Why small caliber heavy bullets??

[Cbrown3020]

I would like to know what the advantage is to shooting small caliber heavy bullets? For example 22 cal 80 gr bullet instead of a 6 mm 80 gr bullet? There must be something to it seems very popular what am I missing please.

Thank you everyone for your responses!!

Kevin

 

[ronemus]

Higher ballistic coefficient (lower drag) retains velocity and bucks wind better.

 

[ben-o]

Long and skinny bullets have higher ballistic coefficient. It’s mostly not that critical at normal hunting range, but it helps a lot at long range.

 

[Syncrowave]

When you see a long skinny bullet, think: Less like a ball, more like a spear=higher BC.
Retains velocity farther because it doesn't have to push as much air out of the way (or drag as much behind).
But you need faster rifling twist to give it more gyroscopic stability because a longer bullet gives the air a longer "lever arm" to make it tumble.
Tradeoffs: A long-for-caliber bullet weighs more, so equivalent breech pressure won't push it as fast.
That means it takes more time to get to target. More time means more drop / holdover for a given distance.
But holdover is easy to calculate precisely if you know time of flight, and if you know the distance exactly and you know the velocity exactly, time of flight is easy to calculate.
Two other tradeoffs: 1) All else being equal, a slower bullet typically doesn't expand as much or as reliably as a slower bullet. 2) If the bullet gets into "transonic" velocity, it will usually experience buffeting/instability which takes a toll on accuracy. You normally want to stay either above or below "transonic" velocity.
Like everything else, it's a compromise. You have to decide on bullet weight (length) based on what you want the bullet to do.

 

[357Mag]

I would like to know what the advantage is to shooting small caliber heavy bullets? For example 22 cal 80 gr bullet instead of a 6 mm 80 gr bullet? There must be something to it seems very popular what am I missing please.

Thank you everyone for your responses!!

Kevin

CBrown-

Topics aligned with your question are…. what are shooters using these long/heavy bullets for ? When using long/heavy bullets to kill animals; shooters need to make an informed, sensible choice on the bullet(s) they use.

Using varmint shooting as an example:
It may make no sense at all for a shooter to use a very long/heavy VLD on things like PDs, rock chuck, or groundhog; when/if their typical engagement ranges are close enough that bullet’ retained energy is not a big issue. Moreover, the likelihood of a bullet to actually pass through and then exit a varmint becomes more-pronounced as bullet weights in each varmint calibre trend towards maximum. Bullets that exit the target animal….did not transfer all of their retained energy to it.

Ideally, shooters will also think about whether any potential candidate bullet might exit the animal amongst other considerations; while making their bullet selection(s). Varmint shooting was just one example.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[Texas Solo]

357Mag makes a good point. When I started F Class I was shooting 80gr Bergers. Very good at 600yds.

I took those out groundhog hunting and found every shot passed through.

I worked a new load with 55gr Nosler BT. They don't exit...ever!

 

[Hipshoot]

I shoot with guys that insist on using long heavy high BC bullets

For the most part they have never shot over 100 yds.

I guess they either think it is cool or just like spending their hard earned money!.

 

[K22]

I must be missing something also because heavies in a 223 Rem do not make sense to me. But of course, a lot in today's world doesn't make sense to me.

If one's discipline is shooting at paper targets long range, then certainly there must be a more proficient cartridge than the 223 Rem. for this purpose.

If one is like me, uses a 223 Rem for hunting varmints and predators, then this requires a bullet that will expand, minimize ricochet, and optimize trajectory in conjunction with optimizing the aforementioned elements. In other words, choose a suitable bullet for varmint / predator hunting.

If I need a long-range varmint cartridge, i.e. > 300 yards, then I would choose a 22 250 or 243 or such cartridge.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I Like, Light & FAST, .22 Cal Bullets for PD's and Sage Rats, 50 to, 60 grains ( at 300-350 yds or so ) and,..
69 to 88 grain, Long Heavy, High BC bullets ,at some, serious "Speed" for, Coyotes, "works" well, in the Open, Windy, rolling Desert,..
Both Hunts, "can" be done with, a .22-250 or, .22 Creed If, your Barrel's, One of, the Faster Twists.

 

[Keith Hansley in NC]

heavier bullet for caliber= slower velocity=subsonic for suppressor use

 

[Mark W]

I shoot with guys that insist on using long heavy high BC bullets

For the most part they have never shot over 100 yds.

I guess they either think it is cool or just like spending their hard earned money!.

I’ve saw guys who do the same thing and I never understood why.

Personally, I prefer fast and flat with a good mpbr for most of my stuff, unless Im shooting 600 yards plus.

 

[mic2377]

It doesn't matter nearly as much if shooting 300 yards and in. But beyond this, and especially at distances 500 yards+, the benefits are huge.

I shoot a 22 Creed for predator/night hunting. The projectile of choice is an 80 ELDX, with a velocity of 3250. This has more than twice the BC of most 55 gr tipped bullets. At 500 yards, it has less than HALF the wind drift (16 inches vs 36-37+) and a retained velocity of 2300 vs 1800 fps at that distance.

