Who do you feel makes the most accurate rifle bullets?

[DalesCarpentry]

I was wondering who makes the most accurate jacketed Rifle bullets. I used to be a huge Hornady fan before I started reloading because their factory ammo always seemed to shoot best out of nearly every rifle I owned. Since I have started reloading I have found that most all of Sierra's bullets seem to shoot more accurate than Hornady. If I am not mistaken Sierra has won more competitions than any other bullet maker and I am seeing first hand why. So who do you feel makes the most accurate rifle bullets? Let me know if I have left any company out and I will add them. Thanks and take care Dale

[necchi]

I feel the most accurate maker is the one that makes the bullet that shoots best;

*out of my gun, with my loading technique, with the powder I have chosen to use.

This question and poll is a;
* Ford, Chevy, Dodge,,,or
* Blonde, Brunnete, Redhead,
* Big, little, short, tall

kinda question,,
 I've found three different makers each have made a bullet that shoot's best out of each of three guns,,  
Barnes
Nosler
and Sierra
And I'll be trying Bergers next season,,

[DalesCarpentry]

I feel the most accurate maker is the one that makes the bullet that shoots best;

*out of my gun, with my loading technique, with the powder I have chosen to use.

This question and poll is a;
* Ford, Chevy, Dodge,,,or
* Blonde, Brunnete, Redhead,
* Big, little, short, tall

kinda question,,
 I've found three different makers each have made a bullet that shoot's best out of each of three guns,,  
Barnes
Nosler
and Sierra
And I'll be trying Bergers next season,,

Yea maybe it is but it should still be interesting. Thanks Dale

[wncchester]

Necci:   "I feel the most accurate maker is the one that makes the bullet that shoots best; out of my gun, with my loading technique, with the powder I have chosen to use."

Roger that.  Further speculations based on irrelivances accomplishes nothing useful.

[Lloyd Smale]

It tough to chose but if i had to choose one brand to be my only bullets it would probably be seirra

[saddlebum]

Andy Murtagh of Tyrone, PA shot a new 1000 yard bench rest world record score of 100 with a Group of 4.2766" during the 4th relay of Match 5 on Sunday, August 16, 2009. Andy was shooting a 6.5 x 284 rifle chambered by Sid Goodling. The gun has a Master 1000 stock and a Bat Action. He was shooting Sierra 6.5mm 142 grain HPBT MatchKing (#1742) bullets.



http://www.sierrabullets.com/index.cfm?section=successes&page=competitive

[wncchester]

"It tough to chose but if i had to choose one brand to be my only bullets it would probably be seirra"

Surely no one would deny Sierria usually makes the most accurate bulk boxed, off the shelf, MATCH bullets.  But, that doesn't carry over to their game bullets.  We have to try anything before we have clue for how well it will work for us.

[Graybeard]

Sierra is the self proclaimed most accurate and they base that on wins in some sort of competition shooting. I will not argue that they make accurate bullets but that doesn't necessarily mean any given rifle is gonna shoot best with Sierra bullets.

To get an ultimate answer to the question I think you must definite a standard for measuring accuracy. Some thing of it as what works best for long range say over 500 out to 1000 yards. That is one measure for sure but in my opinion not necessarily the best measure of it.

Bench rest shoots fire ten shots at 100 and 200 yards I believe. If your ten shots goes much over 0.100" at 100 yards or is 0.200" at 200 yards then you might as well have stayed home. To the best of my knowledge no one has ever won with Seirra bullets.

If you consider only the brands you list and use BR competition as your accuracy guideline then I think hands down Berger bullets have won more than all the rest combined. They began as a bullet for Berger to use and he won a lot of matches with his home made bullets. Soon other competitors asked for them and he went into business making them. I suspect his match bullets are as good across the board as you will get.

To me the question is moot really tho if you have an off the shelf rifle and barrel. It isn't going to be accurate enough to prove the difference anyway. Unless you have it worked over by a good custom smith with action blueprinted and a top grade match barrel installed and all the other accuracy work done then you'll never see the difference between the match or target bullets from the big names.

Trying to shoot like bench rest shooters do without a rifle of the sort they use is a waste of time, effort and money. Each person has to decide what's good enough for them and so long as you're shooting a factory rifle bullets from Sierra, Nosler or Hornady will do fine.

[teddy12b]

I voted Sierra, but I haven't honestly tried all the other brands.  The sierra 30cal 168gr has shot incredibly well in any rifle I've ever loaded it in.  Having said that the hornady XTP-HP was the most accurate 240gr bullet in my 44mag rifle.  So for me, if I'm punching paper I use sierra's, if I'm after deer I use hornady's.

Yesterday I did shoot some factory HSM 30-06 ammo that was made with the 210gr bergers.  It was horribly windy and cold and nasty, but the group is around an inch give or take a little.

[Dixie Dude]

Boat tail bullets, no matter which brand seem to be the most accurate.  I guess their aerodynamic shape helps. 

[saddlebum]

This is a reply I posted on a thread someone started about having accuracy problems with Hornady bullets.

I don't know if this applies to you but is something to look at. I used to have a .243 that would print .5" groups with Hornady 70gr bullets. All of a sudden it started scattering bullets all over the place. After bedding the action, free floating the bbl and trying 3 different scopes on it, it still grouped like a scatter gun. Then it dawned on me. I was shooting loads made from a new lot of bullets. I held them up side by side and it was plain as day the ogives were different on every one. One would be pointier than the one it was compared to. I loaded rounds from a different lot that all looked the same and got my .5" groups back. After all I went through over that deal, I have never trusted Hornady since.  

