Any difference between RN and FP on Game?

[woody402]

I was wondering if there is really any difference in performance between round nose and flat point bullets on game? I've load a few of each for my 30-30 and the 311291 RN shoots the best. I know some say a FP tracks straighter through an animal but I'm only hunting whitetails. Thanks.

[runfiverun]

given a choice i'll take the flat point every time.
if I had more confidence in the accuracy and feeding of a rn boolit in a particular rifle i'd use it.

[Love Life]

I shoot animals with RN boolits/bullets, and they die.

I shoot animals with flatpoint boolits, and they die.

I shoot animals with spire point bullets, and they die.

If you poke holes in the organs of living organisms with high velocity projectiles, they die.

[Lead Fred]

Flat nose meplat transfers more energy to the target, where round/pointy noses fly through the air easier. (better BC)

I only use FN Ranch Dog molds for a reason. Massive energy transfer

[35remington]

The concept of a FN bullet killing better is more valid at low velocity where the bullet does not expand. If the bullet is traveling at a speed where expansion occurs, and this requires about 1400 fps or so for air cooled wheelweights in terms of impact velocity, nose shape is much less relevant in terms of any difference in "killing power."

Of course harder alloys have a higher expansion threshold. What speed are you shooting yours?

[btroj]

I prefer a FN but have no real proof they are "better".

Maybe I prefer them because most of my moulds are for FN style bullets?

[Artful]

in pistol calibers you can see the difference quite readily, in rifle rounds going faster it doesn't show up as much. But that being said I prefer a flat nose.

[MtGun44]

FN seem to travel straighter after hitting, less slewing and losing
energy, penetrate deeper.

Bill

[JeffinNZ]

Depends a bit on game, velocity, alloy.

For small game I have found RN is not a great killer at velocities up to 1700fps in .224 cal. Same in the .32-20 at 1300fps. FN is the way to go for sure.

For larger game with some resistance and the right alloy I am not sure it matters so much.

[woody402]

Thanks for the info. I'm new to casting for rifle bullets. So thought I would ask. I figured there wouldn't be lot of difference as long as I put it in the right spot.

I've cast bullets and hunted with hanguns alot so I know what works for that. A nice Keith style of flat point.

[Skunkworks]

I can highly recommend "Jacketed performance with vast bullets" by Veral Smith.
He says that more meplat is better and optimum striking speed is something like 1400-1700fps.
That will create the longest wound channel.

[fredj338]

With a RN, lead or Jacketed, think ice pick wounds. The RN pushes tissue aside, fat can cover the entrance & exit wounds & reduce external blood loss. As noted, FP track straighter & will crush tissue instead of push it aside. IMO, there is never a good reason to hunt with a RN solid bullet. I will give up 1moa of accuracy for better terminal perf any day.

[9.3X62AL]

Most of my cast game hunting loads use BruceB Soft Points. Most are flat-points, but not all--#311291 comes to mind here, and it uses a 72 grain donor slug (#257420) for its nose.

[Bohica793]

Ok, I am no expert, but my understanding is that wounds from a RN tend to be of the "Stretch and tear" variety which tend to self seal after the projectile passes through. Imagine pushing a punch through a piece of rubber or leather. The hole closes back up when you remove the punch. FP rounds (and particularly SWC/WC) cut round holes through a target, producing open wounds and significant tissue damage and blood loss (Cookie cutter through same rubber or leather).

My 2 cents...

[waksupi]

All I know is, is that my tracking jobs have always been shorter with flat noses.

[Smoke4320]

if it will feed in the gun FN every time .. if not I go RN and double up on the shot placement concentration

[JeffinNZ]

All I know is, is that my tracking jobs have always been shorter with flat noses.

Well said sir.

[725]

As noted above, the flat nosed boolits track straight through the animal and produce "paper punch" holes. Can't take credit for the thought but, "A lot of air in and a lot of blood out."

[9.3X62AL]

All I know is, is that my tracking jobs have always been shorter with flat noses.

Pretty good counsel, right there. But I want it all--diameter, expansion, velocity--hence the soft point option. Yeah, I'm greedy. Decadent, too. :)

[35remington]

I will hunt with roundnoses any day of the week and see little if any difference as compared to flatnose performance.......IF the bullet expands.

As I mentioned earlier, expansion moots the whole shape issue. This needs to be re emphasized. Calling one shape "superior" absolutely must take velocity and bullet performance after impact into context. So don't be misled by across the board claims of flatpoint superiority cause it ain't true.

If the roundnose is relatively blunt, the bullet has little tendency to veer after impact. It is the spire point type bullets that have that tendency.....again, if they don't expand.

[williamwaco]

in pistol calibers you can see the difference quite readily, in rifle rounds going faster it doesn't show up as much.
But that being said I prefer a flat nose.



Ditto: Keith type bullets are significantly quicker killers on small game that round nose bullets from handguns.

[fouronesix]

I swore I wouldn't get into another one of these "he said- she said" debates!
Funny how a 32-20 is a perfectly adequate caliber for some large game like deer, then a 30 cal 170 gr roundnose cast bullet (specifically the 311291) is inferior to a comparable 30 cal flat nose bullet like the 311041.

All in light of the 311291 having the best accuracy in the OP and IMO the accuracy allowing correct shot placement being the most overriding and important issue at hand!

Or, a 45 caliber roundball out of a muzzleloader is a DRT "deer slammer" or whatever the jargon of the week is, but a 30 caliber 170 gr roundnose conical is somehow questionable?

Gotta agree with 35remington on this one.

[Outpost75]

At velocities high enough that the bullet expands positively, say above 1700 fps with wheelweight alloy, shape doesn't matter.

At lower velocities where bullet expansion is marginal, larger meplat is better.

In .30-30 Winchester over the years I have killed perhaps 20 deer with full-charge loads around 2000 fps with both #311291 and #31141 and see no difference with wheelweight alloy. With water-dropped bullets which expand more slowly, however, the flatnose is better.

In the .30-30 I generally load a nominal caseful of 4064, all the case will hold, compressed charge. This is fully as effective as factory JSP loads, but the slower powder is more forgiving with softer alloy for the velocity level. Otherwise wheelweights at 2000 fps would tend to lead, but I find it adequate for a dozen rounds without cleaning in hunting situations and have used it for many years.