POINTING BULLETS
By Richard Wilde
A small but growing pile of swarf shows where the Wilson case-trimmer has taken off any ragged edges from the bullet tip.
However, with the Matchking’s ragged tips a collection of copper swarf was soon deposited as the misshapen edges were trimmed away. The BC of the 175 Matchkings is like a brick when compared with the Berger bullets, so pointing and trimming in this way should provide about a 5% improvement in wind drift over a bullet straight out of the box.
The proof of the pudding is in the shooting and the question that comes out of this much work is naturally one of “Why bother?”. A 5% improvement in wind drift means little at the short ranges but from 500 metres back, every little bit helps and a 5% improvement can easily mean the difference between a skinny 5 or a humble 4 at the ‘longs’ when the wind puffs and plays around.
Subsequent testing at 1000 yards proved that less wind-deflection occurred with pointed bullets than with projectiles straight from the box. I was pleasantly surprised with this result as it vindicated both the theory and the work put into the bullets - especially with regard to the tipping die’s use. Whilst it will not make a ‘silk purse out of a sow’s ear’, it will help wring the most out of the current crop of ‘match’ projectiles.
Sometimes mistakes happen. This 6mm Lapua (left) had the setting too tight. The 7mm Berger got caught in the die on an angle but will be used for a fouler
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