Factory boat tail vs flat base ammo

[aceman]

Curious to know some experience between the performance on game between boat tail and flat base? I've used hornady 165gr. Btsp in my 30-06, and have heard that under 300 yds, the flat base groups better and is easier on throat erosion. Though the bt has more energy out to 300yds, I would rather have tighter groups and less wear on the barrel. Also, would a flat base penetrate and expand different than a bt?
Any comments?

[Cariboo]

There will be very little difference in performance in the 2 bullets you mention.

Barrel wear due to using boat-tails is an old wives tale as far as I am concerned.

Generally speaking flat-based bullets can be more accurate than boat-tails if for no other reason that the manufacturer has one less angle to deal with while making the bullet. Boat-tails come into their own at extreme range when the velocity drops down below the speed of sound. With your 30-06 that is much further than most responsible hunters would shoot at.

Energy doesn't kill animals, tissue destruction and blood loss does. At 300 - 400 yards any 165 grain bullet you would want to launch from your '06 will still kill a deer.

At the end of the day I would recommend whichever bullet groups better at 200 yards in your rifle.

[FreshTracks]

Originally Posted by aceman

Curious to know some experience between the performance on game between boat tail and flat base? I've used hornady 165gr. Btsp in my 30-06, and have heard that under 300 yds, the flat base groups better and is easier on throat erosion. Though the bt has more energy out to 300yds, I would rather have tighter groups and less wear on the barrel. Also, would a flat base penetrate and expand different than a bt?
Any comments?

I used the same 2 bullets in my Browning .06 when building a load. The flat base grouped far superior using the same powder/primer combo. Didn't ticker with success and they performed the job on moose/bear and deer.

[Turbo Al]

When I first got my 7mm Mag 35 years ago I bought three different boxes of shells. One happened to be Rem boatail 165 grains. It shot the tightest groups with the boatails so I shot them for the next 35 years. As Cariboo noted this a deadly combo at extreme distances (7mm Mag & boatail) and have amazed myself more than a few times with some very long range shots.
Al

[the rifleman]

Originally Posted by Cariboo

There will be very little difference in performance in the 2 bullets you mention.
At the end of the day I would recommend whichever bullet groups better at 200 yards in your rifle.

I found my handloaded boatail bullets grouped better in my rifle than flat base handloads, so have usually stuck to them.. As Gary says, try them and see what you do best with.

Al, I actually think I shoot better at longer ranges than short range ..lol. Perhaps it's as I usually have more time to set up, as the animal is not aware of me the further out it is.

Once they start moving out is when I have troubles, although either way I have never lost an animal, nor had to track one more than a few yards. I just used more ammo..

[Turbo Al]

To this day I am SURE my dad thinks I moved my backpack a couple of hundred yards from where I shot a 4x4 muley from a good 450 yards away. He showed up 10 mins after the two shots, one miss second broke the deers neck. I was gutting him and then went back for my pack dad came with me and keep asking if I knew where I left it (used it for a rest) yea dad just follow my foot prints in the snow.
And no I dont make a habit of it BUT it was a 4x4 (my min) and two does had me pinned down from about 100 yards away -- it was the does that gave away the bucks position by first lookin at me then at him -- I am thinkin that maybe he was a little rough on the girls and they wanted him taken out
Al