How important is it?

[Addicting]

Clicks is all it is. You ever killed an animal at 500 plus? mtmuley

Scopes only have so many clicks.

 

[mtmuley]

Scopes only have so many clicks.

If you run out of clicks, it's too far. mtmuley

 

[Addicting]

If you run out of clicks, it's too far. mtmuley

Not necessarily, maybe you need a better BC bullet. A smokeless muzzy will easily shoot 500. It won’t be with a 290g bore driver or round ball. It would run out of clicks, a Parker sabot would easily do it in one rotation.

BC matters in certain applications and doesn’t in others. And no it shouldn’t be the first part of bullet selection.

 

[sneakem]

mtmuley said:
If you run out of clicks, it's too far. mtmuley

:insert: the beating of dead horse :insert:

 

[mtmuley]

Not necessarily, maybe you need a better BC bullet. A smokeless muzzy will easily shoot 500. It won’t be with a 290g bore driver or round ball. It would run out of clicks, a Parker sabot would easily do it in one rotation.

BC matters in certain applications and doesn’t in others. And no it shouldn’t be the first part of bullet selection.

So maybe BC is weapon specific? mtmuley

 

[Addicting]

So maybe BC is weapon specific? mtmuley

Nope, I just use that because it’s the most dramatic difference.

Throw those same bullets in a M2 or a Kirby build and you will see the same differences in drops at a further distance from faster velocity.

 

[Bullbrl]

BC is one of my top criteria. I approach my gun builds with an idea on what kind of performance I want and then work backwards. The bullet is high up on the priority list, the higher the bc the better. Anything that helps narrow the margin for error the better. YMMV

 

[DFS]

I used to pick the highest BC bullet and try to make it shoot. Lately I’ve been picking the most accurate bullet the gun shoots with a reasonable BC. I doubt the drop in B.C. even matters to me at the range I shoot.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Just asking a question. Is BC your first criteria for choosing a bullet? Maybe should have posed the question in that manner. And if it is, do you take game at yardages where it makes a difference? mtmuley

Has never been first for me. Depends on the rifle, barrel twist, intended use. Often times there's choices with lower BC that just shoot better, more accurately, cheaper. For almost all my hunting rifles, i've picked a higher BC bullet, but it's never been the highest. I usually take advice from others who've been there done that and pick bullets based on what they've had good luck in easily loading for accuracy.

If you run out of clicks, it's too far. mtmuley

I ran out of clicks this fall, shooting rocks in a canyon i was hunting. There were no elk. I wanted to try 1440m and had to find a closer rock. I hit a rock about 16" across, 1st hit and a second shot at 1010m. Tried another slightly smaller rock at 1140 and I missed, but hit it on the second and third shots. With a bullet that has a low BC, wind will really make shots like that difficult.

 

[mtmuley]

⁹

Has never been first for me. Depends on the rifle, barrel twist, intended use. Often times there's choices with lower BC that just shoot better, more accurately, cheaper. For almost all my hunting rifles, i've picked a higher BC bullet, but it's never been the highest. I usually take advice from others who've been there done that and pick bullets based on what they've had good luck in easily loading for accuracy.

I ran out of clicks this fall, shooting rocks in a canyon i was hunting. There were no elk. I wanted to try 1440m and had to find a closer rock. I hit a rock about 16" across, 1st hit and a second shot at 1010m. Tried another slightly smaller rock at 1140 and I missed, but hit it on the second and third shots. With a bullet that has a low BC, wind will really make shots like that difficult.

Might be cartridge thing too.

 

[The Hedgehog]

⁹
Might be cartridge thing too.

what might be?

 

[Carl]

BC is one of the primary things I look for in a bullet (but certainly not the ONLY criteria), and yes I shoot big game far enough that it matters.

No doubt the average hunter certainly shouldn’t.

 

[mtmuley]

what might be?

Some run out of clicks quicker. I used to obsess about BC of a bullet. I don't anymore. mtmuley

 

[mtmuley]

BC is one of the primary things I look for in a bullet (but certainly not the ONLY criteria), and yes I shoot big game far enough that it matters.

No doubt the average hunter certainly shouldn’t.

Thanks Carl. mtmuley

 

[noharleyyet]

I obsess about it all.

-Every reloader

 

[VikingsGuy]

Just asking a question. Is BC your first criteria for choosing a bullet?

My choice of hunting bullet goes like this:

1. Any option must be lead-free
2. Grab Barnes TTSX, Barnes LRX, and Hammer bullets in the relevant caliber & weight for the hunting purpose
3. Find the one that shoots best in my rifle (using velocity ladder method).
4. Note BC of the winning bullet to set up preliminary drop data.
5. Shoot it at relevant ranges for actual drop data.
6. Hunt.

 

[Forkyfinder]

My choice of hunting bullet goes like this:

1. Any option must be lead-free
2. Grab Barnes TTSX, Barnes LRX, and Hammer bullets in the relevant caliber & weight for the hunting purpose
3. Find the one that shoots best in my rifle (using velocity ladder method).
4. Note BC of the winning bullet to set up preliminary drop data.
5. Shoot it at relevant ranges for actual drop data.
6. Hunt.

Why lead free?

 

[mtmuley]

No doubt the average hunter certainly shouldn’t.

This. mtmuley

 

[VikingsGuy]

Why lead free?

Performance and safety. I love the penetration and non-fragmentation. Also, we eat what we kill and I have a background in biology - lead is nasty stuff. Not worth the risk for my kids - and not worth the risk for the raptors and others that feed on the carcass. Mono bullets are great, high performing, decently priced (given the small number of rounds shot big game hunting) high quality replacement - win, win, win.

But I am not a purist - I still mostly hunt upland with lead. Non-lead shot alternatives just aren't as good yet and decent alternatives can be hard to find in gauge and load size I want (I don't handload shells). But I am sure this will change some day too.

 

[DFS]

This. mtmuley

I passed up a shot at the biggest buck of my life at 800 yards this year. I’m near 100% that I would have hit him. I have no regrets that’s not hunting and my brother shot him at 180 yards several days later. It’s not that you can’t it’s maybe you shouldn’t. No different than long range archery. Technology has gone too far.