Best bullet weight for 100 yard handgun shooting

[model14]

When shooting outdoors handgun at longer ranges (>50 yards), in general, what should give the best overall accuracy, a light or heavy bullet?

If a lighter bullet is used at a higher velocity then it gets to the target faster and any wind has less windage effect.

If a heavier bullet is used it has a lower velocity but the higher inertia will oppose wind gusts windage better than a lighter bullet.

A heavier bullet probably has a better sectional density, which may mean better stability in flight.

Maybe it is strictly a function of the gun you are shooting and you just have to try all combinations.

Hmmmmmmm

I would like to hear your experience on this subject. I have recently taken up 100 yard target shooting with my scoped 686. It is a lot of fun and very challenging; especially if the wind is blowing. When you are looking at a 8 x 11 target through a 7 power scope you can really see how much movement is actually going on. If you do the math, just a few thousands movement at the muzzle can give you a 1/2 inch error at the target. Just a 5 mph wind gust can also cause the 1/2 " error. I have had a few groups inside 3 inches lately. It takes a lot of concentration and patience.

 

[Jim Watson]

Heavier is nearly always better if you want to stretch the range with a conventional handgun. I shot 170 grain .357s at metallic silhouette before I moved on to a .44 for revolver and a .30-30 for single shot.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

You mentioned sectional density, but the term you need to research is Ballistic Coeficient. (BC) of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight. The weight of a bullet alone will not make it more accurate. The weight combined with the shape and velocity fired (other than capabilities of the barrel/gun), will determine the flight characteristics. That said, a truncated cone bullet from a hand gun almost always weighs more than it's lighter HP little brother. In my experience the TC is inherantly more accurate at long range hand gun distances. Bullseye shooters shoot SWC's that are basically a TC of lead at 50yds on a regular basis. Good shooters with accurized guns group ten shots inside 3" off hand. Silloette shooters shoot heavy bullets in order to have enough kinetic energy to hit and push that ram over at 100+ yards. Still, I have printed many amazing groups with hand gun using lighter bullets during calm winds. During a heavy wind, I would certainly want a heavier bullet with a good BC to buck the wind. Shooting during no wind at all, I'll take a lighter bullet loaded to what has been found the cat's meow in that particular barrel. Not all guns shoot heavy bullets as well as lighter bullets. Not all caliber/cartridges shoot heavy or light bullets (in that cartridges class), as well as the other.

-Steve

 

[model14]

Thanks for the info.