Determining BC and drop for big bullets

[Timnterra]

How do you guys determine the BC of your muzzleloader bullets? I'm just getting into the muzzleloader game and I don't know what to do without my ballistic calculator. There are no BC profiles for 300gr .44 cal Hornady XtP bullets. Do I just shoot it through a chronograph and measure the drop and plug that in to get a BC number?

 

[FEENIX]

How do you guys determine the BC of your muzzleloader bullets? I'm just getting into the muzzleloader game and I don't know what to do without my ballistic calculator. There are no BC profiles for 300gr .44 cal Hornady XtP bullets. Do I just shoot it through a chronograph and measure the drop and plug that in to get a BC number?

Hornady reloading Handbook 10ed pg 927 shows the .44 cal Hornady .300g XTP G1 BC at .245.

 

[ENCORE]

How do you guys determine the BC of your muzzleloader bullets? I'm just getting into the muzzleloader game and I don't know what to do without my ballistic calculator. There are no BC profiles for 300gr .44 cal Hornady XtP bullets. Do I just shoot it through a chronograph and measure the drop and plug that in to get a BC number?

Take the posted BC of a given bullet shot in muzzleloaders with nothing more than an fair to good approximation. There's an awful lot of variables when it comes to muzzleloaders.
You won't be shooting LONG range with that bullet, so in all reality just shoot it and identify your drops.

 

[Timnterra]

I am actually altering these bullets by drilling out a small amount out of the center and adding a polymer tip. Hopefully The BC will be noticeably better.

 

[ENCORE]

I am actually altering these bullets by drilling out a small amount out of the center and adding a polymer tip. Hopefully The BC will be noticeably better.

You could just go to a Fury Star Tip2 bullet. They're a .452" bullet with a BC of .295 and a very good performer on game, reasonable on price.

https://www.furycustombullets.com/webapp/p/208/muzzle-loader

 

[Timnterra]

You could just go to a Fury Star Tip2 bullet. They're a .452" bullet with a BC of .295 and a very good performer on game, reasonable on price.

https://www.furycustombullets.com/webapp/p/208/muzzle-loader

Never heard of those guys but it looks like they have some good offerings! Unfortunately they will not work for my rifle. I have a custom smokeless muzzleloader built on a .44 cal barrel blank which is actually a.430" bullet.

 

[ENCORE]

Never heard of those guys but it looks like they have some good offerings! Unfortunately they will not work for my rifle. I have a custom smokeless muzzleloader built on a .44 cal barrel blank which is actually a.430" bullet.

Understand. I shoot quite a few of them both with SML and when shooting BH. They are excellent bullets on game and accurate.
My SML was built by Bestill Creations LLC. I've known the builder for a number of years and shot competition at Friendship with him.
Good luck with the bullets.

 

[dreamhunt]

The most accurate way to get good BCs is to figure them yourself to your load and actual velocity. You need velocity at 2 different ranges muzzle and 100-200yds farther is better, preferably of the same shot. The Lab Radar chronograph makes this easy as it can be set to give readings from muzzle corrected to 200yds in increments. There are programs online that allow these numbers to be used to actually calculate the BC and drop tables. Keep in mind BCs do change a little with velocity, Height above sea level, atmospheric conditions. 2 chronographs set up one at 10 ft and the other at 200yds giving the velocites from each shot at each distance shows the velocity loss and allows the bc to be figured very accurately. It takes some time and work but will give you very accurate drop and wind tables
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/new...75ff3511ce5255aab62155d&do=newreply&p=3875599

 

[FEENIX]

These guys are doing some impressive long-range poking with https://www.pittmanbullets.com/

 

[ENCORE]

These guys are doing some impressive long-range poking with https://www.pittmanbullets.com/

There is at least one new match being held and that's at 1,000yds.



The builder of my rifle, just last month, shot his 25# custom .40 at one mile, with hits, at a range in Ohio. Bestill (Jeff Fisk) hasn't put it on youtube yet, but does have a couple other videos talking about long range hunting. He is one of the top modern inline shooters and custom rifle builders.





There are a number of different LONG range bullets available from other manufacturers also.

https://www.arrowheadrifles.com/product/arrowhead-45cal-x-ld-bullets/

https://parker-productions-llc.myshopify.com/collections/match-hunter

NOTE: To most production rifle shooters, these bullets would likely not be your best choice. They are designed to obturate at pressures production rifles are not capable of. Production rifle shooters might better consider the Fury line of bullets.

 

[FEENIX]

There is at least one new match being held and that's at 1,000yds.



The builder of my rifle, just last month, shot his 25# custom .40 at one mile, with hits, at a range in Ohio. Bestill (Jeff Fisk) hasn't put it on youtube yet, but does have a couple other videos talking about long range hunting. He is one of the top modern inline shooters and custom rifle builders.





There are a number of different LONG range bullets available from other manufacturers also.

https://www.arrowheadrifles.com/product/arrowhead-45cal-x-ld-bullets/

https://parker-productions-llc.myshopify.com/collections/match-hunter

NOTE: To most production rifle shooters, these bullets would likely not be your best choice. They are designed to obturate at pressures production rifles are not capable of. Production rifle shooters might better consider the Fury line of bullets.

I understand I am simply amazed at how the muzzleloading evolved into these types of bullet designs and LRH/S.

 

[Lowedown]

I remember the old "load from a disk" program could calculate a BC given 2 velocities at different distances. you needed 2 chronographs. set one close and one 100 yards away and shoot through both and find an average velocity loss. I'm sure there is a program or calculator that will do this, just don't shoot the chronos

 

[ENCORE]

I remember the old "load from a disk" program could calculate a BC given 2 velocities at different distances. you needed 2 chronographs. set one close and one 100 yards away and shoot through both and find an average velocity loss. I'm sure there is a program or calculator that will do this, just don't shoot the chronos

Don't forget a screen protector for the one close to the barrel. Many a chronograph has been ruined by being hit with a sabot or wad.

 

[pqmaloney]

I am actually altering these bullets by drilling out a small amount out of the center and adding a polymer tip. Hopefully The BC will be noticeably better.

You can buy muzzleloader bullets with polymer tips installed. I have purchased many sizes of hollow point muzzleloader bullets with polymer tips to make the fly better.