Ballistic Coefficient (BC) - How important is it?

[L.Sherm]

But that isn't strictly a BC comparison. If you run them at the same velocity you'll prove how the higher BC bullet has the advantage throughout the flight path.

Nobody is asking about cartridge, only BC.

If you have the same gun and are just switching bullets that's were the rubber meets the road.

 

[L.Sherm]

The O.P.s original question was how important is B.C and that was to 600. I just stretched it out to 1,000 to show theres not alot of difference in most instances just changing to a higher B.C in a gun.

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

The question is why would you not pick the highest BC for weight possible given the criteria required to kill at X distance? …

What distance does 'X' represent? Bullets that perform well on game at 1000 yards may not do so at short ranges. I prefer a bullet that will perform well at all ranges I'm willing to take a shot, which means anywhere out to 600 yards, which is the limit of my practice. (And conditions would have to be perfect for me to take a 600 yard shot.)

My first elk was taken with a 162g Hornady BTSP InterLock at around 100 yards. The bullet passed cratered a rib on the near side and passed between the ribs on the far side, possibly nicking one. Although the challenge to its integrity wasn't great, the bullet lost more than 50

% of its weight, eventually coming to rest under the hide on the far side. That bullet was chosen for its .514 B.C. value.

The next year I switched to a 160g Speer Grand Slam, B.C. .389. I used the Grand Slam for the next 20+ years. It took those 20+ years to recover one and when I finally did it had destroyed both shoulder joints of a 6x5 bull elk before coming to rest peeking out of the bone on the far side. Retained weight was over 70%. In the last 38 years I've taken more elk and deer with that bullet than all other bullets combined. I finally gave it up because I wanted a little better accuracy and found the North Fork SS did what I wanted. These days I also use Barnes MRX/TTSX/LRX, Swift A-Frame and Nosler AccuBond. Which one I use for a particular hunt depends on which rifle I'm taking.

 

[bigngreen]

Rian you and I both know guys at Deep Creek that can shoot 2" and 3" 1,000 groups in good conditions but when the wind picks up then all the sudden you can see they start shooting 7, 8, 9 and 10" groups that just goes to show how stuff it is in the wind.
I guess what's the difference if you dial 56" or 51" it's just a couple clicks difference, the biggest factor is you better know EXACTLY how many.

What those 5 less inches is representing is a bullet that is less effected than another, you may miss a little wind shift but BC is a free way to minimize that movement.
When the wind picks up at deep Creek is when guys want to pull the 300's so they can launch more BC than the little Dashers can, though guys like Tom can drop a groups smooth and fast on top of wind reading and still drop a small group.

 

[swe123]

I think we can all agree that we want the best BC we can get. The original question was how important in HUNTING. When it comes to hunting there are other factors to consider. When considering bullet performance, energy, velocity and BC. I would put BC at the bottom of the list. Otherwise we would all be shooting subsonic, high BC match bulets.

 

[bigngreen]

BC indirectly effects everything to get that bullet on the animal and then helps deliver a function impact velocity, it's apart of every shot!

 

[WildRose]

For most hunting purposes, B.C. doesn't matter much. I've taken game at 200 yards using bullets with a B.C. of .217 and coyotes at 500 using bullets with a B.C. of .221. Elk at 350 with a B.C. of .387. Steel at 600 has been no problem with B.C. values of .357, .418, .439 and others.

I can remember when the .495 6.5 Hornady bullet was considered to be amazing for a hunting round, and was pretty much the gold standard in the US.

 

[HARPERC]

I have zero experience with Badlands Precision, 20 minutes ago I hadn't heard of them.

Just for discussion they have a turned solid, .308,190 grain, BC 0.72. Launched from a big case, it should provide great exterior ballistics.

I think it shows focusing on just BC for hunting has it's limits. Anyone think this would be a good hunting bullet?

 

[WildRose]

I have zero experience with Badlands Precision, 20 minutes ago I hadn't heard of them.

Just for discussion they have a turned solid, .308,190 grain, BC 0.72. Launched from a big case, it should provide great exterior ballistics.

I think it shows focusing on just BC for hunting has it's limits. Anyone think this would be a good hunting bullet?

Not unless it's an expanding solid, otherwise yu're just going to poke a caliber sized hole all the way through the animal.

 

[fiftybmg]

BC is not important for hunting ranges. Pay more attention to shot placement and bullet construction.

When people start throwing the numbers down for hunting ranges to 1000 yards plus, I got to wonder why I'm such a crap shooter that I can't hit every shot I fire from the bench on 6 inch steel plates at those ranges.

 

[WildRose]

BC is not important for hunting ranges. Pay more attention to shot placement and bullet construction.

When people start throwing the numbers down for hunting ranges to 1000 yards plus, I got to wonder why I'm such a crap shooter that I can't hit every shot I fire from the bench on 6 inch steel plates at those ranges.

The Kill zone on most deer sized or larger game is substantially larger than 6".

 

[bigngreen]

BC is not important for hunting ranges. Pay more attention to shot placement and bullet construction.

When people start throwing the numbers down for hunting ranges to 1000 yards plus, I got to wonder why I'm such a crap shooter that I can't hit every shot I fire from the bench on 6 inch steel plates at those ranges.

Your confusing shooting and hunting, I go to the range I shoot what ever condition is presented at the ranges I have to shoot and let it it ride, hunting you can chose the range and condition you pull the trigger in and not shooting is always an option, when the condition supports a longer shot you take it, when it doesn't you get closer or back out.

 

[sp6x6]

Guys like Tom, who is a member here.Do pay attention to BC, and on antelope hunts with Leo,they shot them at 1000+. He fire forms at 300 on a 3/4 sticky dot and the shots are hits.Everyone has a different level. For most my hunting BC not that important to me,but on my long gun, main rifle it is.Like Bigngreen, I want as many odds stacked in my favor,Im also set up with a suitable cartridge for how I hunt.

 

[Canhunter35]

Sorry. You were quicker than my edit. I change to 500y.

The thought that I was trying to get out is the comparison of two similar bullets like say a 160g AB and a 140 AB in 7mm launched from a 7 mag. These would be very much the same form factor bullets.

Ime, exactly this, you can jump in bullet weight and bc but with the same form factor of bullets limited by twist rate, the reduction in speed leaves you nearly in the same spot for susceptiblility to wind in a given cartridge, exceptions withstanding.