Round nose bullets, Usefull or obsoete

[R.W.Dale]

Excluding rounds that require usage of RN bullets, Is there any reason to choose a RN bullet over the more universal spitzer.

 I personally like to use RN and FP bullets but I've gotten to wonderin if there is any good reason to do so. That being said I DON'T believe the claims that RN bullets are better "brush busters"

[Patriot_1776]

Personally, I feel that using RN style bullets as a "brush buster" speaks for itself.  Any wise and prudent hunter would know not to shoot, unless he had a clear, unhindered path to the quarry.  That said, a bullet whose particular style is considered to be benefical as a brush buster, now becomes a moot point.

What next?

I would have no problem using a RN bullet, provided my considered useful range would be out to 200 yds.  The RNs disperse their energy much faster at the beginning of impact, since their meplat is already closer to full caliber anyway.  The only added benefit of a spitzer over the RN, is the fact a spitzer retains its energy better to longer distances, with the kudos going to better aerodynamics.

Other than that, if your shots are going to be from 25-200 yds, I'd say the RN's performance would run neck and neck with a spitzer-style bullet. :wink:


-Patriot

[Questor]

I've often read that the round nose bullets are good game killers. Today, that's probably debatable because modern bullet designs have improved. The South Africans and other Africans use quite a lot of round-nose bullets out of preference, citing superior killing effect.

I look at the total package that a bullet provides. There are some round-nose Hornady 300 grain 375 bullets that I use because they will do what I want done and they don't cost a lot.

It's hard enough to identify bullets that have proven performance, so I don't look too much at whether they're round-nose or not. I just care whether they work for what I want to do.

It's easy to deflect even a heavy slow moving bullet, so the whole notion of a brush buster is a false one. I've personally played with deliberately deflecting 300 grain 44 magnum bullets. Sometimes they become so unstable as to go wildly off target with a target 20 feet behind the stick I deflected the bullet off of.

[Questor]

Come to think of it, I was chatting with a guy last year who swears by round nose bullets for his 300 magnum. He says that combination kills better than other loads he's tried. I did not ask what brand of bullet at what velocity.  

My opinion? If ranges are under about 200 yards, I'd have no problem using a round nose bullet. Beyond that I'd want something more aerodynamic because the round nose bullets lose velocity very quickly compared to spitzers.

[Mikey]

I actually prefer the round nose bullet in all my 30 calibers.  I have never lost an animal to one and in both the 308 and the 06, at least for me, they seem to do a better job (quick kills and les meat damage).  

As for accuracy - one of the gun rags carried an article about accuracy differences twixt round nose and spire points out to 300 yds and found little discernable difference with the round nose being just as accurate as the spire point.  The same article provided, if I recall, that unless you were shooting past 300 yds there was no difference.  HTH.  Mikey.

[huntswithdogs]

I've owned 2 rifles that preferred round nose bullets over pointed ones. Both rifles were 300WM. 1 is an Encore and the other was an  Interarms MARK X.  I put if off to more bearing surface(bullet to barrel).  I've used 100 gr RN bullets in my 243 for quite sometime and not been let down by them yet.


HWD

[beemanbeme]

Once you get out to 300 yards the figures are tipped toward the spitzer bullet.  Shy of that, I don't think there is a whole lot of difference as far as the numbers go.
In hands on experience, since I've moved to WV, I have been using a 154gr Hornady RN out of a 7-08 and 7x57 for my white tail hunting.  That bullet just seems to hammer a deer down.  On the spot.
This fall, I'll be using a 300savage and I'll be shooting a 150gr RN core lokt thru it.
That may be why the 30-30 is considered to be so effective.  The bullet shape allows all of the energy to be dumped inside the deer rather than down range on the other side of the deer.

[Questor]

I've run some of the ballistic programs against round nose and long boattail spitzers and the difference is pretty significant. The round nose bullets drop velocity MUCH quicker than the spitzers, even at distances under 300 yards.

[Cheesehead]

I have used the Hornady 180 grain round nose in a 300 Win mag extensively on deer at ranges from 50 yard to 180 yards. This bullet is very accurate with devastating terminal performance. In the same gun.  a BAR, I have also used a Nosler 180 Ballistic tip extensively on deer of all sizes. Both rounds are very accurate, the round nose may have a slight edge for dropping deer in their tracks and are half the cost of ballistic tips. I have gone full circle from shooting the most expensive premium bullets to the plain, gimmick free Hornaday and Remington bullets. Its hard to tell the difference with a well placed shot.

Cheese

[Siskiyou]

Old Fred the Timber Feller collected a couple of bucks a year.  His favorite bullet in his .270 was the Remington 150 grain C-L round nose.  After getting out of my hot rod velocity kid years I started to understand that one of the reasons that Fred was so effective on deer were his shooting skills and the Remington 150 RNCL in the .270 Winchester.  

He really made the point with me when he handed me a few boxes of once fired Remington brass.  All the boxes were labeled 150 gr. round nose C-L.  The first big buck I recall Fred taking was when I was about five years old.  The last was when I was in my thirties.  Soon afterwards he went off to the VA hospital.  He also knew a little about being shot.  In WWII he took a round in the hind end.  He never approved of Texas heart shots.

With my .270 sighted in 2.75 inches at one hundred yards the 150-grain bullet still offers a point blank range close to 289 yards.  And close to 1000 pounds of energy at 400 yards.  Past history tells me that 99% of my deer will be taken with 200 yards.   Years back I bought a couple hundred Norma 150 grain Match bullets in .270.  I do not consider them a pointed bullet, I would call them semi-pointed, or if you want semi-round nose.  

Comparison of the Remington round nose C-L and the Norma Match bullet on deer.  Both provide quick kills and good penetration.  The Norma Match bullet would normally shed its jacket in side the hide of the off side with the core creating a large exit hole.  The Remington round nose C-L would fully penetrate taking jacket and core with it.  Over all I think the RNCL is a better bullet.  I think both bullets are better then most standard 130-grain bullets because they exit leaving a better blood trail.  Many deer will travel a short distance after a killing shot.  A good blood trail leads to a quick recovery of the game.

I have been with my brother when he has taken deer with the 160 grain RN Hornaday 6.5 bullet and the 117 grain RN Hornaday in his .257 Roberts Improved.  The 6.5 bullets were not recovered.  The .257 bullets were recovered showing a classic mushroom and the core retained in the jacket.