Hornady VLD bullets ?

Thanks UncleNick and Kilo, interesting reads. I am doing a bullet order this weekend and tossing 200 of the .223 80gn ELDs into the cart
 
I'm still wondering about Hornady's results.
The BC changed as the bullet went downrange.
Sierra for a long time has listed different BC for different velocity ranges.
Did Hornady really have an issue?
Or just prove what Sierra has known for a long time?
 
That's an interesting question. Depending on the lead alloy. The lead could even have a lower melting temperature. Than some plastics.

Lead has a melting temperature of 621 degrees F. The addition of Antimony to the alloy would likely raise that melting temperature. In the same fashion that the addition of Tin lowers the melting temperature of lead for solder.

In the long run. For normal uses. I don't think that the flight time of the bullet would allow for a whole lot of deformation
 
Interesting you bring up the core.
I know Berger changed their VLD bullets due to having the core start to melt from the chamber temp when shooting strings of 20 shots for matches.
Was the last 3 bullets that had the issue of fliers.
 
std7mag said:
Interesting you bring up the core.
I know Berger changed their VLD bullets due to having the core start to melt from the chamber temp when shooting strings of 20 shots for matches.
Was the last 3 bullets that had the issue of fliers.
Click to expand...
I was referring to the Sierra bullets with lead tips. I would assume the lead tip is the same alloy as the core. Probably why Sierra lists different BC figures for the bullets at different velocities. If the Tip deformation was the cause. That would be why the BC of their bullets increases as velocity increases. Less flight time to the target. There fore less deformation.

Although if that is the reason. It's entirely possible that no one had realized the reason.

Dave Emery goes on to explain in that article. That most bullets with polymer tips up to this point had been designed for normal hunting ranges and therefore were never really tested for BC at extended ranges. Where the tip deformation over time would have finally had time to impact the bullet's BC.

I think it would also be interesting to see if the air temp/atmospherics would affect that change. Some might think that in colder weather that the cold air would cool the bullet faster. Although cold air is denser air. I think it would cause more drag. Hence more heat...

I find this topic rather fascinating personally.
 
Indeed!

Sierra lists different BC at different velocities for all their bullets, not just the SPBT GameKing.
Even their handgun bullets.
 
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