Which one is more accurate ? Truncated Cone, Flat Nose or Round Nose in 9mm.

[Yagi]

Which one is more accurate ? Truncated Cone, Flat Nose or Round Nose in 9mm.

Tell us your pistol set up. (Make, Model, Barrel, Barrel Length, etc.)

Edited July 7, 2020 by Yagi

[4n2t0]

No difference whatsoever.

Edited July 7, 2020 by 4n2t0

[191138sc]

19 minutes ago, Yagi said:

Which one is more accurate ?

Your barrel will tell you. Shoot them all and if possible various weights. 

[Boomstick303]

Bullet profile has not made much of any difference in accuracy of the different bullets I have tested.  The only data I have seen on if one bullet was more accurate than another is in regards to lube grooves.  Bullets of the same weight with lube grooves are longer than ones without the grooves.  The data indicated there was a difference but it was minimal.  The theory and it seems to be right (at least with the one report I read) was due to the bullets with lube grooves being longer the riffling of the barrel has more time to interact with the bullet.  I have not tested bullets of the same profile and weight with and with out lube grooves to prove or disprove the report I read for my own experience.  Other than that , I see bullet weight making more of a difference in accuracy out my Sig X5 Legions more than anything else.  Still working out which weight to go with, 124 gr or 135 gr RN.  My X5s hate 147 gr bullets in regards to accuracy.  I have heard from others that have done testing they feel the same way about 147 gr bullets.

[iflyskyhigh]

I’m sure some one will disagree because you know...the internet...but I think there is an argument to be made that JHP on average are more accurate than FMJ, CMJ, plated, coated, or lead bullets.

 

Then maybe CMJ? Lead and coated tend to be more accurate than plated (least accurate) for sure.

 

To your question, between lead, coated, and FMJ profile probably doesn’t matter as much as the shooter and whether you gun likes em.

 

And plated....meh. The only thing I use plated for is subsonic 9MM loads. They seem to be hot garbage in everything else. Not that much cheaper than FMJ’S or JHP’S but inferior projectiles.

 

While it isn’t apples to apples, there is a reason the most accurate rifle bullets are boat tail hollow points. Some of that ballistic science applies to JHP pistol bullets.

 

I have to many pistols and set ups to list, but across the board I’ve found this to be pretty much true. Exceptions of course always apply.

 

Standing by for the incoming grenades....

[Guy Neill]

Many years ago, the Air Force designed a  more accurate 20mm projectile.

 

Later, when they first started testing 9mm pistols, they concluded the bullets then available were not accurate enough for their tests.  They got with Hornady and used the 20mm design process to design a new, supposedly, more accurate 9mm bullet.  That was the 124gr Hornady truncated cone bullet.  Hornady later used the design process for a new 45 bullet, resulting in the 45 truncated cone bullet - tha6t should actually should have been 235gr, but they kept it at 230gr.

 

I've not been able to find the original Air Force research - assuming it was published in some paper or standard, but the concept was that the center of pressure needed to be in front of the center of gravity.  Hollow points do that naturally, along with the truncated cones.

 

All that said, I feel it still comes down to individual guns as well as the bullet.  Some guns have distinct preferences for what they will shoot well.  Generally, however, hollow points and truncated cones should be accurate.  

 

I have not seen anything about semi-wadcutters, but expect they are a modified truncated cone.

[IHAVEGAS]

I emailed Les Baer and asked what bullet they used for accuracy testing my 9mm premier 2 (got the guaranteed 1.5" groups at 50 yards gun, but not near that good with me shooting it unfortunately).  Apparently federal 124 grain round nose is what they use. 

 

For what that is worth, does not answer the question but does tell me round nose is better than my ability to find what is best.  

 

 

[AverageJoeShooting]

Whatever is cheapest. 

If you're shooting 50 yards you won't see any differences between bullet types

[MemphisMechanic]

7 minutes ago, AverageJoeShooting said:

Whatever is cheapest. 

If you're shooting 50 yards you won't see any differences between bullet types

Have you tried telling a bullseye competitior that?

[lll Otto lll]

Atlanta Arms most accurate ammo is the Elite 115 JHP   1.25" at 50 yards.  (probably a Hornady)

Second most accurate is their AMU 115 FMJ  1.50" at 50 yards.  (probably a Sierra)
I think what's most important is who manufactures the bullet as opposed to a particular profile.
 

 

[Cuz]

I’d say reliability in feeding is a more important factor in choosing a bullet profile than accuracy.


