GUNS Magazine December 1958 - Jeffersonian

By ROBERT V. THOMPSONThough same in weight, 110 g rain .30 and .270bullets (abo ve) show markedly different shapes.THE RI FLEMA rs CHOICE of the best bullet for awanted perf ormance ma y depend on tha t bullet'ssectional density. The sectional density is the ratio betweenthe bullet's weight and its cross sectional area. Thisrelationship is import ant to rifleman for thr ee ver y goodreasons. If a bullet is to carry out to long range and stillhave good remaining velocity, and energy, it must havesufficient weight, per caliber, to overcome air resistance.For any given diameter of bullet to resist wind drift, itmust also have enough weight to keep from drifti ng excessively.Dri ft is the cause of many misses, especially at thelonger distances. And, when the bullet rea ches its tar get,as in the case of game shoo ting, it must have goo d penetratingqualities. Th is again calls for weight and velocity,enough to dr ive thr ough bone and muscle and into thevital area.For a bullet to hold velocity, and energy, resist winddrift, and penetrate deeply, over ordinary hunting ran ges,bullets (above) show markedly different shapes.eep y, over ordinary hunting ran ges,Lineup above of popular cartridges shows various bullet load ing, commercial and handloads. From left to right,they are: .222 Rem., 50 gr . pointed soft-point (Remington): .222 Rem., 55 gr. Sierra semi-pointed (handload);.220 Swift, 48 gr. pointed soft-point (Western): .220 Swift, 63 gr. Sierra semi-pointed (handload); .243 W in.,100 gr. pointed soft-point (Western); .244 Rem., 90 gr. pointed soft-point (Remington); .250 Savage, 87-grain pointedsoft-po int (Remington): .250 Savage. 100 gr. Hornady soft-point (handload):. 257 Roberts, 100 gr. Silvertip (Winchester);.257 Roberts, 100 gr. Sierra soft-point (hand load): .270 Win., 100 g r. pointed soft-point (Winchester): .270 Win., 110 gr.Sierra soft-point (handload): .308 Win ., 110 gr. pointed soft-point (Western): .308 Win ., 150 gr. Silvertip (Western): .30­06 Spg fld., 110 gr. Hornady soft-point (handload): .30-06 Spgfld., 150 gr. Silvertip (W ester n): .30-06 Spgfld., 180 grainpointed soft- point Remington Corelokt. The long bullet smallbores may shoot better at long range.