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Experiment for quantifying lot to lot variations of powders

I believe Sierra and Berger are the only two bullet makers determining BC by conducting their own time of flight tests. The others probably use Greenhill or other inaccurate formulas based on bullet weight and dimensions.
Barnes uses Doppler radar and time of flight tests to test B.Cs in their 300 yard underground test range.
 
I believe Sierra and Berger are the only two bullet makers determining BC by conducting their own time of flight tests. The others probably use Greenhill or other inaccurate formulas based on bullet weight and dimensions.

And Sierra may be the only one that publishes/lists two or more BC's for different velocity bands which typically gives the most accurate trajectory data. Berger admits they average the BC's they get in different velocity bands for each bullet, but that's close enough for 99% of folks applications.

Bullet companies also use different methods and practices for measuring their bullets' accuracy. Sierra may be the only one that full length sizes their cases.

Why should Berger publish BC's for multiple bands?

These are available in many cases from Litz. But, he's been a huge advocate of G7 BC's.

Has Sierra started publishing G7 BC's like Berger?

-- richard
 
Hornady is using Dopper radar also on testing their new bullets.
Now it's too late to edit my earlier post putting Hornady's name in it as measuring time of flights for their bullets, it that's what they're doing. But it's good to know than more companies are getting real data to use.
 
Why should Berger publish BC's for multiple bands?
One reason's that everyone won't be shooting bullets at the fastest speeds possible. And more accurate drop and drift numbers for folks using bullets in one band may be important to them. Some bullets have a pretty wide range of BC's; others have small ones.
 
One reason's that everyone won't be shooting bullets at the fastest speeds possible. And more accurate drop and drift numbers for folks using bullets in one band may be important to them. Some bullets have a pretty wide range of BC's; others have small ones.

But, G7 is more accurate than stepped G1 for long range, high BC, boat tails
...unless your software ony supports the G1 drag model

No doubt Sierra will catch back up eventually. :)

To Michael's point... independent studies and sufficient market pressure can influence manufacturers to turn out better products.

-- richard
 
Richard, if G7 drag models are more accurate then G1, then that's fine. I didn't know that.

In my own tests with Sierra's G1 models for 155 Palma bullets, they're within 1/4 MOA of reality through 1000 yards.
 
http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/index_files/S155grPALMAbullet.pdf

Here's a link to a nice Litz paper that describes the G1 and G7 ballistic coefficients for that very bullet.
Interesting information, but I'm not surprized at the results. Watched a test comparing Sierra's 30 caliber 190-gr. HPMK's to Berger's 30 caliber 185-gr. VLD's in velocity tests at 5 and 997 yards. With both bullets at the same speeds around 2550 fps from the same barrel at 5 yards, the Sierra's went through the 997 yard screens about 40 fps faster than the Bergers. Why 997 yards? The down range screens were centered a couple yards in front of the 1000-yard targets atop the safety berm. A velocity test between the different 30 caliber 155's would be very easy to do the same way as this one was. That would best show which bullet had the highest BC over 997 yards, but the exact numbers wouldn't be known. Calculations from timing flight in different velocity bands ends up with a BC that's close, but actual speed differences down range gives the best comparisons.

In the above tests, down range screens were two sheets of aluminum foil covered 1/4" thick foam boards about 3 or 4 feet square. Spacing was 6 feet as I remember. The front and back foil sheets of each one were connected to the start and stop inputs on the down range chronograph. As bullets passed through each one, they connected the two foil layers triggering the chrono's timing circuits. There was some talk about one bullet being slowed down more than the other as it passed through the foam boards due to its nose shape and weight and that might induce an error in screen to screen timing. No conclusions were made as far as I know. But an interesting way to chronograph speeds a long ways away.

'Twould be interesting to see accuracy tests with both 155's at 1000 yards with 3 different lots of each bullets shot in 100-round test groups from 3 different barrels mounted in action-clamped rail guns. Meanwhile, we have to accept whatever one gets with each one in shoulder fired tests with few-shot groups. Note also that Sierra's new Palma 155 has a higher BC than their original one.
 
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