We are all familiar with the agruments for Spitzer, Boat-tail, and Flat Nose bullets, but what about round nose bullets? For example why would one use a RN 180gr. bullet in a .30-06' instead of a 180gr. Spitzer? I'm asking for something more than "the trajectory is okay out to 200 yards." That just means they are no worse than Spitzers. I am looking for the argument supporting their use in place of Spitzers.

Do you know any such arguement? Do you buy it?

For me a couple of reasons why I use them.

Firstly, they seem to be easier to get accurate across a wider range of loads than spitzers.

Secondly, they seem to kill better and at all ranges.

The ones I have mainly used have been the Hornadies in 270 and 300 grain 375 and on kangaroos and pigs from up close to across the flat country.

Geoff McDonald who makes Woodleighs did say he introduced the protected point spitzers for marketing reasons but continues to use his own round noses.

If you talk to the Hornady agent in Australia he will tell that the buyers of round noses in the different calibers all have one thing in common...they have done a lot of shooting in the field.

Mike

I like them for deer loads in my .338WinMag. 250gr Hornady RN loaded to 2200 fps. Makes a big hole all the way through with minimal meat damage. Kind of a "heavy 30-30". MM

Round nose bullets are typically used on shorter shooting distances, because they usually expand better than the Spitzers but are not quite as accurate as Spitzers (in general), and they are more accurate than flat nose bullets.

I actually prefer flat nose bullets when shots are under 150 yards, because they expand much better, and the initial impact seems to absolutely knock the deer off their feet as if they were hit by a car. I shoot a 356Win for close shots, and it really packs a punch with the flat nose bullets.

38 Special,

Do you handload? I wonder if the .356 bullets are available as a component from Winchester?

I am loading the 180 Speer for the .358 Winchester.

What makes sense to me is that round nose bullets can increase accuracy in some rifles. Specifically, those that have trouble stabalizing a spitzer of a certiain weight, but not the shorter round nose, and also a round nose can be seated out to the lands with a shorter OAL, which might not be possible with a spitzer and still be short enough to work through the magazine.

Yes, I load all of my own ammo. I don't care for the Speer bullets as they are pointed just a little too much for a lever action 356Win. Also, in some shooting tests, the 180/220 Speer bullets didn't expand very well. The Speer bullets probably would perform better a velocities produced by the 35Whelen.

I'd love to get some 200gr FN bullets direct from Winchester, but I haven't been successful. Those bullets have a very large flat surface on the nose, thus they work great in tubular lever action rifles and they hit very hard.

quote:

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Originally posted by Don Martin29:
38 Special,

Do you handload? I wonder if the .356 bullets are available as a component from Winchester?

I am loading the 180 Speer for the .358 Winchester.

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38 Special,

What was your test like for the .358 Speer 180 gr flat nose?

My buddy and I have been shooting this bullet now for 10 years and we have had outstanding results on whitetails. The bullet has also been very accurate in my rifles. They are all .358 Winchesters. The load produces just over 2700 fps mv.

For my purposes I cannot imagine a much better bullet.

My hunting buddy has made two one shot kills with that bullet. One at 225 the other at 240 yards.

There are a couple of advantages to round noses, including:

They are shorter, so you can use a heavier weight given a certain twist.

They are easier to get to shoot (less finnicky).

They upset more reliably and slightly quicker, so you don't have to shoot them as fast.

FWIW, Dutch.

More stable in flight and in animal.
Less deflection from brush
Quicker expanding
Easier to load

When I sit at my desk I want a spitzer with a good BC when I raise my rifle I want a RN and to hell with the BC because it's never mattered yet.

In my experience, the RN's are more accurate than spitzers. On the other hand, they are also more sensitive to wind drift.

I hear their real merit is in terminal performance, though I personally have not used them on any animals yet.

1894,

That is a very good way of putting it.

Actually one of the reasons I have always liked the 375 as compared to 270s, 300s etc, is that blunt bullets just seem right and I don't get all caught in BCs etc.

Mike