243 BC

[fmnjr]

If you don't have the skill's to use it, all the BC in the world isn't gonna help you! As I understand it, BC isn't gonna be a lot of help till you get somewhere beyond 500yds! Forget BC, do you shoot that well?

On a good day, yes. But that isn’t really the point behind why I was asking about BC. I’m new to the shooting sports and my notions about them include learning all I can despite being a noob.

 

[mtmuley]

kotikant, Check out the Applied Ballistics website. mtmuley

 

[ShadowFast1]

Ballistic coefficient is a mathematical formula that uses information from a bullet such as mass, diameter, and coefficient form(Read shape: G1, G7, etc). What it gives you is a measurement of how well a bullet can overcome air resistance in flight. Wikipedia has a great entry that gives you all of the actual formulas and figures behind the different "G" models.

Sweet, so what? A higher BC bullet can give you a flatter trajectory and better wind resistance. What it also gives you as a hunter is more retained velocity and therefore more retained energy at the ranges we hunt at.

As an example let's take a .30-30 firing a 150 grain bullet at a modest 2250 giving us 1686 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle. If we use a round nose bullet with a .193 G1 BC at 100 yards our bullet is traveling at 1864 fps with 1158 ft. lbs. of energy. And at 200, 1533 fps with 783 ft. lbs.

If we move to a bullet with a rounded ballistic tip that has a .344 G1 BC at the same weight and speed at 100 yards the bullet is going 2028 fps with 1370 ft. lbs. At 200 it's 1823 fps With 1107 ft. lbs.

While it is an extreme example there are benefits to running a higher BC bullet. But like has been posted earlier it's all for naught if your gun can't stabilize them or the "nut behind the butt" can't stabilize the rifle. But it sounds like you've had success at 395 yards so I think you're on the right track. Find a good higher BC bullet your gun can shoot and put in lots of range time to make use of those benefits.

 

[sbhooper]

That rifle should shoot about any 100-grain bullets pretty well. Don't get all wrapped up in the bc craze. It only becomes relevant, for real long range. Anything within reason-500 or less-it is no big deal, for the most part and even farther than that can be argued about. For deer and antelope, the Hornady ELDX ammo should work real well for you and the bc is pretty good.

Worry more about getting closer to your game and not what you THINK the bullet is doing at extreme range. Also, if you think that you want to try to kill something at extreme range with that rifle, you had better look at what range your bullet drops below 900 pounds or so, of energy-commonly used number for killing energy. Using the .512 bc, from the Hornady 103 ELDX, loaded to 3000 fps, your killing power is going to run out between 500 and 600 yards. Using the .405 bc, from the standard 100-grain Interlock, you start losing it after 450. Also, you have to pay attention at what velocity the bullet will still expand.

Bc is not the end-all. It is only part of the equation. Find a good 100-grain load and go kill stuff.

 

[TheJason]

The 85 grain Barnes out of my .243 has tipped over a few animals.

 

[cahunter805]

Over the years I have used a lot of different bullets in a variety of calibers. For the past probably 10 years I have been a fan of using a high BC heavy for caliber bullet. Mainly Berger’s. Some of the new heavy mono bullets are very interesting also.
The heavy Berger’s just flat out work and kill very effectively.
The BC doesn’t really matter until 600 but it sure helps keep velocity and energy up and usually part of that equation is due to the long sleek heavy bullet design.

 

[6mm Remington]

A 90 gr. Nosler Accubond or a 95 or 100 gr. Partition would both work well on game, hold together/retain weight, and penetrate nicely.

 

[Oflag]

I've killed everything from coyotes to Coues deer to Pronghorn, Mule deer and Elk with a 6mm 100 gr. Partition in a 1 to 10 twist barrel. Find a powder and load it likes and it will serve you well.

 

[fmnjr]

That rifle should shoot about any 100-grain bullets pretty well. Don't get all wrapped up in the bc craze. It only becomes relevant, for real long range. Anything within reason-500 or less-it is no big deal, for the most part and even farther than that can be argued about. For deer and antelope, the Hornady ELDX ammo should work real well for you and the bc is pretty good.

Worry more about getting closer to your game and not what you THINK the bullet is doing at extreme range. Also, if you think that you want to try to kill something at extreme range with that rifle, you had better look at what range your bullet drops below 900 pounds or so, of energy-commonly used number for killing energy. Using the .512 bc, from the Hornady 103 ELDX, loaded to 3000 fps, your killing power is going to run out between 500 and 600 yards. Using the .405 bc, from the standard 100-grain Interlock, you start losing it after 450. Also, you have to pay attention at what velocity the bullet will still expand.

Bc is not the end-all. It is only part of the equation. Find a good 100-grain load and go kill stuff.

As a matter of fact it does seem to like the 100gr....we had it at the range again 2 days ago prepping for this weekend's mulie adventure. Using the same 110gr PSP Corelokt it shot MOA from the bench and from a bipod on top of a backpack at 100 and 200 yards. The boy had some difficulty when he started shooting 300 off the same bipod/backpack.

 

[sbhooper]

As a matter of fact it does seem to like the 100gr....we had it at the range again 2 days ago prepping for this weekend's mulie adventure. Using the same 110gr PSP Corelokt it shot MOA from the bench and from a bipod on top of a backpack at 100 and 200 yards. The boy had some difficulty when he started shooting 300 off the same bipod/backpack.

Distance can be a real game changer, for sure. I have killed probably 150-ish deer with 100-grain Hornadys.

 

[Don Fischer]

On a good day, yes. But that isn’t really the point behind why I was asking about BC. I’m new to the shooting sports and my notions about them include learning all I can despite being a noob.

Don't lose yourself in the learning. Some guy's know a lot about theory and couldn't hit the barn from the inside! Theory is just theory and somehow doesn't seem to always work out to well!

 

[cahunter805]

Ask all the questions you want. It’s great to see new people trying to learn as much as they can. It will certainly help you develop your skills and learn your own personal limits.

 

[cahunter805]

As a matter of fact it does seem to like the 100gr....we had it at the range again 2 days ago prepping for this weekend's mulie adventure. Using the same 110gr PSP Corelokt it shot MOA from the bench and from a bipod on top of a backpack at 100 and 200 yards. The boy had some difficulty when he started shooting 300 off the same bipod/backpack.

Good luck on the deer hunt.
More than likely it was just your sons shooting form or the factory ammo more than the rifles capabilities. Try this with him at longer ranges. Have him setup and get on target with the rifle. Then close his eyes for a few seconds. When he opens them he should still be on target. If not adjust the rifle/body position/cheek weld until it’s solid and on target.

 

[Don Fischer]

Good luck on the deer hunt.
More than likely it was just your sons shooting form or the factory ammo more than the rifles capabilities. Try this with him at longer ranges. Have him setup and get on target with the rifle. Then close his eyes for a few seconds. When he opens them he should still be on target. If not adjust the rifle/body position/cheek weld until it’s solid and on target.

We taught that in the service. Works in any position. What happen's is you close your eye' and completely relax and the mussel in the small of your back put's the sight's where they should be. Trying to remember, to correct it, shift your body a bit toward the aiming point. Do it enough time and it get's pretty natural to simply fall into the right position. If you don't shift you can still shoot but your fighting that lower back mussel. Want to test it. Get into prone and get your body in a straight like with the rifle and aiming point. Close your eye's and really relax and when you open your eyes again you will no longer be on target. if your a right hand shooter, the sight's will be pointing off to the left. Important to relax, don't try to fight it. I say from the prone to test it and it's the steadiest you can get in a field position and still that mussel will over come you.