In my search for components I have discovered that Hornady has discontinued round nose bullets both 7mm and 30 cal. There also appears to be a trend to lighter bullets 162 and less in the 7mm. My experience is that faster is better in targets but once you dance above 2700 fps the bloodshot destroys large portions of the edible sections. I prefer the round nose bullets in the jungles where I hunt. They don't tend to wander so much. Suggestions for a replacement?
Round nose bullets
- Thread starter Snowbank!
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Every one wants to believe that they do all their shooting at 600+ yards and need the highest BC bullets possible.
To me, old school flat-base bullets do everything I need for hunting and target shooting (I have NEVER been to a range with a shooting distance greater than 300 yards and most only have 100 yd ranges, and have never taken a shoot in the field more than 150 yds, and don't plan to).
Check Sierra Pro-Hunter bullets in semi-point, RN, or Flatnose.
To me, old school flat-base bullets do everything I need for hunting and target shooting (I have NEVER been to a range with a shooting distance greater than 300 yards and most only have 100 yd ranges, and have never taken a shoot in the field more than 150 yds, and don't plan to).
Check Sierra Pro-Hunter bullets in semi-point, RN, or Flatnose.
Grumulkin
Member
I don't know about 7mm since I've never shot round nosed bullets in that caliber but I doubt Hornady is discontinueing them. They've been making them for decades and there is still a demand for them. I doubt everyone is going to go to Flex Tips in their 30/30 Winchesters. As I type this, MidwayUSA has Hornady .308 caliber 150 and 220 grain round nosed bullets. They also offer 180 grain and 220 grain Woodleigh .308 caliber bullets.
In addition testing, rather than hearsay, has demonstrated that spitzer bullets wander no more and in fact less than round nosed bullets.
ironworkerwill
Member
The deep curl bullet will replace it as will thr oryx. The oryx is much more expensive. Its the end of the round nose I'm afraid.
Da Yooper
Member
I wish someone made a 165 round nose in 30 cal again because they work well in the very dense forest I hunt in.
GooseGestapo
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Check out Hawk Custom bullets. He sells mostly Round nose bullets. Compared to some of the imported bullets, his prices aren't too bad. His smallest is 7mm, however.
I too prefer more blunt bullets. But, Hornady HAS discontinued many bullets. Notably, recently even the 100grn .257" Spitzer Interlok.
Not to mention the .338" 200grn Flat Nose, 139grn and 154grn 7mm, all bullets I really liked.
Led me to get .338, .284, and .358", and .258" cast molds.
Seen any .25cal 75, 87grn FN or RN bullets lately?
I too prefer more blunt bullets. But, Hornady HAS discontinued many bullets. Notably, recently even the 100grn .257" Spitzer Interlok.
Not to mention the .338" 200grn Flat Nose, 139grn and 154grn 7mm, all bullets I really liked.
Led me to get .338, .284, and .358", and .258" cast molds.
Seen any .25cal 75, 87grn FN or RN bullets lately?
Sunray
Member
Speer makes a .30 cal 150 and 180 grain RN. No 7mm.
Hornady still lists .30 cal RN's. 180 and 220 grain Interlocks. They show their 150 RN a "temporarily suspended".
No$ler makes a 170 grain Partition RN.
Hornady still lists .30 cal RN's. 180 and 220 grain Interlocks. They show their 150 RN a "temporarily suspended".
No$ler makes a 170 grain Partition RN.
Sierra makes 30 caliber round nose 150's, 180's and 220's for hunting. I've shot them all in a 21" 30-06 barrel testing for accuracy; all did an inch or so at 100 yards.
They also make flat nose ones for 30-30's in 125, 150 and 170 grain weights.
They also make flat nose ones for 30-30's in 125, 150 and 170 grain weights.
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If you're destroying too much meat you need to use a harder bullet that doesn't expand as rapidly. Other than not being safe to feed through lever actions with tube magazines there are no down sides to using pointed bullets up close or at distance.
You don't have to shoot long distance for it to make a difference. At only 125 yards a 308 shooting high BC bullets has more energy than a 300 WM shooting RN bullets even though the 300 has more than a 700 ft lb advantage at the muzzle. By the time you get to 400 yards the 308 with high BC bullets has an 800 ft lb advantage. 400 yards is not really long range.
I'll take half the recoil and get more energy every day by simply buying better bullets.
You don't have to shoot long distance for it to make a difference. At only 125 yards a 308 shooting high BC bullets has more energy than a 300 WM shooting RN bullets even though the 300 has more than a 700 ft lb advantage at the muzzle. By the time you get to 400 yards the 308 with high BC bullets has an 800 ft lb advantage. 400 yards is not really long range.
