Bullet pointing problem

[geordiesniper]

I was pointing my 180gr Berger Hybrids recently and noticed that the pointing on the tips was not consistent. Some bullet tips were more pointed than others and had different meplat reductions. This had me confused as the bullets were batched in 2 thou groups measured by bearing surface using the Tubbs comparitor.
I mainly shoot f class/benchrest at 1000yds and thought that by sorting by bearing surface and then pointing would be the way to go. So there must be something causing this problem. It had to do with the fact that on the Whidden pointing die you place the base of the bullet on a flat surface, so the dimension from the base of the bullet to the ogive was different causing the bullet tip to be further in or out causing the difference to meplat diameters.
I then measured a batch of bearing surface measured bullets using the Stoney Point comparitor from base to ogive. I was surprised to find that in that measured batch there was a difference of 8 thou.
So, it seems that to achieve consistent pointing I should not measure by the bearing surface but by base to ogive to get consistent bullet pointing. This seems to go against what I heard from more experienced shooters who recommended to sort by bearing surface and then point, but if I do, then I could ruin that by having inconsistent pointing.
Any help from anyone who has had the same problem would be appreciated.

 

[LRPV]

The last batch of 105 hybrids that I did I started out sorting them by base to ogive, trimmed them, pointed them, and then sorted by bearing surface. Sorting base to ogive seemed to give me a lot more uniform meplats than when I sorted by bearing surface to point. So, I guess I support what you have already figured out.

Jason

 

[scott_at_vortex]

I was pointing my 180gr Berger Hybrids recently and noticed that the pointing on the tips was not consistent. Some bullet tips were more pointed than others and had different meplat reductions. This had me confused as the bullets were batched in 2 thou groups measured by bearing surface using the Tubbs comparitor.
I mainly shoot f class/benchrest at 1000yds and thought that by sorting by bearing surface and then pointing would be the way to go. So there must be something causing this problem. It had to do with the fact that on the Whidden pointing die you place the base of the bullet on a flat surface, so the dimension from the base of the bullet to the ogive was different causing the bullet tip to be further in or out causing the difference to meplat diameters.
I then measured a batch of bearing surface measured bullets using the Stoney Point comparitor from base to ogive. I was surprised to find that in that measured batch there was a difference of 8 thou.
So, it seems that to achieve consistent pointing I should not measure by the bearing surface but by base to ogive to get consistent bullet pointing. This seems to go against what I heard from more experienced shooters who recommended to sort by bearing surface and then point, but if I do, then I could ruin that by having inconsistent pointing.
Any help from anyone who has had the same problem would be appreciated.

I personally only spot check batches of bergers any more (maybe I have been lucky?) and as long as I see no more than .002" variance from base to ogive I will then trim the meplat and then point. This has been very consistent for me. I learned this method from John Hoover directly and it has worked very well for me(all though I do believe he may be a little more picky than I am on his methods of measuring).

I do have one question for you- When you saw .008" difference when measuring base to ogive was that with bullets you had already pointed?

 

[6BRinNZ]

I was pointing my 180gr Berger Hybrids recently and noticed that the pointing on the tips was not consistent. Some bullet tips were more pointed than others and had different meplat reductions. This had me confused as the bullets were batched in 2 thou groups measured by bearing surface using the Tubbs comparitor.
I mainly shoot f class/benchrest at 1000yds and thought that by sorting by bearing surface and then pointing would be the way to go. So there must be something causing this problem. It had to do with the fact that on the Whidden pointing die you place the base of the bullet on a flat surface, so the dimension from the base of the bullet to the ogive was different causing the bullet tip to be further in or out causing the difference to meplat diameters.
I then measured a batch of bearing surface measured bullets using the Stoney Point comparitor from base to ogive. I was surprised to find that in that measured batch there was a difference of 8 thou.
So, it seems that to achieve consistent pointing I should not measure by the bearing surface but by base to ogive to get consistent bullet pointing. This seems to go against what I heard from more experienced shooters who recommended to sort by bearing surface and then point, but if I do, then I could ruin that by having inconsistent pointing.
Any help from anyone who has had the same problem would be appreciated.

Did they explain why they do it that way?
I am using the Whidden pointer as well and when I looked at how the tool worked I discarded worrying about bearing surface for pointing consistency.

 

[LRPV]

The Hoover trimmer works from the ogive so sorting ogive to base then trimming should give you the same overall length. The way the Whidden works I don't see a reason to sort first.

Jason

 

[armaster]

Sounds like you answered your own question. The single most important bullet measurement is base to ogive.

 

[pmarauder]

I have sorted by using both methods. I have had more consistent results by sorting my bullets by bearing surface only.
The reason you are seeing different meplat diameters/shape after pointing is because even after sorting by .001 of bearing surface, the OAL of the bullets in each sorted pile will vary by up to .008 or so with the 180 Hybrids. Point them up, but sort by OAL after pointing. Keep the ones that measure the same for your record round, and shoot the others as fowlers.

Derek

 

[johara1]

Derek, Sounds the same as i do, The only problem i see is getting the 180's in a Dasher.... I do tighten up too +- .0005 on the Dasher,but it may be a waist of time but i feel better........ jim

 

[geordiesniper]

Thanks gentlemen. I am going to stop measuring the bearing surface and will measure base to ogive to give consistent results on pointing, as consistent pointing may be more important than any slight differences in bearing surface lengths at longer ranges.
Good shooting to all.