Bevel base bullets

[Kevin Stenberg]

There is a theory that bullets that are not filled out on the base. Will not shoot as good as those with a well filled out bullet base.
If that is true. Do Bevel Base bullets shoot accurately because the bullet contacts the barrel at a consistent point all around the bullet?

 

[fiver]

yeah pretty much.
the other theory is they start straighter in the case.
I'm not a fan of the really elongated bevel base bullets, but have shot a lot of 'rounded corner' and slightly beveled base cast bullets.
never hurt my feelings none.

a lot of revolver guys like to theorize the bevel lets gas blow out of the gap and gives it a better chance of cutting the sharp edges.

 

[CZ93X62]

I think base fill-out is pretty critical. I am a harsh critic of eye-balled imperfect bullets, they can be recycled easily. I don't care for bevel-base bullets at all, they make sizing/lubing a messy PITA in Lyman 450-series systems.

 

[Ian]

It isn't theory. Base imperfections matter. Nose imperfections matter an order of magnitude less. It may be important to note here that the shooter may not recognize the difference due to short range or informal shooting. At 100 yards from a handgun, base imperfections are nothing short of glaring. At high pressure in a rifle, even a gas check cannot hide your casting sins.

Bevel base bullets always shot well for me. Within the limitations of non-gas-check designs, powder-coated, bevel-base bullets shoot better than any other design except gas check designs without the check.

 

[fiver]

that better [square] base of the checkless bullet to push against makes a big difference.
I have had better accuracy but at lower velocity's in my handguns doing that no check thing.

 

[Bret4207]

Base perfection is the key, at least to a large degree. A nasty, poorly filled out bevel base is no better than a flat base of the same condition. A perfect BB has a better chance than a poor one.

I am not a BB fan and haven't had great results with them over the years. They tend to work better at lower speeds, say under 950, for me in the results I've seen with me casting, loading and shooting.

 

[L Ross]

Count me in with the, "I don't care for bevel base bullet crowd", but with a caveat. I happen to have several BB bullet moulds for my Master Caster and most of them are for handguns so they typically get shot at 25 yards. Then I went and loaded some 38-130-RNFP bevel base bullets my wife used to shoot with black powder in her Richard-Mason 1851 Uberti conversions and her Rossi .357 lever gun, into another Rossi .357 lever gun with smokeless powder. The darned things shoot better than the open sights on the Rossi will allow.

I was fartin' around in the yard one day, using the Rossi to shoot at golden rod galls at close range, (20 to 30 feet), with about 4 1/2 grains of Trail Boss. I looked down to the 80 yard rail and saw the ten, 4, 6, and 8" discs that were set up and I thought, "Oh what the heck." After cleaning the 8", then 6", there were the 2 remaining 4" discs. I took a rest and bore down, and even though the front sight was visually much wider than the 4" disc I tumbled them both with consecutive shots.

Well darn, how can that be? So I put up paper and I was surprised to be able to hold a 3" group with 5 of those bevel based little rascals at 80 yards from a rest. New found respect. Next time I ordered a mould from Magma I mentioned this to the guy on the phone and he said, "We hear that all the time." So once again, one of those things I just "knew had to be right", wasn't.

 

[Ben]

I think base fill-out is pretty critical. I am a harsh critic of eye-balled imperfect bullets, they can be recycled easily. I don't care for bevel-base bullets at all, they make sizing/lubing a messy PITA in Lyman 450-series systems.

I'm with you Allen ! !

Ben

 

[CZ93X62]

My most-used bullet designs with bevel bases are the Lee truncated-cone autopistol numbers. Their accuracy is adequate to the task,which is practce rounds for my carry pistols that duplicate their "war shots". The 9mm and 10mm get run into the 1200 FPS range, and these hold up well enough for 25-50 yard clanger targets. 40 S&W and 45 ACP are in the 900-1000 FPS ballpark, and do as well at 25 and 50. 90% of their firing is at 3 to 15 yards, so it isn't a daunting task accuracy-wise.

I would still prefer flat bases. Them thar double-edged base things ain't natcherul. It's two edges that can be messed up instead of one.

 

[freebullet]

Have 1 in 9mil. No issues, & the bullets fall from the mold very nice.

 

[popper]

Not a theory, reality - I tested it in 40Sw. My 40 mould is PB, 9mm is BB. My PB rifle moulds have most the GC shaved off, a good sharp exit profile but no shank to slump. Easy to cull but finding a base not square with the bore reduces accuracy.