

Toby Bridges · « **Reply #3 on:** December 18, 2003, 10:59:37 AM »

:-) Rich,

That's a darn good question!

Quite honestly, I have not shot enough of them to really go out on a limb and make a guess.

One that comes to mind would be that with the smokeless loads, I had less fouling in the bore with succeeding shots. Now, I do wipe the bore between shots with the T7 loads...but I don't keep wiping until the bore is spotless. With the smokeless loads, the fouling left behind has little if any affect on the sabot.

Anyway, that's my story right now...and I'm sticking to it. I'm headed back to the range tomorrow and might even come away with a whole new theory.

I do plan to do quite a bit of shooting with the Precision Rifle bullets through the winter months...who knows what I might discover while shooting them.