In long range 1000 + shooting How far do you feel the need to take bullet prep...meplat, pointing, measureing the flat between oglive etc. I understand the more you do the potentially better off you are,however with that said what have you guys found is the best balance between absolutly neccesary to be competitive and practical. I want to spend more shooting time and less reload time? Is bullet pointing madatory along with the meplat uniforming process? Is there a die/tool that does both, if not what order do you do them in ? Lastly, equipment reccomedations would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for your wisdom!
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questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
- Thread starter twoshot
- Start date
Re: questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
i think its all relative , how good are your groups now ? because if your shooting 2 moa at 500-1000y , meplat trimming will not really help
if your shooting moa , it might help.
i think you see some pretty good gains from meplat trimming , my groups always look more neat and organized if i shoot ammo i meplat trimmed. David Tubb says ( somewhere i think) "people who do not trim their meplats are only fooling themselves"
i find meplat trimming and pointing goes by pretty quickly.
no there is no tool for both.
i think what order your trim and point matters , once you point it , you've really changed it , same is true with trimming. I trim then point
i'd buy a meplat trimmer before a pointer simply because a meplat tool is cheaper
i think its all relative , how good are your groups now ? because if your shooting 2 moa at 500-1000y , meplat trimming will not really help
if your shooting moa , it might help.
i think you see some pretty good gains from meplat trimming , my groups always look more neat and organized if i shoot ammo i meplat trimmed. David Tubb says ( somewhere i think) "people who do not trim their meplats are only fooling themselves"
i find meplat trimming and pointing goes by pretty quickly.
no there is no tool for both.
i think what order your trim and point matters , once you point it , you've really changed it , same is true with trimming. I trim then point
i'd buy a meplat trimmer before a pointer simply because a meplat tool is cheaper
Re: questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
I have a sinclair meplat trimmer and I guess you could say it works like a miniature case trimmer except for the fact that it indexes off of the bullet ogive. Adjustment is pretty easy - the only thing you need to look for is the set screw backing out a a little bit at a time and eventually contacting the delrin cutter base causing your depth to be slightly different. Once I get it set, I usually turn the set screw way into the collar to prevent this from happening. The sinclair one is a stand alone tool with a plastic/delrin base and a metal cutter, collar and handle. You can mount it to a bench with a single wood screw or bolt, although I don't know how strong the plastic is and whether or not you could potentially crack it by over-torquing it to the bench. I find it easier to just use it as a hand tool for right now.
I have a sinclair meplat trimmer and I guess you could say it works like a miniature case trimmer except for the fact that it indexes off of the bullet ogive. Adjustment is pretty easy - the only thing you need to look for is the set screw backing out a a little bit at a time and eventually contacting the delrin cutter base causing your depth to be slightly different. Once I get it set, I usually turn the set screw way into the collar to prevent this from happening. The sinclair one is a stand alone tool with a plastic/delrin base and a metal cutter, collar and handle. You can mount it to a bench with a single wood screw or bolt, although I don't know how strong the plastic is and whether or not you could potentially crack it by over-torquing it to the bench. I find it easier to just use it as a hand tool for right now.
Re: questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
the best meplat trimming is sticking a little red tip on it
I had the opportunity to watch David in action, I want to say 30 years ago. I cant recall him ever mentioning a meplat trimmer though we spent a great deal of the day hanging out. (That was back before I had a clue who he was) He was quite happy to show and tell a new round he was using. Not sure what ever became of it, 6.5 and an adaptation of the 308 case.
I believe a decade ago some of the Hide's most vaunted gurus of extreme anal prep preached the gospel of meplat trimming. I dont think it helped any amount even the extremely critical could tell.
But as I mentioned at the very beginning, with the developement of plastic tips you are time and money ahead just using one of those types.
I really like the Hornady line.
Good luck
the best meplat trimming is sticking a little red tip on it
I had the opportunity to watch David in action, I want to say 30 years ago. I cant recall him ever mentioning a meplat trimmer though we spent a great deal of the day hanging out. (That was back before I had a clue who he was) He was quite happy to show and tell a new round he was using. Not sure what ever became of it, 6.5 and an adaptation of the 308 case.
I believe a decade ago some of the Hide's most vaunted gurus of extreme anal prep preached the gospel of meplat trimming. I dont think it helped any amount even the extremely critical could tell.
But as I mentioned at the very beginning, with the developement of plastic tips you are time and money ahead just using one of those types.
I really like the Hornady line.
Good luck
Re: questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
+1 for the red tips. I used to shoot smk's but was talking to a guy who you all probably know who has some world records and he told me that they were getting out to 1200 yards with 168 Amax's with great results. I shot a five shot group in 2" at 500 two days ago with them and I can't wait till tomorrow to try it again. Just to be real, I shot some crap too but most were around 1/2 to 1 MOA.
