How can Nosler Custom Competition bullets fly true?

[engineer40]

I picked up some Nosler Custom Competition bullets in a couple calibers a while back.

If you've never seen them, the very tip of the bullets are not even. This is just the design of the bullet. It's not that they are blemished bullets.

Every time I look at them, it's just so weird to me to see the tips always lopsided a bit. I mean, forget about trying to measure your OAL without using a comparator on your calipers...

I picked up 5 of them and measured the OAL to the tip. I had 0.007 in variance in length just in those 5 loaded rounds. When I use a comparator to measure; every round is exactly the same.

Nosler says these are "match" grade bullets. It's just hard for me to fathom in our world where everything we do is so exact, that the tips of these bullets do not affect both airflow and the flight path because of the weight difference it must cause.

These bullets get great reviews everywhere. And the minimal amount of shooting I've done with them makes me think I'll be able to find an accurate load...

I tell you, it just doesn't make sense. Has a similar thought ever crossed into your mind?

 

[Pdvdh]

They're all that way, whether Berger or Nosler or Sierra. Not to worry with respect to affecting accuracy.

But if you want all the tips uniform, here's the tools that will accomplish that for you:
Montour County Rifles

I use this tool and it's a precision tool that does a nice job cutting the meplats to the same length with a uniform edge. I use it to help ensure my Berger bullets will expand on game animals.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Berger has addressed this issue on here several times, stating that meplat uniformity does not affect bullet flight or performance. I used to feel the same way, until Berger posted on here about the concern people were expressing.

Also, I have used Nosler Custom Comp bullets for many years for my .308 Win, and they shoot really well. I have never had a single issue with them. I even have an unopened box of 1000 .224 77gr. NCC's sitting under my bench waiting for the day I finally break-down and purchase a progressive press setup, so I can start pumping out AR and handgun ammo... Loading large quantities of ammo with a single-stage setup is very time-consuming and just generally sucks, and I refuse to do it, unless I absolutely have to (like in a SHTF situation).

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/nosler-custom-comps-antelope-160568/

 

[engineer40]

I shoot a lot of Amax bullets... I probably haven't noticed on those because of the plastic tips. That must "camouflage" the tips on those...

I just checked out some Sierra's that I do have but haven't shot much yet. You guys are definitely right on the money. I think they all do it.

The only other bullets I have used a lot are a lead soft point hunting bullet and obviously those look much different than the Nosler's or Sierra's.

Thanks!

 

[mtwarych]

I think the rate of rotation pretty much does away with any affect the uneven point of the bullet may cause.

 

[engineer40]

I even have an unopened box of 1000 .224 77gr. NCC's sitting under my bench waiting for the day I finally break-down and purchase a progressive press setup, so I can start pumping out AR and handgun ammo...

I just recently tried H322 for mass loading AR ammo. I have no idea if it shoots well yet. However, if it shoots reasonably decent I'll probably use it for my 223 stuff going forward. It meters perfect every single time. I was throwing short and trickling up like I normally do and noticed that it was 100% accurate to the 10th of a grain every throw. So I adjusted my powder thrower to right on the money and just checked every 10 to 15th round for the rest of the 200 I was loading. Saved so much time!

I think the rate of rotation pretty much does away with any affect the uneven point of the bullet may cause.

I hear ya... It is just odd that with everything we do being so exact, that something we can visually see being lopsided doesn't affect the accuracy. It's still hard for me to believe, but there is enough evidence supporting that it does not negatively affect accuracy.

 

[Mikecr]

Uneven is one thing, but varying size in meplats (their diameter) means big variance in BC.
Keep that in mind before trimming bullet noses -to the same length, just so your meplats are 'uniform' (but now varying in diameter).
In other words, uniform don't matter, same size does.

In order to trim meplats to the same diameter, you must first qualify bullet ogives to the same radius/datum. This requires use of a Bob Green type comparator(BGC) first.
After qualification and trimming, their ready for proper pointing.

If your doing something else, or planning to, you're better to leave em alone.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Years ago Nosler did some tests on bullet accuracy. They damaged the tips on some and damaged the bottom on others. Damaged tips didn't change accuracy at 100 yards. Bottom damaged was very detrimental to accuracy.

 

[Pdvdh]

After qualification and trimming, their ready for proper pointing.

If your doing something else, or planning to, you're better to leave em alone.

I'm not pointing the tips. I'm trimming them back to a uniform distance from the Meplats, losing a little bit of BC in the process. The Ogive of the bullet is where the bullets indicate from with my tool, and the trimmer cuts them to the same length from the Ogive. I then countersinke the uniformed tips with the hollow pointing tool, which is also available from: Montour County Rifles

I have no doubt that my tips are more consistent with respect to bullet BC value than the tips as the come from the factory. My Meplat uniformed bullets will have less variance in BC value, however the BC value will be a tad less than the factory bullets, since the meplats are a slightly larger diameter.