So, do we really NEED round nose bullets any more?

[35 Whelen]

I've asked myself this question a lot here lately. I have quite a few moulds from quite a few manufacturers, but not one of them is a round nose design and I can't think of a single reason to buy one. In some semi's there is the issue of feeding problems, but I rarely plink with my Star 9mm and my Colt gov't Model 45, and when I do I use either SWC or TC design bullets. I shoot tons and gobs of .38 and .44 Special and hope to have a 45 Colt added to the stable very soon. I always, always, always, shoot SWC's, and why not? They're plenty accurate and are a better defensive and hunting bullet than a round nose design.
Thoughts?

35W

[Boyscout]

I'm a big fan of SWC and RNFP's too. I shoot mostly paper targets and I find the SWC's are easier on the targets and leave nice clean holes which are much easier to tape up between rounds.

[cylinderman]

90% of my 38spl get DEWC and my 44mag get SWC I also use a lot of RNFP in 45ACP. All with excellent accuracy and reliability. Only way I could see a downfall with these is at long distance. I don't see why they would not well for self defense even though I carry factory self defense rounds.

[Mohillbilly]

RN nose can be good for not knocking a big hole in a pelt, most .22 rimfire are rn , and some target rifles , and some pistols need rns to feed . I have a sks/ak mold that I had modified to a rn for a bead field gun on ground hogs . I shoot off the porch with a .30 carbine blackhawk at 100-200 yrds with a chair and porch railings .. good fun when I can hit them .

[44MAG#1]

What about rifle bullets? Most of the guys that shoot BP competition with the Sharps and Sharps replicas uses RN bullets.
Just because most of us don't doesn't mean we need to take something away from those few that do.
To me that is like the anti gunners. Since they don't like guns or use them the rest of us don't need them either.
I use RN bullets occasionally myself.

[Airman Basic]

Have a Marlin 94 that functions reliably only with RN boolits. That's what it likes, so that's what I feed it.

[Lead Fred]

I got big meplat fever
Glad I got a pile of RD molds.

I have RN molds, just dont use them at the moment.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Purpose and need is the reason for most of what was and is manufactured.
Going back into history a RN was easy to load one at a time into chambers under combat conditions when the eyes needed to be looking at approaching combatants. A RN can make the transition more easily from a slightly misaligned cylinder into a barrel that is getting slightly clogged with Black Powder residue and caked lube.
Those same RN projectiles were cast from 40-1 to maybe 20-1 mixes. Expansion was going to happen. But even if it did not a caliber .41 or larger did not need to expand much at all. A badly wounded combatant was not going to cause too many more problems. And a gut shot enemy was a good advertisement that the shooter could do it again.
Plus the RN was a carry over from the muzzle loaded round ball. That round design up front flew well and was a very easy design to ream into mold blocks.
So take a speed loader, fill it with a RN design and watch how easily they flop into the cylinders. Recharge that same speed loader with a wad cutter design... it will not take to many tries before one of those flat noses gets hung up on a cylinder lip.
So yes the RN is not the best big game hunting round unless it is cast from something like 40-1. If ever I had to use my single action Blackhawk caliber .41 Magnum to defend myself from numerous advancing targets I would hope I had a pocketful of RN cartriges to facilitate reloading while watching those varmits out there moving about. Or recharging the swung out cylinder on my Dan Wesson caliber 45 Colt, those RN boolits never hang up.
And so I say good by to post #4440... one of my favorite calibers.
Mike in Peru

[35 Whelen]

What about rifle bullets? Most of the guys that shoot BP competition with the Sharps and Sharps replicas uses RN bullets.
Just because most of us don't doesn't mean we need to take something away from those few that do.
To me that is like the anti gunners. Since they don't like guns or use them the rest of us don't need them either.I use RN bullets occasionally myself.

Have a Marlin 94 that functions reliably only with RN boolits. That's what it likes, so that's what I feed it.

....I started to put a disclaimer in my post, but thought "Naaa. Surely they'll all realize they're here": Forum> Guns & Shooting> Wheelguns, Pistols and Handcannons

I use RN's in my rifles.

Keep 'em coming, fellas.

35W

[nwellons]

I like round noses in my older military pistols and revolvers because that is what they originally used.

[44MAG#1]

I still use RN bullets at times in my HANGUNS. I use SPITER FMJ's in a handgun yesterday morn.
RN bullets have their place whether in Handgun or rifle.
Remember you are also in the HANDCANNON section too and some of us use Encores in rifle cartridges too.
In my carry 45 ACP the round in the chamber and the first out of he mag are Speer GDHP's for the short barrel with the rest RN-FMJ's
My extra mag is loaded with RN-FMJ's too.
SO it goes.

[MGD]

Semi-wadcutters are not fun with a speedloader.

[Love Life]

All I shoot for the 45 ACP are round nose. They fly true and hit stuff.

[Groo]

Groo here
The round nose bullet can be some of the most accurate.
The trend to flat nose was to hit game harder, wadcutter cut paper better, and hp to openup.
But if you check, most of the longer range bullets pistol and rifle bullets or boolets end up being round nose.

[TXGunNut]

I got big meplat fever
Glad I got a pile of RD molds.

I have RN molds, just dont use them at the moment.

Got a case of that myself, RD moulds are an excellent prescription. Sorry about the thread drift but they work just fine in my rifles too.
MGD-tilt the speedloader a bit and start two boolits into the cylinder, then square up the speedloader and they'll drop in.

[btroj]

Define NEED

Some would say nothing but RN is needed for auto loaders.

I don't use RN bullets in handguns but certainly won't question those who do. It is up to each of us to determine what we want to use and what works for our needs.

[makicjf]

I shoot round flats, truncated cones or semiwadcutters, the only round nose I have is for a rifle ( a lee 185). I have switched totaly to a 255 swc in my loads for my 625 jm. If I have the cylinder straight up and down they thunk in very well; I can't throw them at the open cylinder like the tc's but the micro second it takes to guide them is not important for me ( I ain't that fast ) . They hit steel very hard. All three of the above designs function in my 1911's as well. I do not need round nose bullets in any of my handguns and the added thump of a flat nose makes me happy. If I ever acquire a 1911 that hiccups with the tc bullets I could buy a round nose mold: I'd more than likley trade the gun.
JMO,
Jason

[44MAG#1]

If someone wants to use a RN then that means that it has a place for them. I don't care what someone else wants to use as this is a "free" country.
I use FN, RN and anything else I can shoot. Including spitzer SP and FMJ's. In some form of handgun at times.

[35 Whelen]

If someone wants to use a RN then that means that it has a place for them. I don't care what someone else wants to use as this is a "free" country.
I use FN, RN and anything else I can shoot. Including spitzer SP and FMJ's. In some form of handgun at times.

I think you're taking my original post as criticism of RN bullets and/or those that use them. That's not my point. My point is if my handguns shoot well with an SWC, why would I need a RN bullet? Is there something a RN bullet does better than an SWC besides feed in some autos? (My Colt Gov't Series 45 feeds 255 gr SWC's fine!)AGAIN, I'm talking about handgun cartridges.

35W

[HATCH]

I have switched to FPRN boolits.
They feed in everything I have.
Now I do still do the tried and true lrn 230 gr 45acp and the lrn 115gr 9mm

if you don't own ANY rifles that shoot handgun calibers then NO you don't need any RN or FPRN boolits