Why Hollow Points Fly Straight

by
at Hornady Manufacturing Co. posted on January 10, 2017
hp-1.jpg

The starting point for an accurate bullet is the jacket concentricity. You have to have a bullet that has a very concentric jacket. If it gets over .001” it will definitely show up on the target. Generally speaking, spending a lot of time trying to get jackets under .0005” is not going to get you much because this will be covered up by a lot of other things.

From a pure physics standpoint, a hollow point does have some advantages for trying to achieve greater accuracy. A lot of bullets are “over stabilized” in the common barrel twist rates that are used in competition. When a bullet is over-stabilized it will take it longer to “go to sleep” or stabilize, following any disturbance at the point of muzzle exit. Hollow point bullets literally have no lead in a significant portion of the jacket at the front of the bullet. This results in a bullet that is longer for a given bullet weight than, say, a soft point bullet with lead all the way to the nose. The result of the longer bullet for the same weight, coupled with the hollow cavity in the nose, is a bullet with a more rearward center of gravity and a slightly lower stability.

The bottom line is the bullet goes to sleep quicker and you achieve better accuracy. You can go too far with this, however, and get a bullet that will fly point first but never go to sleep, never stop yawing, and it will shoot all over the paper.

Latest

Presentationprocess 1
Presentationprocess 1

How To Improve Grip With The Presentation Process

Lock the gun in place with a better grip and more predictable index—every time.

Camp Freedom Is Making A Difference For Disabled Veterans With Free Outdoor Adventures

A non-profit 501(c)(3), Pennsylvania’s Camp Freedom provides free outdoor adventures for disabled veterans, first responders, their families and Gold Star families.

Results: 2023 Daisy National BB Gun Championship

At the 56th annual Daisy BB Gun Nationals in Arkansas this past July, the team and individual champions earned their titles.

Camdyn Powers Secures Ladies Runner-Up Title At 2023 IPRF Rimfire World Championship

Powers landed in 12th place overall on the 2023 International Precision Rifle Federation Rimfire World Championship leaderboard, as well as second place in Ladies class.

Command Sgt. Maj. Steven Slee On Winning: ‘It Has To Do With Goal Setting’

A triple-distinguished shooter, Command Sgt. Maj. Steven Slee continues to find success in his lifelong passion.

Taming The “Jungle Carbine”

Reduced power loads for Enfield “jungle carbines” with shortened barrels.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.