Will 1:12 twist stabilize Nosler 180 grain Ballistic Tip?

[gilream]

I have a new 30-06 with a 1:12 twist barrel finished at 27 1/2 inches. Does anyone have experience with 180 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips using this twist rate? Will it stabilize and fly accurately for long, long way?

 

[jepp2]

Does anyone have experience with 180 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips using this twist rate?

No personal experience, but I find the Berger stability calculator to be fairly accurate.

https://bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/

I ran yours with a guess at velocity of 2650 fps and wasn't stable until you were 3500 ft elevation and higher.

 

[Orr89rocz]

You should easily get over 2700 fps withthat. I am 2700 in a 308 with a 26” barrel.

those are 1.346” long. Should be close to 1.4-1.45 stability on berger calc assuming 1200 ft 59 deg where i am at. Marginally stable so it may shoot ok just not optimal bc?

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I shot 180gr BTs, 180gr ABs, and 180gr Partitions, and 200gr ABs in a 300 win mag for over a decade using a 12 twist. All shot great and never had any issues with stability.

Nosler sells ammo for the 30-06 with that exact bullet so I see no reason why it wouldn’t stabilize perfectly fine at lower velocities. See photos below. Test barrel for the ammo was a 12 twist.

 

[Bill Norris]

Stabilizing any of the Nosler 180 gr. bullets has never been an issue in 1 - 12 Tw .308 for me.

 

[JamesnTN]

I’m pushing the 190 VLD out of a 12 twist and accuracy is phenomenal

 

[jr600yd]

I have a 308 that hammers at 600yds using 190 SMK’s. Shot it at 1K for years and won a lot of medals with it.

 

[mauser284]

Yes

 

[BigGame]

The Berger calculator underestimates stability of bullets with plastic tips. Use the JBM tool for bullets with plastic tips (and input the length of the tip). Looks stable.

JBM - Calculations - Stability

www.jbmballistics.com

 

[gilream]

Thanks to all for the input. My rifle runs 180 SMK at 2890 fps. I've loaded up some test loads with the 180 Ballistic Tips and will head to the range when the rain ends.

 

[gilream]

The Berger calculator underestimates stability of bullets with plastic tips. Use the JBM tool for bullets with plastic tips (and input the length of the tip). Looks stable.

JBM - Calculations - Stability

www.jbmballistics.com

Thanks for that reference.

 

[280AIDave]

I had no luck with almost anything 180gr in my 1-12', Partitions, Accubonds and Swift Scirocco in 180 gr wt. Ballistic Tips were good. I found that a 200 gr Partition was my winner. This is in a 300 Weatherby with a 24"

 

[Orr89rocz]

The Berger calculator underestimates stability of bullets with plastic tips. Use the JBM tool for bullets with plastic tips (and input the length of the tip). Looks stable.

JBM - Calculations - Stability

www.jbmballistics.com

Good point. Running sierra gamechanger 257 cal 110’s in berger calc i got like a 1.1 stability factor. But i have shot them to 1375 yards and got good hits, and dropS within the ballistic Calc program so thats likely due to the tip difference

 

[lotech]

Try it, there are exceptions to the twist rate charts.

 

[gilream]

Thanks for all of your comments. My new rifle stabilizes the 180 Ballistic Tips just fine at 100 yards. Accuracy was excellent at -10 thou ...that 3 shot group measured .393 and velocity for the 4 groups averaged 2900.5 fps. However I had a hard lift click at primary extraction point so I've got to back off the H4350 charge a little. I should add that my gun has a minimum spec chamber. Thanks again to all.

 

[Nature Boy]

My FN SPR’s stock barrel was a 1:12 and 180g Nosler BTs stabilized just fine. It was one of the more accurate loads I developed for it.

 

[Juppe12]

My Tikka M65 works fine with 180gr bullets. Actually I get best results with 180gr Scenar.

 

[Laguna Freak]

I have a new 30-06 with a 1:12 twist barrel finished at 27 1/2 inches. Does anyone have experience with 180 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips using this twist rate? Will it stabilize and fly accurately for long, long way?

Run your parameters through the JBM Ballistics Sg calculator if you want a much more realistic Stability factor. Forget the Berger calculator for plastic tipped bullets. Litz’s Berger calculator makes zero provision for bullets with a plastic tip. Or if you care more about the real effects of barometric pressure and temperature vs an extrapolated elevation coefficient.

 

[mauser284]

Yes

 

[gilream]

Run your parameters through the JBM Ballistics Sg calculator if you want a much more realistic Stability factor. Forget the Berger calculator for plastic tipped bullets. Litz’s Berger calculator makes zero provision for bullets with a plastic tip. Or if you care more about the real effects of barometric pressure and temperature vs an extrapolated elevation coefficient.

Thanks for the comment..the JBM stability model is great. The ballistic tip bullet stabilizes just fine in my new rifle. Accuracy is outstanding.