Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

[mdmp5]

Anyone ever use the Hoover bullet tipping die or the meplat trimmer? The 2 products look like quality, but does it really make that much of a difference?

http://www.bullettipping.com/bullettippingdie_detail.asp

 

[Unsichtbar]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

Where I shoot the High Masters in F-Open Class that shoot at a national and international level point there bullets for 6mm or .284( new barrel every 900 rounds). They get bent if they shoot 194-single digit x counts at a 1000, they are usually all close together so they look for even a small improvement. That's not the calibers I am interested in or the type of shooting. See below and the link, IMO pointing makes some small difference in small cal. but less as cal. get larger. Litz has a great book



Bryan Litz www.appliedballisticsllc.com/

Effect of Bullet Pointing
"Bryan has also tested the effect of pointing bullets. He’s determined that this does have a positive (if small) effect on ballistics. Bryan writes: “I have measured the Berger 180 VLD in both nominal and pointed meplat configurations. Pointing the meplat from 0.059″ to 0.039″ increases the G7 BC from 0.337 lb/in² to 0.344 lb/in². This results in less than 2″ difference in 1000-yard wind drift (10 mph 90°). The improvement is small, perhaps negligible for standard decimal prone targets with large scoring rings. The improvement is more significant for F-Class targets with smaller scoring rings. That being said, I do point my own Berger 180 VLDs that I shoot in prone competition. It’s fast, easy, doesn’t hurt anything, and every little bit helps.”

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

If you're going to shoot 600 to 1000 yards it can make a difference. 300 yards and less it would be hard to justify.

But if it makes you feel better, do it.

 

[Jasmck]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

I have never used the Hoover die, nit I have used the Whidden bullet pointing tis for 6mm DTAC bullets. It does a good job of uniforming the tips, and is pretty fast and easy.

James

 

[918v]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

The new 155gr SMK Palma bullet is pointed like that.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

The one I have used was an older Dave Tooley model.

 

[Shady_Jay]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

A friend on here made me a tip up die that was a Forster Comp seater with a special sleeve. It works great for .308 SMKs. Never used the specific die you are asking about though.

 

[Suasponte]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

Meplat Trimmer

Artical on 6mmbr.com about Kevin Crams (Montour County Rifles) Meplat trimmer.

Nice guy and a great product!

However, if you do not do much shooting past 600m you will not see any real benifit in doing so. IMHO

Terry

 

[InTheWeeds]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

So does a tipping die just trim the tip to a more finer point?

 

[Suasponte]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: In da weeds</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So does a tipping die just trim the tip to a more finer point? </div></div>

No, you first meplat trim the bullet. Then you tip it!

Tipping it is nothing more that swaging the tip closed.

Terry

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

I bought a meplat pointing/tipping die and tried it on my 140 VLD bullets in my 260 Rem. My initial tests with the same load/same bullet shot right at 1 MOA flatter at 300 and 600 yards.

 

[SuperXJeff]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming


Meplat trimming is an effort to reduce the small variations in a bullet jacket tip that can lead to differences in velocity loss over extended distances. If each of the bullets in a group of shots loses velocity at a different rate, each has the potential for a different point of impact on the target. Meplat trimmed projectiles have a more consistent velocity loss rate from the first bullet to the last, resulting in less potential deviation at the target downrange. Typically there is a small loss of ballistic coefficient compared to an unmodified bullet. Based on what other much better shooters have stated, the loss will be less than a 1/2MOA change in elevation and windage, and more probably 1/4MOA.

Is this different then bullet pointing? If so why on earth would anybody uniform a met-plat to then lose ballistic coefficient compared to an unmodified bullet? Is this because the consistency is more important then the loss of ballistic coefficient compared to an unmodified bullet? Jeff

 

[InTheWeeds]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

I was always curious why SMK's had that odd shaped tip. You would think they might do something about it from the factory to make a more accurate bullet?

 

[Suasponte]

Re: Bullet tipping and meplat trimming

Meplat trimming and pointing are two totally different things.

Meplat trimming is basically using and end mill bit to uniform the bullet tip from the a reference point on the bullet ogive. Thus making the the bullet points (tips) a consistent size and making the bullets all the same length.

Bullet pointing is placing the bullet into a sizing die that matches the bullet profile and swaging (squeezing) the bullet tip back closed to improve the BC back to or increase the BC.

Terry