how much difference in accurace have you noticed, [say at 100 yards] with the same bullet.. one being flat base, and one being B.T. at the same velosity..

None.

IMO very little difference at that distance even out say too 200 meters .

BT'S shine at distances long distances 300-1000 meters in most calibers capable of delivering accuracy

at those distances . As with anything there are always exceptions to the rules !.

The BT design does best out beyond 300yds. It's not uncommon for the flat base bullets to show better accuracy @ 100 & 200yds IME.

I keep reading that benchrest want flat base and long range want boat tail.

But last week I went to the range with a 260Rem 22" barrel:

A) 100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip moly coated # 26100 bullet moly coated ,
45.0 gr canister IMR4895, 2.940"
Quickload prediction 61,328 psi 3261 fps
chronographs as 3,236 fps

B) 100 gr Hornady soft point flat base #2610 bullet moly coated, 45.0 gr
canister IMR4895, 2.920"
Quickload prediction 59,342 psi 3,233 fps
Chronographs at 3,244 fps


And the boat tails win at 100 yards

Any accuracy difference will be attributable to the rife, not the bullet's base.

I am not convinced that there's a marked advantage to either design, accuracy-wise. I note most Sierra Matchkings are boattails....

But OTOH the Sierra 22-cal 53-gr Match flat base has always outshot their 52-gr Match boat tail, for me, in over a dozen different rifles now tested. AAMOF I've personally never owned or fired a 22 CF rifle of any chambering from Hornet to Swift that would shoot better with the Sierra 52-gr boat tails than with the 53-gr flat base ones of the same style. The flat base ones always shot better, in every rifle tested, and in one case of a worn bore the boat tails actually keyholed while the flat bases still made little tiny groups. Go figure.
Regards, Joe

For the most part, you won't notice any difference. Flat base bullets tend to hold together a little better after striking game than boattail bullets. At distances under 350 yards, accuracy is usually a hair better with flat base. That, of course, is a very general statement. Different bullet manufacturers have different tolerances and quality control, but it is easier for manufacturers to make a uniform and consistent bullet with a flat base bullet than a boattail.

Boat tailed bullets maintain their velocity better at longer ranges, say starting @400 yards.

At distance they fly flatter and have less wind drift.

quote:

benchrest want flat base and long range want boat tail.

For bench shooting the flat base might group 1/8" better or so!

Many Benchrest shooters use BT bullets at 100 and 200 yards with no disadvantage whatsoever. It's all in the quality of the bullets. A good BT is usually a little harder to make than a FB but if that's what your barrel likes then you'd be crazy not to use them

OTOH, many mid-range Benchrest shooters use FB bullets with equally good results.

It all boils down to what shoots the best in your particular barrel.

Ray

From an accuracy point of view, it's a crap shoot. I have two .223's that are very, very accurate. Both are almost identical. One prefers Sierra FB's and the other BT's. It's the sort of difference that you measure with a mike but it's there.
If you're a hunter and you're talking about the real world, go with a flat based bullet.

OTOH boattails feed into the cases easier when reloading so if there is no great accuracy diff, I prefer boattails.

quote:

Originally posted by Cheechako:
A good BT is usually a little harder to make than a FB....

+1

The BT's virtue is its higher BC, giving it an advantage at longer distances. The FB is inherently the more accurate bullet because of its base being made more uniformly than a BT.

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:

quote:

Originally posted by Cheechako:
A good BT is usually a little harder to make than a FB....

+1

The BT's virtue is its higher BC, giving it an advantage at longer distances. The FB is inherently the more accurate bullet because of its base being made more uniformly than a BT.

Some will say the BT doesn't completely stabalize @ 100yds, maybe even 200yds, then starts to settle down beyond that for better accuarcy @ 300 & beyond. Every rifle will have a pref for the bullet it likes.