Designing the 2-diameter paper patch bullet.

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

I've been making the nose/shank length at about 50/50 with the nose being a little bit shorter at times but never longer than the shank. I would not do that with a more pointed nose shape, but my version is blunted with a 1/3 caliber radius. There are those that don't agree with me on that but it sure works well in my rifles. I believe the center of gravity location is very important to long range stability and the nose radius helps move the CG forward. I like to have an overall length of 1.430" to 1.440" for my .45 calibers with 18-twist. I make the nose .700" to .720" long. Those are the dimensions I have had the most success with. At least those are the dimensions before the big bang!

Last year I took the bullet I had used with only a some success and shortened it from 1.460" to 1.440". That little difference has made a world of difference in the last 3 long range matches at Lodi this year. I am amazed that little difference in length would take a bullet that had been an ok shooter and transform it into a match winning bullet, but I didn't change anything else.

I have only changed two things in the past two years, the bullet length was shortened to 1.440" and I started seating a little shallower at about .090" in the case.

I should try to recover a few of my .40s and .45s this winter and see what I'm actually sending down range. Whatever they look like they are working.