Who Make the Most Accurate Rifle Bullets?

[Welding Rod]

As the title says, Who Make the Most Accurate Rifle Bullets?

I have started loading for many different cartridges, from .223 to .416, and don't have time to do a lot of load development experimentation for each.

Purpose is primarly paper targets and plinking small things at good distances, usually within 300 yards. Cost isn't a huge issue.

Is there a main line manufacturer who stands out as making all their bullets to a very high level of constistancy, above what the other common manufacturers produce?

 

[Lunie]

I'm sure I won't be the only one to toss out the name "Sierra"...

They aren't the only ones out there, but they make some dandy stuff.

 

[depoloni]

Yep, sierra guy here too.

Not that I won't rain on your parade. Nosler bullets are very accurate generally, at least their ballistic tip and custom competitions. As are Berger target bullets. As are a LOT of others - all of which depends entirely on what your firearm prefers as an individual. Which flies in the face of your load development distastes but is nonetheless true.

Those three manufacturers are three that produce extremely accurate bullets, if it doesn't like any of them it doesn't shoot. Although I've got to admit, this is an endless-argument and circular question. ALL of the major manufacturers thanks to modern machining and technology make at least one or two lines of bullets capable of MOA accuracy out to 300 yards and well beyond.

Frankly if you don't care I'd pick a Sierra GameKing as-appropriate and call it a day. Or a Nosler Ballistic tip after that. If not their target counterparts, should reliable expansion provide you no benefits.

 

[res45]

Sierra,Nosler,Hornady have always worked fine for me. If you want to step up Berger and Lapua are some of the best bullet made but for anything 300 yds. or less any good match grade bullet should do. Just depends on your accuracy requirements.

 

[murf]

+1 for sierra

murf

 

[adobewalls]

For hunting: Sierra and Nosler.

I have found other manufacturers that have accurate products, but whenI want to be sure; I use either Sierra or Nosler.

 

[wingman]

Berger, Sierra, Hornady Vmax, in that order, all three work for me.

 

[Liberty1776]

I have reloaded since the early '70's and long ago settled for Sierra as my best choice. I have always gotten great results with them.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I've found Sierra and Hornady "Match" bullets to be very accurate. Nosler has always made a good accurate bullet too. I buy all three when the price is right and don't worry about any of the 3 being inaccurate.

 

[ranger335v]

"don't have time to do a lot of load development experimentation for each."

Well, there you have it ... in only 9 posts.

 

[Sediment]

Barnes and Sierra for me.

 

[gamestalker]

I'm going to get a lot of grief from this statement, but my first choice is Speer for weight and olgive consistency. Unless stepping up to the $60 to $80 per 100 box match bullets, Speer is the only brand that meets my needs. I run my bullets as close to the lands as I can get, and Speer Hot Core is extremely consistent where it counts for me. If olgive consisteny wasn't so critical to me, I would probably go with Sierra.

 

[BigN]

Nosler Ballistic tips and Hornady A/V-Max are both tough to beat. In hollow points I'd lean toward the Sierra for accuracy.

 

[jcwit]

Who Make the Most Accurate Rifle Bullets?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the title says, Who Make the Most Accurate Rifle Bullets?

I have started loading for many different cartridges, from .223 to .416, and don't have time to do a lot of load development experimentation for each.

Purpose is primarly paper targets and plinking small things at good distances, usually within 300 yards. Cost isn't a huge issue.

Is there a main line manufacturer who stands out as making all their bullets to a very high level of constistancy, above what the other common manufacturers produce?

What is your definition of "accurate"?

 

[Grumulkin]

I have quite an assortment of bullets that I use in a variety of cartridges. My "go to" bullets include those made by Remington, Berger, Speer, Hornady and Barnes. Even if a bullet is good, it won't necessarily be the one a particular gun shoots best with.

As far as consistency goes, I doubt you'll do any better than the machine turned Barnes Banded Solid.

