Deformed Lead, Pointed Soft Point....Accuracy????

[Wildernesshunter]

A whole box of .243 Win, pointed soft point... has the lead point really damaged. The points are either squished or bend off to one side.

One of these, is as it came out of the box. The other has been filed and polished by me.

Will the filed/polished one be more accurate?

When I was a teenager, I use to file/polish every pointed soft point, thinking it would make it more accurate.... but I truly, never ran off the accuracy experiment, as I should have and still wonder.........????

 

[Shane Tuttle]

For hunting purposes, either one should take down your game within 100yds without issue. I'm talking about hunting accuracy, not target accuracy. I have a Swedish Mauser that I shot with a box of Remington ammo with similar issues. Half of the tips looked like someone took them out and dropped them tip first on concrete. I measured them out at the ogive and compared them to the others to make sure the bullets didn't seat further than factory, filed some of the tips like you did yours, and compared notes. At 100yds, the unfiled rounds made about 1/2"-3/4" larger spread, IIRC. I'd have to dig up my old numbers to be exact. I do remember they weren't as accurate, but would have taken down your typical deer.

I can't tell you what kind of accuracy loss beyond 100yds. If I were a betting man, I would guesstimate 1.5" larger at 200 and up to 3" at 300. I figured that much at 300 due to the bullet slowing down and the effects of abnormal turbulence starting to compound. No scientific evidence. Just my pure speculation.

 

[jrinne0430]

The Box of Truth did a test on damaged bullets and found damaged tips did not affect accuracy greatly at 100yrds but, damaged base had a greater impact on accuracy.
https://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-49-damaged-bullet-accuracy-and-the-box-o-truth/

 

[tangolima]

Deformed bullet tip (meplat) has small effects on BC and consistency (accuracy). Probably no need to concern for < 300 yd.

Meplat trimmers are available from a few manufacturers, but they are not cheap.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[BornFighting88]

I have a case of loaded shells in 300 WSM as "Factory Seconds-Blemished Fascia" that I picked up on a road trip. Looked at a few sample boxes to see what exactly the blemishes were. Just meplat deformations. Its a hunting rifle round for me, and just like the other posters have said, inside of 100 yards, nothing changed, even put some on paper and they performed spectacularly. I am of the understanding that the meplat on soft lead tips deforms in flight anyways, and atmospheric air will regulate the tip and form the meplat back to whatever helps it in flight.

I had some deformed tips loaded for last opening day for white tails in PA. Had a 200 yard shot, and put the pill RIGHT in the vitals at 215 yards, and dropped the deer on the spot. Entry wound was right at Point of Aim.

Don't worry too much about it, that said, it is hunting accuracy, as said. This is not benchrest stuff. For "Minute of Deer" you will be absolutely fine.

 

[MarkCO]

I tried to test the theory with the Partitions I used back in about 2003 or 2004. For 5 shots from my hunting rifles, pristine tips and mashed or bent over lead tips, I could not measure any difference until I got out to about 300 yards. At 550, the furthest I shot groups, it was about a 10% increase in group size, but with a lower POI by about 15%. The groups overlapped. For that to be significant, you have to trust my ability to keep the barrel the same temp and make consistent wind calls over 5 hours as well. MV was the same of course, and I verified that with each caliber. That the trend was in the same direction for all calibers and only past normal distances in hunting rifles, I left it to OCD and when I hunt with them, I put the best looking tip in the chamber, or on top of the magazine. When I confirm zero or load data, I use the bent over ones at the range.

I liked partitions for Elk and I was resistant to switching to the pointed and tipped bullets. But, that switch is here anyway, so I won't worry about it as much.

 

[doofus47]

I have shot deformed soft tips and the bullets were not more inaccurate than the average when I usually shot that rifle.
I think you'll be fine.