I guess the old man switched out BTSPs for all his shots over 30yards, with his 06. He will only use 180gr RN period. I had a box of 180gr Partitons I wanted him to try. I thought I was suggesting taking away Christmas. I can tell you before I started using the long range race guns I have now I only fed heavy RNs. A 165 RN core lockt out of a 26in barrel 280 Rem makes a hugh hole going in and out. BANG FLOP. I got a screaming deal on this gun a #1 because it did too much damage with that round. Round nose work great 180 30 cal in particular IMO, but what the fuck do I know I shoot the plastic tips also.

Im something of a nostalgia nut. Much as I would like to jump in and defend the honor of the classic RN I just really cant do it. The benefits of an aerodynamic spitzer simply outweigh that of any perks the RN might have, (the major military forces figured that out about 100 years ago) and some research will show that spitzers in 99% of todays rifles open up just as reliably as a rn. Any upside the RN might have in reguards to a frontal area "shock effect" is quickly offset by a loss of velocity at range. An argument could be made for this purpose for close in hunting, but not by me as I wouldnt subscribe to liming myself as such.



That being said, I still like RN's and they still work just fine at any reasonable hunting ranges.



Tubular magazines and feeding considerations notwithstanding, If I were to settle on any RN for a given rifle it would be based strictly on an accuracy consideration, and were they to win out in that reguard I would have no compunctions about using them. But even in the search for accuracy I would throw my coin at a box of ballistic tips before I went to a RN.



Its getting harder all the time to justify using a RN except for a few select purposes.

Hiya
Under a 100 yards it makes no difference using a RN or a pointed bullet of any style, CoreLoks, PP, Hornady's or what have you.
A buddy of mine had a Mod 70 30/06 made in the late 60's that had a 1-12" twist, ( no, thats not a typo..) that would only shoot 180gr Hornady RN bullets and some 150gr spitzers. This guy killed more deer and bear with those 180 Hornadys than anyone I know. You couldn't convince him that Round Nose bullets don't kill well..

He has hunted the western Oregon rain forest for so many years the stock on that rifle finally started looking like a banana from all the warpage and had to be discarded.

Because Allan, ONLY IN MY PERSONAL OPINION FOR ME ALONE, I think a round nose mushrooms and penetrates as well or better than even a premium style bullet.

I see no reason for a SP if people think about taking game at under 200 to 250 yds. However now a days people want loads for a 5,000 lb animal at 500 yds, when deer etc are still taken on average at no longer ranges than they were when our grandads were out hunting deer and elk with 30/30s, 30/40s and 35 Remingtons, and 300 Savages.

The only thing I hate about SPs is that since every one buys them the manufacturers keep quitting the production of round nose bullets.

If I had of handloaded when Hornady use to make Round Nose bullets in 129 grains and 140 grains, and Speer was still making the 275 grain SMP in 338 cal, and the 225 grain SMP in 8 mm Mauser, I would have bought about a thousand or two or each type and just have shut up in life about the subject.

I still tend to load round nose bullets in the 30/06 and 300 Win Mag for hunting. The 7mm Mausers I own see a lot of 154 grain Round Nose down the barrel. That bullet would be my first choice if I owned a 7/08 or 7mmRem Mag. The Speer 160 grain MagTip serves as second choice, when I can't get the 154 or the 175 grain Round Nose in 7mm. I only have a few 170 grain Round Nose Sierras left.

They just plain work is why!

cheers and good shooting
seafire