 

[mc223]

Mostly Berger, with a spattering of all the major mfrs. I have also used a few of the custum bullet makers like Barts, BiB, Bruno, Fowler.




o

 

[bluetopper]

What a question!

See which bullet and powder "your" particular rifle likes the best.

Bullets are all accurate in the right applications.

 

[jem375]

For me it is Hornady, I don't think it can be beat in 223 or 308 in my rifles or pistols... V-Max, A-Max, and even their BTHP are just accurate in my rifles.. I also use some Sierra but will stick to Hornady for serious work..

 

[mokin]

Upon reflection, I would have to say Sierra if I am just wanting to punch holes in paper. I seem to get much higher velocities without giving up a lot of accuracy with other brands. It really depends on the firearm. Some prefer Hornady and one pistol shot the best I've ever seen it with Berry's.

 

[amlevin]

I asked that question when I first started loading for my .308. The "old coot" behind the counter really pushed the Sierra's so I bought a few boxes. Worked up what I thought was a great load but when I needed more the Dealer was out of what I wanted in the Sierra's. I "settled" for some Nosler Custom Competition bullets in the same weight. Using the same powder load and cases the group sizes shrunk by 25%.

Found that the Nosler Ballistic Tips are also extremely accurate. I shoot out to 300 yards and have become a real fan of Nosler bullets.

They are less expensive too.

 

[supercalvin56]

Boutique bullets are consistently the most accurate and really do make a difference when talking about benchrest size groups. However, changing lots with any bullet will create differences. Hornady, Speer, Sierra and Nosler all make excellent and accurate bullets. As always, the ONE that works the best in YOUR rifle is the most accurate.

 

[ranger335v]

"Hornady, Speer, Sierra and Nosler all make excellent and accurate bullets. As always, the ONE that works the best in YOUR rifle is the most accurate."

And them are the conditions that prevail. There is no better answer of who makes the better shooting bullet; if that were not true we would all use the same brand.

 

[Welding Rod]

Thank you very much for the replies.

I know that the absolute best shooting bullet will depend on the gun.

I don't have to have the absolute best shooting bullet for each gun, I just don't have time to do that much testing. But I would like to work with a bullet line that I can count on to consistantly shoot very well in various rifle calibers (.224, .257, .277, .284, .308, .375, .416, and .458). I wouldn't want to buy a bullet that wasn't capable of my desired accuracy level out of a good high quality barrel for example.

I would be content to achieve sub 3/4 MOA for the heavy barrel .223s, and I would be pretty thrilled with sub MOA for the larger calibers. Although obviously I would be even happier if I could get down to say 1/2 and 3/4 MOA respectively with at least a few of the more accurate guns.

I figured some main line manufacturers must hold tighter tolerances on dimensions, weight variability, concentricity, and so on.

Sounds like Sierra should be a good bet.

I have another question: I seem to remember reading somewhere that flat based bullets tend to be more accurate than boat tails, as it is possible to build them with a higher level of consistancy. Is this true?

Since my shooting doens't normally excede 300 yards I don't suppose a super high BC is as important as it would be for long range shooters. Again, I am looking for accuracy and not shooting game. So should I be looking primarly at flat based bullets to maximize accuracy potential at these shorter ranges? Or would the generally heavier boattails be the way to go?

Thanks again.

 

[Grumulkin]

Flat based bullets should work as well as boat tailed ones out to 300 yards. Since they're shorter than boat tailed bullets of the same weight, flat based bullets will stabilized in a slower twist barrel.

 

[788Ham]

W/rod,

As you've seen by the replies on here, most well made bullets will get the job done. I've personally used Hornady's in my 35 years of reloading. As per your question concerning flat based bullets being more accurate than boat-tail, again, my personal experience has me choosing b/t over the flat based. Example: I use Horn. 52 gr. BTHP for my .223, a week ago shot .366 MOA @ 100 yds, YMMV, but this is why I choose these bullets, give them a try, also good out after P-dogs!