boat tail?
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I have shot quite a few boattailed bullets, but don't have Marlin Bolt Gun. Where I have seen a difference with boattails is at ranges greater than 250 or 300 yards. Within the 250 yard mark or so, they offer no real advantage over a flat based bullet.
Now, I will add the caveat, that some certain boattailed bullets are inherently more accurate than some flat based bullets, regardless of range. I think that it is more a function of bullet quality than any generic application of the statement I made in the first paragraph. The Nosler Ballistic Tips (while I don't personally care for them on game) are extremely accurate bullets in any rifle I have used them in. The Sierra boattails are also pretty darned accurate bullets. The H'dy boattails I've used are capable of good accuracy, but not so much when compared to the Sierra, and even less so than when compared to the Nosler.
I have no first hand experience with the H'dy SST's. Hornady's Secant Ogive design may have as much to do with it as the boattail. Each rifle is a critter unto itself. What shoots the best in mine may be a flop in yours, or vice-versa. If the H'dy SST's you've used didn't perform to the standards you were hoping for, you might consider a different boattail (Nosler, Sierra, Speer, Nosler-Winchester Combined Tech., etc.) before a blanket condemnation of all boattails in general. If you are happy with the performance of the H'dy Spire Point, then bang away and have fun. If you're up for some experimentation, try a different brand, bang away and have more fun.
Now, I will add the caveat, that some certain boattailed bullets are inherently more accurate than some flat based bullets, regardless of range. I think that it is more a function of bullet quality than any generic application of the statement I made in the first paragraph. The Nosler Ballistic Tips (while I don't personally care for them on game) are extremely accurate bullets in any rifle I have used them in. The Sierra boattails are also pretty darned accurate bullets. The H'dy boattails I've used are capable of good accuracy, but not so much when compared to the Sierra, and even less so than when compared to the Nosler.
I have no first hand experience with the H'dy SST's. Hornady's Secant Ogive design may have as much to do with it as the boattail. Each rifle is a critter unto itself. What shoots the best in mine may be a flop in yours, or vice-versa. If the H'dy SST's you've used didn't perform to the standards you were hoping for, you might consider a different boattail (Nosler, Sierra, Speer, Nosler-Winchester Combined Tech., etc.) before a blanket condemnation of all boattails in general. If you are happy with the performance of the H'dy Spire Point, then bang away and have fun. If you're up for some experimentation, try a different brand, bang away and have more fun.
I'm voting that it does not matter. in my limited experience, some guns like some bullets better than others for whatever reason. I've not yet gotten my xl7 but I suspect it will be like my other rifles in that it prefers certain bullets over others.
My 7mm-08 is kind of the exception, it shoots most bullets great but I did have to play with the seating depth to get some to fly as well as others. the SST's in my gun liked to be set a little deeper in the case than the sierra's as an example.
Brett
My 7mm-08 is kind of the exception, it shoots most bullets great but I did have to play with the seating depth to get some to fly as well as others. the SST's in my gun liked to be set a little deeper in the case than the sierra's as an example.
Brett
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It depends on the gun.
My XL-7 30-06 doesn't care what stlye bullet you stick in it. ANY 165gr bullet shoots well, and the 2 smallest groups ever shot with that gun were 180gr Nosler Solid Bases.
My XS-7 308 seems to prefer flat based bullets. The 150 Hornady SP shoots more consistantly than the 150SST, but the 165Sierra HPBT gameking also shoots well.
I haven't had a chance to really see what the XS-7 284win likes yet, but 1 load with the 140Nosler BT shot under 1". I have others to try, but weather is playing havoc with my range time.
My XL-7 30-06 doesn't care what stlye bullet you stick in it. ANY 165gr bullet shoots well, and the 2 smallest groups ever shot with that gun were 180gr Nosler Solid Bases.
My XS-7 308 seems to prefer flat based bullets. The 150 Hornady SP shoots more consistantly than the 150SST, but the 165Sierra HPBT gameking also shoots well.
I haven't had a chance to really see what the XS-7 284win likes yet, but 1 load with the 140Nosler BT shot under 1". I have others to try, but weather is playing havoc with my range time.
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