.224 Flat base vs Boat tail

[Soup]

Folks,
I've got a Ruger No.1V .22-250. It's been glass bedded and free floated -CanJar trigger -new scope rail. It seems to shoot well with bullets in the 50-53 grain range. I've used both flat base and boat tail and the boat tails don't give me the groups the FB do. My distance is 100 yards -benched. I live in Southern NJ so the temperature hasn't been very cold yet.
My question is are the boat tail bullets longer? I've been shooting the Nosler Ballistic Tips and Varmagdedons. Looking to coyote and groundhog hunt out to 250 yards.
Thank you in advance for your time help and consideration.
Semper Fidelis
Soup

 

[lawman29]

Specifications for bullets are listed on the nosler web site. 50bt = .800; 53vm .830.

 

[K22]

This is not unusual in my experience that flat base bullets will shoot tighter groups at 100 and 200 yards. However, every rifle can be different, there are no absolutes this why you need to test in your rifle.

I shoot a lot of Nosler 50 and 55 BT bullets in 12" twist 223 Rem bolt rifles and they shoot extremely well: in the 1/4 to 5/8 moa range at 100 yards depending on the rifle. The Nosler's do not have a pronounced boat tail like other brands, the BT is almost more of a bevel. They shoot in my rifles on par or a little better than flat base bullets such as the 55 Vmax, but the difference is insignificant at the distances I hunt varmints and predators.

I have hunted ground hogs for 50+ years and rest assured, that you will have no problems at all accuracy wise hitting hogs out to 250 yards with any varmint bullet that will consistently group sub 1 moa. Ditto for predators.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Are you having seating issues with the boattail bullets, because of the long throat on the Ruger #1- 22-250s? I really like the Nosler 50 and 55 gr ballistic tip for coyote out of my 22-250s.

 

[762willdo]

If you could shoot in a perfect vacuum, flat base would win every time……

 

[SSL]

Folks,
I've got a Ruger No.1V .22-250. It's been glass bedded and free floated -CanJar trigger -new scope rail. It seems to shoot well with bullets in the 50-53 grain range. I've used both flat base and boat tail and the boat tails don't give me the groups the FB do. My distance is 100 yards -benched. I live in Southern NJ so the temperature hasn't been very cold yet.
My question is are the boat tail bullets longer? I've been shooting the Nosler Ballistic Tips and Varmagdedons. Looking to coyote and groundhog hunt out to 250 yards.
Thank you in advance for your time help and consideration.
Semper Fidelis
Soup

May not help you, but my Ruger #1B (1-14") absolutely loves Hornady 52-grain AMAX (ELD-M) bullets over a load of CFE223. Better than any of the 50 to 55-grain flat-base bullets I've tried...but that's in my rifle...yours may not like them.

 

[Zero333]

2 best 243win loads I have are...

#1 - Berger 80 gr FB Varmint.
#2 - Sierra 85 gr BTHP hunting.

I don't recommend the 80 gr Berger Varmint for fast twist barrels because they've come apart on me many times on hot summer days and accuracy suffered regardless. In the cold winter days they hammered one hole groups every time.
While the 85 gr Sierra BTHP Gameking are consistent regardless of outside and barrel temp.

Make your own conclusions.

 

[pintopete]

JBM - Bullet Length List

jbmballistics.com

There was another length web page, listed here in a past bulletin, but the site has been down recently.

In my .222’s FB bullets seem to perform better for me than BT. Try Sierra 1400 FB for targets. Seems to be hard to find 50gr polymer tipped FB bullets for varmints. For wood chucks I have very good success with SPSX bullets. For your 22/250, you may be better off with the regular SP over the SX version. Depends on your velocity.

You are being redirected...

 

[KMW 1954]

I have no way to prove one way or the other which is better but my thoughts are that within 300 yards it make little difference. Where it is more the construction of the bullet and the weight that makes a greater influence as to performance.
Example, I have two Savage rifles in 223, one loves RMR 69gr bullets the other absolutely will not shoot them.

 

[piie]

FB bullets stabilize faster than BT’s. Over short distances FB is better. Over longer distances, and once the BT’s stabilize, they will win due to the better BC. Test your loads at the distances you intend to shoot, perhaps there is a BT that can stabilize and give you better groups already.the FB’s that group good at 100 may/may not group so good once they get to the 250y you mention- targets will show.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

What twist is your 22-250? Yes the boat tail version of a flat base bullet will be just a little longer, think Sierra/Hornady 52bthp and 53 fbhp bullets. Now the Hornady 53 vmax (boat tail and plastic tipped) is much longer, enough that it will seldom shoot worth a flip in a14 twist barrel. Sierra's 55 tipped boat tail is also a poor performer in a 14 twist barrel. My factory varmint 14 twist barrels get replaced with 12 twist when wore out. Gives a wider choice or bullets.

Frank

 

[rmeyerwy]

jbmballistics.com has a length option that has a very large number of mfgs and the bullet lengths is anyone is interested. Also a stabilize calculator, some good stuff there.

 

[Rsadams]

Flat base great for shorter distances , boat tail for longer is a way of thinking... When doing the inside of the case necks I use a vld tool for everything which puts a wider taper for bullet seating... Might try it... I do it because I am lazy and don't even remember where the other cutter is anymore...