Which bullet will expand better? Which bullet allows more latitude in ranging or wind error? It certainly isn't the lighter one.

Long range shooting at night is especially demanding. It is difficult, if not impossible, to spot misses, and the usual visual signatures for wind are also severely diminished. So a setup with the flattest trajectory and minimal wind drift is crucial to success.

 

[Hoekight]

Kevin, I shoot F Class matches and have some kids from church that shoots with me. One of the kids is a young girl whose family isn’t gun folks. She wasn’t comfortable shooting off of a mechanical front rest with even a small 6 BR, but she was comfortable shooting my 223 off of a bipod. So she had to shoot FTR which means there was only 2 caliber choices, 308 or 223. I throated a 223 for 85.5 Bergers. It has almost the same performance as a 308, has no recoil, is cheap to load and maintain on my part and best of all…. It has made a young girl a competitor in a firearm sport who wouldn’t have been before. That 223 is pretty amazing out to 800 yards maybe farther with the long, heavy for caliber bullets. I wouldn’t hunt with it and I wouldn’t personally shoot it for my match rifle, But it does have its place. In this case, I’m using it to grow and make young shooters comfortable behind a rifle and getting them into competition shooting. Heaven knows we need more of the next generation taking interest. So for me, a long, heavy 223 bullet has a special place in my heart.
Blessings.
Dwayne

 

[SKWERLZ]

I shoot with guys that insist on using long heavy high BC bullets

For the most part they have never shot over 100 yds.

I guess they either think it is cool or just like spending their hard earned money!.

https://rumble.com/v6wh45i-little-ping-at-1050-yards..html

 

[Rtheurer]

It is a lot of fun to shoot a 223 to or past 1000 yards. Because the average guy... probably wouldnt even think about trying it. 80's and 90gr in a 223 with a long long freebore. It is an amazing little cartridge for its size when chambered correctly for the big heavies. So much fun! Would a 22 Creed be the better choice. Yep... Not near as much fun.
I had a shoot off with guy at the range one time on a 24" steel plate at 1000 yards. He had his... big ole mean 338 Lapua.. I had a 223 shooting 88gr Hornady ELD. He would hit, i would hit, he would miss, i would miss, he would hit.. i would hit. we went on for about 7 rounds before i hit and he missed.
Because.... America... that's why. And i can. Hope you all are well.

 

[hpshooter]

I would like to know what the advantage is to shooting small caliber heavy bullets? For example 22 cal 80 gr bullet instead of a 6 mm 80 gr bullet? There must be something to it seems very popular what am I missing please.

Thank you everyone for your responses!!

Kevin

Across the course high power shooters shooting .223 service rifles need a .22 projectile with a high BC for the 600, 800, and 1000 yard matches as do FTR shooters using the .223 rounds.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

While you get more bc for the powder burned and recoil, those small calibers heavy bullets come at the cost of shorter barrel life for a given case capacity. Probably doesn't matter to most people. I'm the only person I know who shoots enough to burn out a barrel.

I too like a fast and flat for Varmints but some have exceptional bc that make a little more weight worth it, and at 300 the drop is the same or better. In 22 cal the 4 that come to mind are 53vmax, 60 gr TSMK, 62 gr ELD-VT, and I believe its a 60gr NBT.

When I run the 62 gr ELD-VT at 3100 compared to my usual 53gr vmax at 3400, it has 2 inches less drop at 300 but half the wind drift. Plus hundreds of ft lbs more retained energy out at 500.

When you have to move way up to 80 gr etc to get that BC, its not worth the low velocity inside 300.

Thats my take anyways.

 

[Evan]

If shooting 4-inch groups at 1000yds with a 90gn 22 cal bullet and 25gns of powder doesn’t put a smile on your face, then it is quite likely that high-BC bullets will never make sense. Wasn’t so long ago that a few guys showed that a 6 BR at 1000yds was not so daft to a bunch of guys who thought 300 magnums were the only competitive option.

 

[charlie b]

Even just mentioned the two calibers I shoot the most. Small case .22 (mine is .223) and 6BR. I used to have a .308 but the recoil is too much for me these days.

I've put on a long throat barrel in .223 so I can see if I would be capable of shooting in an F-TR match. 88 and 90gn bullets.

Yes, I only shoot paper/steel for fun.

 

[Orr89rocz]

industry trend and marketing. Makes everyone think they need high bc for accuracy and best performance even if they dont shoot more than 100-200 yrds. I think the 22 Creed 80+ grain stuff is more for target shooting and maybe things like PRS i guess? Guys are using it for deer however. But its general trend with most things. 25 creed 6mm creed 6.5 7 and 300 prc’s. Fast twist barrel options now for old cartridges. Tikka makes a 1:8 22-250 now. I think there are some faster twist 270 win now too. More and more high bc bullets. Great for target and more western hunting for longer shots. Or ag field work. Absolutely no need for short range. I actually moved to lighter mono bullets at ultra high velocity for my deer woods guns. I have my high bc options for ag.