The bottom line is, indeed, go with whatever you think works best for your particular application and circumstances.
Originally Posted By: bullshopOK for you guys that feel that bullet speed because of flattened trajectory is more important than wind drift...
For my application and circumstances, yes, flat mid range is more important. And the 55 NBT is superior to the 87 Vmax. For my application and circumstances.
Originally Posted By: bullshop...I deliberately gave a higher velocity figure for the 55gn bullet than anyone else claiming to be using this bullet gave...
No you didn't. I'm running them almost 200 fps faster than the figure you used. And I posted it very early in this thread.
It doesn't matter though. For your application, it sounds like the 87 Vmax while better than the 55, isn't the answer either, you need even heavier, higher BC bullets for long range work.
That's not my application, though, at all.
What I am most concerned with is extending my point blank range and not having to concern myself with precise range estimation when working in the neighborhood of 400 yard shots. The 87 Vmax at 3750, gives up over 20 yards of MPBR to the 55 NBT load I'm using. The more telling number though, is in 400 yard POI. With both bullets zeroed for MPBR, ~290/333 for the 55, ~270/311 for the 87, the 87 is hitting about 3" lower at 400 yards. About 5.5" low vs. 8.5" low. May not sound like much, but in the heat of getting off a quick shot on a coyote stand, without the use of a rangefinder, in my experience in actual practical field use, that is actually a very significant difference. With a large advantage going to the flatter mid range trajectory of the higher velocity 55 gr. load.
I consider the vitals on a coyote to be only a 4" target. The difference between the two at 400 yards is almost the size of the target. Forgetting the numbers for a moment, my field experience (which is considerable) validates that this is, indeed, a significant difference.
Simply put, for my purposes, the 55 is a hold on fur load to 400. The 87 isn't.
Energy... A complete non-issue. I've anchored enough coyotes out to the mid 500's with my 55 NBT load to know that it has plenty of mustard to the ranges I'm comfortable using it. Plenty.
Wind... Almost a complete non-issue - for me. The mid 500's is as far as I go on a stand, and even then, conditions have to be pretty good all around for me to take a shot that long. I have to feel good about my hold, good about the wind, good about everything, or I just pass on a shot like that.
But, going by the numbers, at 500 yards, my load with the 55's gives up only 2" to the 87 Vmax in a full value 10 MPH crosswind. Again, based on my own experience in the field, this is not significant. Unlike the 400 POI comparison, where 3" is a big difference, the 500 yard wind comparison is about 18" of wind for the 55 vs. 16" of wind for the 87. Not significant in anyone's book, but more to the point - I'm not taking 500 yard shots in a full value 10 MPH wind on a coyote stand anyway, so the actual difference will be even less than 2". No advantage to the 87 here, for my application.
There is one more factor involved in choosing between these two particular bullets that has not been mentioned, but which I gave deliberate consideration to in making my choices. Recoil. Too many factors involved in the effects of recoil, some of which are subjective, so I won't bother going into them in any detail. But, for me, being able to see the shot through the scope has real utility on a coyote stand. Primarily in handling multiples - seeing the result of my shot in the scope equals more dead coyotes at the end of the year. As my 6/284 is configured (which is designed around on-stand handling characteristics), I see all my shots through the scope with the 55's but do not see most of them with the 87's. It's another point in favor of the 55's, for my application.
So, anyway... Back to the bottom line. Whatever works best for an individuals application and circumstances, and it's none of my business what anyone chooses or why. But, do realize, there are indeed applications and circumstances under which the 55 gr. is superior - and my application and circumstances are one real world example.
- DAA