I look at all these big bore cartridges, and they all seem to have a blunt bullet, in fact, one of the .577 rounds I've seen has a plain cylindrical shot. Why do they have this? Don't Spitzers provide far better ballistics and performance? If anyone can help me with this, I'd appreciate the help.

Spitzers are not needed at the distances big bores are normally used (0-100yds.).

Spitzer shapes result in a far longer bullet; loaded rounds would not fit in the magazine boxes of current bolt-actions (this does not apply to double rifles).

Big bores are used to punch big holes and transmit shock. Blunt bullets work very well for this purpose.

George

We actually hunt animals with Big Bores! We don't just shoot at targets. Ranges are 20ft-100yrds max. -Rob

The reason for "lack of pointy bullets" has to do exactly with what GeorgeS had to say. Consider the reasons for what and who usually buy these large calibers. Are they people who consistantly make long shoots or the people in thick brush, so close they can probably smell the animal that could, with their massive size turn the hunter into a special blend of Mirical Grow. So the reason for no sharp points and only large, smoothly curving projectiles has to do with pursueing the largest amount of energy to be transfered to the animal (most cases dangerous game) in-order to inithiate shut-down on the animals part in as short of time span as possible. This is situation where "pointy bullets" don't fly or should I say stop. They would be far more likely to pass further into or more than likely through the close, hostile beast that has full intent of turning one into a new stain on its horn, tusk or tooth without transfering almost all of its enery into shock. Imagine shooting a chicken with a bow with a field point (sharp point) and then shooting one with a blunt(a rubber tip that is usually 1 inch wide at its end). The first chicken when hit will show little sign of being hit and will most likely (keep in mind I have not Ph.D in chicken shooting) run around until it bleeds out. The second chicken will after being hit will look like invisible person snuck up on it a bashed it with a very large rock lanching the chicken into the opposite direction. It's all about the physics. Hope this helped you out.
Good hunting.

Thanks guys, this does help.

With regular spitzer shapes you don't gain a lot of efficiency in the big bores. Compare the BC for a pointy Barnes 400 grain .458 to a flat nose 458, then look at the trajectory at 300 yards. It does not make a lot of difference.

500 grains. How does one find out the BC's of bullets eg. the 410 gr. Woodleighs and 380 gr. GS Customs in .416?
Thanks, peter.

The BC of the woodleigh 410 gr .416 RN is .375.

Round noses an blunt noses also look great on top of there other characteristics.

In order to penitrate in a stright line, a bullet needs a blunt round nose or flat nose and more importantly parrallel sides to drive through all that honey comb mass in an elephants head or to break a heavy humorus or shoulder bone on a Hippo, Cape Buffalo, or Rhino and then continue in a stright line to the heart lung area and out the other side hopefully...

A spitzer tends to tip and go off course or tumble, which is only desirable in combat, as a wounded soldier takes two to get him out of the fire zone thus you have omitted 3 of the enemy as opposed to one or so I have been told.......

Ah Ray has stolen my thunder! If you read enough about terminal ballistics, you find the pointed FMJ of military rounds often tumble upon impact. Ray is absolutely right.........as usual.

The BC values of all the GS Custom FN bullets are between .22 and .26 and we do not publish these values as BC is really a non issue inside of 100 meters. GS Custom FNs are not really intended for use beyond 100 as the HVs will deliver better terminal ballistics at ranges over 100.