When Nosler came out with their 70gr Ballistic Tips I switched to them and got .25" 3 shot groups with them with the same rifle, same powder and charge, same cases and primers. The rifle was a Winchester Featherweight XTR from the 1980s.

This is just a, "for what it's worth", post. Everybody has their own opinion. I try to form mine on my own experiences as I'm sure others do. People have different experiences, so we have different opinions.  
(this should stir the pot a little)   

[DannoBoone]

I just could not vote in the pole, sorry. Why?

Tac 20 - 33gr V-Max 1/8" - group
.22-250 - 36gr Barnes Varmint Grenade - 3/16" group
.243 - 70gr Sierra MK - 1/4" group
.25-06 - 85gr Nosler BTBT - 5/16" group
7mm WSM - 140 Berger VLD - 9/16" group

Several different bullet/load combinations were tried with each of the above calibers, with the
best groups listed above. Only the Tac 20 (Encore) has a custom barrel. Different bullets were
used from the same companies. A lot of people have trouble getting any sort of decent groups
using Varmint Grenades, but my Savage VLP loves them.

My own experiences just do not justify naming one company as making the best bullet.

[Catfish]

I load more Sierra bullets for accuracy than any other brand, but not every gun likes Sierra bullets the best. I also use alot of Bergers when tring to get the most out of a rifle. One thing to rember is that accuracy is not the only thing to consider with hunting bullets. Without good terminal performance you will be doing alot of tracking. Most of the bullets from the major manufacutres are pretty good today, but none will shoot in all barrels.

[Swampman]

Remington

[necchi]

Remington

Just about the cheapest bulk bag bullet available  
Suprisingly, the 55grn FMJ works quite well in my 223 out too 125, after that they spread out a bit. The Nosler 55 Ballistic tip wins the day, staying in 1" at 200 if I do my part, the Rem's do nice for honing the shooters skills at the bench.

Danoboone,
My own experiences just do not justify naming one company as making the best bullet.

Thank you!  

Catfish,
 One thing to rember is that accuracy is not the only thing to consider with hunting bullets. Without good terminal performance you will be doing alot of tracking.

And That my friend IS a very big deal,,

[Tom W.]

 180 grain Sierra Gamekings work best in my 30-06 A.I., Hornady 165 -168 grain A-max or interlock gets the nod in my Savage model 12 in .308, and my 7mm Rem mag likes the Combined technology 150 grain... I suppose it's up to the rifle.....

[saddlebum]

Ditto on the GameKings in 180gr and the '06!

[wncchester]

"Trying to shoot like bench rest shooters do without a rifle of the sort they use is a waste of time, effort and money." 

Add using BR loading methods for factory sporters and there's much wisdom in those words.

[Graybeard]

"Trying to shoot like bench rest shooters do without a rifle of the sort they use is a waste of time, effort and money." 

Add using BR loading methods for factory sporters and there's much wisdom in those words.

Yup that too. Far too many folks don't seem to understand that however.

[moorepower]

Kyle Brown shot a 4.2" ten shot group with 105 grain A-Max bullets in a 6mmbr in 2003. You will not know what shoots the best in your rifle until you shoot them all with lots of powder, primer combos. I would start off with Laupua brass if your looking to work out the absolute most accurate load, and probably Federal match primers.

[necchi]

in a 6mmbr,  with Laupua brass,  and Federal match primers.

Ya, in a custom bench gun,,
wncchester an GB said alot in the two posts just above,

Dale, Are you starting to see a trend here?   

[DalesCarpentry]

in a 6mmbr,  with Laupua brass,  and Federal match primers.

Ya, in a custom bench gun,,
wncchester an GB said alot in the two posts just above,

Dale, Are you starting to see a trend here?   

Yes and I have been talking to a gunsmith about installing a Shilen Match Grade Barrel. I am thinking about a 6.5 Creedmor. This won't be done until next summer though. Dale

[Tom W.]

I dunno, Federal GM Match primers do tighten up my groups in my rifles. I don't think they are necessary for hunting however....

[Lloyd Smale]

sure doesnt mirror my results. Im not a bench rest shooter and what i load is loaded with hunting in mind. Ive got very few bolt guns that actually prefer a boat tail bullet. Most all of them will do better with a flat based bullet at least at 400 yards or less. The fact that i dont shoot competitive bench rest and my loads are used for hunting is the reason i chose sierra over a company like berger that specializes in bullets just made to punch paper. If i want to work up a very accurate load for a hunting gun the first two bullets i will test will be a flat based sierra in the weight range i feel is appropriate and then i will try a nos ballistic tip. 9 times out of 10 one of those two bullets will end up being the most accurate for any given gun. Theres exceptions but there rare.

Boat tail bullets, no matter which brand seem to be the most accurate.  I guess their aerodynamic shape helps. 

[moorepower]

I reread Dales post and he did not ask, what is the most accurate hunting bullet. He is talking about $pending the $$$ for a better barrel, ect. If you are shooting short range, out to 300 yds, a flat base bullet will win. If you are shooting long range, 600 yds and more, the boattail will win. I would also go with the select match over the match. Lap the lugs and true the receiver while you are at it if max accuracy is your goal.