I'll take half the recoil and get more energy every day by simply buying better bullets.
Da Yooper
Member
Thanks I will be giving them a call. I see they also have pistol bullets too.
gamestalker
member
Ya, I don't see any RN on their web site.
I like to use 139 - 145 gr. bullets for 7 mag.. I as well like to use a bullet that performs at the upper end of the velocity potential. A 145 gr. Speer Hot Core will get me into the 3200 fps range.
The amount of damage is far less than when I use a bonded bullet, such as the Hot Core. Non bonded bullets explode on initial impact at those velocities, which does extensive damage to the meat. The Hot Core has always exited on every big game animal I ever shot with them, in and out, and very controlled expansion.
As far as "blood shot", this is just an inherent part of shooting game with a high powered rifle, there's no avoiding the physics involved with a high velocity projectile penetrating through the tissues.
GS
I like to use 139 - 145 gr. bullets for 7 mag.. I as well like to use a bullet that performs at the upper end of the velocity potential. A 145 gr. Speer Hot Core will get me into the 3200 fps range.
The amount of damage is far less than when I use a bonded bullet, such as the Hot Core. Non bonded bullets explode on initial impact at those velocities, which does extensive damage to the meat. The Hot Core has always exited on every big game animal I ever shot with them, in and out, and very controlled expansion.
As far as "blood shot", this is just an inherent part of shooting game with a high powered rifle, there's no avoiding the physics involved with a high velocity projectile penetrating through the tissues.
GS
Hummer70
Member
If wound cavitation is your concern back off the velocity when you reload.
Open your reloading manual and find the suggested starting load.
Do not go below suggested min loads as you can get pressure spikes.[/B
If you have a 300 yard range available load up Five rounds with min load and shoot at a target with lots of white like a 25 yard conventional timed and rapid fire pistol target. Adjust your scope so the min load shots will print below the black.
For the next 15 rounds increase your load 3/10ths grain. Mark on the side of the cases with Sharpie magic marker the loads. For instance say 36 grains is min load so write 36 on them. Then 36.3, 36.6, 36.9 and so on.
If you have a good spotting scope plot your shots from the bench. If you can't see holes you can have a buddy be in a safe place off to the side. On my range I cast a concrete wall about 3 feet wide and 5 feet high and person down range sits behind it for each shot. Then we call on radio or have cell phone open and we shoot and say "clear", guy down range says "going out", he numbers the shots one at a time from 1 to 20. When he gets back under cover he tells the shooter he is under cover and shoot another.
You will find about two spots where three or four shots will group closely together with wider shots between in the next 15 shots.
I then take the middle round in the tight spot and load 5 rounds with that load and confirm it is there and you have then tuned your load to your rifle.
It was found at the Army Wound Ballistic Lab that bullets below a given velocity point cause much less wound cavitation. For instance the M193 and M855 rounds for M16s have the best cavitation below 95 yards and once past 95 yards the cavitation is much less.
Do a search on Col Martin Fackler MD Army Wound Ballistics Lab and you can read all about this. If you have a copy of the NATO Handbook on War Surgery read the chapter on Missle Caused Wounds which Fackler wrote.
Open your reloading manual and find the suggested starting load.
Do not go below suggested min loads as you can get pressure spikes.[/B
If you have a 300 yard range available load up Five rounds with min load and shoot at a target with lots of white like a 25 yard conventional timed and rapid fire pistol target. Adjust your scope so the min load shots will print below the black.
For the next 15 rounds increase your load 3/10ths grain. Mark on the side of the cases with Sharpie magic marker the loads. For instance say 36 grains is min load so write 36 on them. Then 36.3, 36.6, 36.9 and so on.
If you have a good spotting scope plot your shots from the bench. If you can't see holes you can have a buddy be in a safe place off to the side. On my range I cast a concrete wall about 3 feet wide and 5 feet high and person down range sits behind it for each shot. Then we call on radio or have cell phone open and we shoot and say "clear", guy down range says "going out", he numbers the shots one at a time from 1 to 20. When he gets back under cover he tells the shooter he is under cover and shoot another.
You will find about two spots where three or four shots will group closely together with wider shots between in the next 15 shots.
I then take the middle round in the tight spot and load 5 rounds with that load and confirm it is there and you have then tuned your load to your rifle.
It was found at the Army Wound Ballistic Lab that bullets below a given velocity point cause much less wound cavitation. For instance the M193 and M855 rounds for M16s have the best cavitation below 95 yards and once past 95 yards the cavitation is much less.
Do a search on Col Martin Fackler MD Army Wound Ballistics Lab and you can read all about this. If you have a copy of the NATO Handbook on War Surgery read the chapter on Missle Caused Wounds which Fackler wrote.
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