Why Hollow Points?

DocCoyote

DocCoyote

New member
Why are a majority of VLD and match bullets hollow points and not ballistic tips? It seems to me that you could get better ballistic coefficients and great accuracy with BTs.
 
When asked before the major manufacturers said that the Hollow Point was there only to properly balance the bullet. It works. I don't beleive the tiny hollow point would signifigantly change the ballistic coefficient of these bullets. The simple answer is that the bullet design works as it is. If you want a BT design for your target bullet you can go to one of Hornadys A-max or Accumax bullet.
 
My understanding is that the hollow point is more accurate than a spitzer type bullet, ie, ballistic tip, but, the spitzers kill better. I have always wondered about that one. I have read about this issue in more than one article. I have a book by Bob Hagel called "Game Loads and Practical Ballistics For the American Hunter" that talks about this very issue. To me, logic says that the hollow cavity would catch air and cause erratic flight, but apparently it is one of those cases where it defies imagination. Sometimes, what appears to be is not, and vice versa. I have used hollow point match bullets in a 22-250 for years for accuracy on groundhogs. Normally the bullets kill very well and usually don't exit, or at least that's been my experience. The spitzer types cause more damage but just don't seem to be as accurate as a good match hollow point at greater distances.
 
The reason for the Hollow point bullet in VLD design and Match bullets is to get the center of balance more to the rear of the bullet. The small HP in the end is not enough to catch a noticeable amount of air. It also prevents deformation as opposed to lead tipped bullets.

Why not Poly tipped? I think it may be that this is such a proven design. Why fix what ain't broke. Another theory could be that the tooling cost is too much.
 
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I have used hollow point match bullets in a 22-250 for years for accuracy on groundhogs. Normally the bullets kill very well and usually don't exit, or at least that's been my experience. The spitzer types cause more damage but just don't seem to be as accurate as a good match hollow point at greater distances.


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The HP of match type bullets is much much smaller than the HP of a hunting bullet. The small HP creates a small pocket of air in front of the bullet that seems to help stabilize the bullet in flight somehow. The cavity usually isn't deep enough to make much of a difference in the ballance of the weight I don't think.
 
I went PD shooting with a bunch of 308 SPEER TNT 125 grn bullets I had loaded. I was amazed them rodents just went splattttt when hit and I was hitting them at over three hundred yards. I sold that rifle after i found out I was going blind but I now regret that I think I am going to get another one since I have stabilized and am only low vision I can still shoot with a good scope.
 
Seems counterintuitive that the HPs would be more accurate, bu they must be, or they wouldn't be match bullets. Thanks everybody!
 
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