There are so many things to do in case prep that I'm not sold on trimming yet. Maybe that day will come also.
+1 for the red tips. I used to shoot smk's but was talking to a guy who you all probably know who has some world records and he told me that they were getting out to 1200 yards with 168 Amax's with great results. I shot a five shot group in 2" at 500 two days ago with them and I can't wait till tomorrow to try it again. Just to be real, I shot some crap too but most were around 1/2 to 1 MOA.
There are so many things to do in case prep that I'm not sold on trimming yet. Maybe that day will come also.
Re: questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
Thanks I appreciate all the input. Been getting aroung 3" at 550yds with a 243 shooting 115 berger vld's. been working that rifle / loads a while and have a couple the rifle really likes. I will get a meplat trimmer going on that and see if there is noticible improvement. just getting started with the 338 will work on load development first,then try the meplat trimming. any of you try the noslers or othr tipped bullet on a 338 lapua?
load accubonds in a 300 RUM great results but have not thought of them for the 338 I'll definatly check and see what weight they make them in ?
Thanks I appreciate all the input. Been getting aroung 3" at 550yds with a 243 shooting 115 berger vld's. been working that rifle / loads a while and have a couple the rifle really likes. I will get a meplat trimmer going on that and see if there is noticible improvement. just getting started with the 338 will work on load development first,then try the meplat trimming. any of you try the noslers or othr tipped bullet on a 338 lapua?
load accubonds in a 300 RUM great results but have not thought of them for the 338 I'll definatly check and see what weight they make them in ?
Re: questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
A wise man once told me "if you need to do anything to a bullet to make it shoot better, buy a better bullet".
Im a cheap ass so I metplat for competitions. it lowers the bc of the bullet, but at least from shot to shot they are all consistant from shot to shot. I loose some gains, but if everything is consistant, I stay consitant, no more wondering where that flyer came from if evertything is consistant. i made the flyer.
Ask yourself what you are doing with your loads, competitions, shooting cans or game.
is the time spent on bullet prep worth it or can the time be better used practiceing on the range. remember groups are made at the range not at the bench
memo
A wise man once told me "if you need to do anything to a bullet to make it shoot better, buy a better bullet".
Im a cheap ass so I metplat for competitions. it lowers the bc of the bullet, but at least from shot to shot they are all consistant from shot to shot. I loose some gains, but if everything is consistant, I stay consitant, no more wondering where that flyer came from if evertything is consistant. i made the flyer.
Ask yourself what you are doing with your loads, competitions, shooting cans or game.
is the time spent on bullet prep worth it or can the time be better used practiceing on the range. remember groups are made at the range not at the bench
memo
Re: questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
I think your wise man was in fact very wise. I have been shooting a long time and competitivley for a few decades in one game or another. I like to maximize any rifle / guns potential just to see if I can live up to it.
I want the best possible accuracy I can get but at the end of the day, all I want to accomplish is to out shoot every one I shoot with and have fun and share ideas doing it.
Guess about the same with most of us here.
I agree with you and I will take consistency all day everyday over 1 good group. I'll try the meplat and see if I can notice a difference. Thanks
I think your wise man was in fact very wise. I have been shooting a long time and competitivley for a few decades in one game or another. I like to maximize any rifle / guns potential just to see if I can live up to it.
I want the best possible accuracy I can get but at the end of the day, all I want to accomplish is to out shoot every one I shoot with and have fun and share ideas doing it.
Guess about the same with most of us here.
I agree with you and I will take consistency all day everyday over 1 good group. I'll try the meplat and see if I can notice a difference. Thanks
Re: questions on bullet prep / meplat uniforming
It always seemed a contradiction to me.
To pay what Berger wants for a VLD bullet with its better BC but then lower that BC for consistency.
The Amax is VERY consistent downrange, has a good BC and costs far less than Berger, so it should appeal to the cheap asses among us.
One other point, a lowered BC also means more wind drift. So you might not be gaining anything over the cheaper Amax. More a case of making a high dollar bullet into an Amax so you 'level' the playing field.
But do try a few matches with an altered nose.
Good Luck
It always seemed a contradiction to me.
To pay what Berger wants for a VLD bullet with its better BC but then lower that BC for consistency.
The Amax is VERY consistent downrange, has a good BC and costs far less than Berger, so it should appeal to the cheap asses among us.
One other point, a lowered BC also means more wind drift. So you might not be gaining anything over the cheaper Amax. More a case of making a high dollar bullet into an Amax so you 'level' the playing field.
But do try a few matches with an altered nose.
Good Luck
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