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[4n2t0]

45 minutes ago, Cuz said:

I’d say reliability in feeding is a more important factor in choosing a bullet profile than accuracy.

 

Ding, ding, ding...give that man a prize!

[AHI]

bullseye competitor      Flat nose tends to be more accurate than TC winch tends to be more accurate than Round nose.

but you must mach up bullet length(weight) to twist rate. shoot a 147gr bullet in a 1/32 twist and it will start tumbling at three feet.

put a 115gr bullet in a 1/32 twist and 10 shots  at 50 yards may be inside 1 in.    for uspsa type shooting match up the weight then

what ever feeds best. safe bet would be round nose.

Edited July 8, 2020 by AHI

[superdude]

I have to agree with Guy. 

 

I've produced nice groups (from a Ransom Rest) with all shapes (with jacketed bullets), but the round nose, as a category, seem less consistently accurate. The most consistently accurate have been flat nose designs (FMJ or JHP), and of those the conical nose seem more consistently accurate than round nose flat point. Naturally, it depends on which specific bullet is used. These have been in 1911s with 5" Kart barrels.  

[HOGRIDER]

10 hours ago, Yagi said:

Which one is more accurate ? Truncated Cone, Flat Nose or Round Nose in 9mm.

Tell us your pistol set up. (Make, Model, Barrel, Barrel Length, etc.)

Not sure if this bullet is Truncated Cone or Flat Point; but they produced this grouping in my STI Gen1 Staccato P (4.15" barrel), at 20 yards, from a Ransom Rest:

https://www.federalpremium.com/handgun/american-eagle/american-eagle-handgun/11-AE9FP.html

 

 

[Farmer]

Depends on bullet weight/bearing length. For 115g in my XDM a round nose is more accurate than the TC. When I get to 124g the TC  is pretty good but a FN is better and a 135g TC is as good. Longer bearing length usually will give better accuracy unless the bullet as a whole is too long for your twist rate. 

[AverageJoeShooting]

10 hours ago, MemphisMechanic said:

Have you tried telling a bullseye competitior that?

at a certain point its the shooter if your not hitting your target

 

[AHI]

   

double

                                                                      

Edited July 8, 2020 by AHI

[AHI]

12 hours ago, AverageJoeShooting said:

Whatever is cheapest. 

If you're shooting 50 yards you won't see any differences between bullet types

Tell me about these cheep bullets that shoot x ring size groups at 50 yards.

 

                                                  High Master Bullseye Competitor 

[AverageJoeShooting]

1 hour ago, AHI said:

Tell me about these cheep bullets that shoot x ring size groups at 50 yards.

 

                                                  High Master Bullseye Competitor 

Ok let me revise the statement. For action pistol competition. Specifically uspsa and idpa. You will notice no difference in bullets since most shots on any given stage will be inside 30 yards. A super long shot is 50 yards and would probably be 1 target at that distance. I think the longest anyone ever shot in uspsa was 75 yards and it was 1 target on one stage.

[Yagi]

1 hour ago, AverageJoeShooting said:

Ok let me revise the statement. For action pistol competition. Specifically uspsa and idpa. You will notice no difference in bullets since most shots on any given stage will be inside 30 yards. A super long shot is 50 yards and would probably be 1 target at that distance. I think the longest anyone ever shot in uspsa was 75 yards and it was 1 target on one stage.

 

Was there not long distance target at the recently concluded 2020 USPSA PCC NATIONALS in FL?

 

 

[AHI]

2 hours ago, AverageJoeShooting said:

Ok let me revise the statement. For action pistol competition. Specifically uspsa and idpa. You will notice no difference in bullets since most shots on any given stage will be inside 30 yards. A super long shot is 50 yards and would probably be 1 target at that distance. I think the longest anyone ever shot in uspsa was 75 yards and it was 1 target on one stage.

Qk for the most part I will agree with you .

 

[AverageJoeShooting]

1 hour ago, Yagi said:

 

Was there not long distance target at the recently concluded 2020 USPSA PCC NATIONALS in FL?

 

 

Rifles have no place in a pistol competition.

 

Also my statement reads "for action pistol competition"

[lll Otto lll]

18 hours ago, Cuz said:

I’d say reliability in feeding is a more important factor in choosing a bullet profile than accuracy.

 

 The OP wasn't taking a poll on reliability....

[IHAVEGAS]

1 hour ago, lll Otto lll said:

 The OP wasn't taking a poll on reliability....

 

It is an interesting aside though.

 

Intuition suggests round nose, but I would not put money on it.