Several things First, it depends on the type of shooting you are doing. Target (benchrest competition) shooting is done at a known distance. Drop is not a factor. Wind is, but less than you might think. If bullets with a ballistic coefficient (calculated) of around .550 or so were at such a disadvantage, the 6mms wouldn't do any winning at 1K.
There are (competition) flatbase bullets that have a ballistic coefficient in that region. In fact, the NBSA single group (HG 10 shot) records is held by a shooter who used a flatbase bullet, as is the IBS 10-shot group record, and several Australian records. There is a fair bit of real-world competitive data to back up the performance of FB bullets at 1,000 yards.
Secondly, if you look more closely into bullet design, the pointy end (e.g., meplat diameter, ogive shape & number) has more to do with lowering drag than the back end (boat tail)
Having said that, there are no trophies for shooting a bullet with the highest BC or highest velocity.
Charles,
You say that wind is less a factor than one might think then you turn around and make an argument for ballistic coefficients? If wind was a minor factor in grouping capability, why the need to pay attention to bc? I've never heard a long range shooter say that wind was not the achilles heel of long range trajectories. Makes me wonder if you actually shoot at these distances?
Secondly, you introduced the bc number of 550 and made it sound like it was a fairly low bc (at least that's how I read it) when in fact, a .550 bc is a fairly high bc. Supersonic velocities are needed for consistent 1000 yard accuracy and a bc of .550 is very sufficient enough even at low muzzle velocites to be supersonic at 1k. In truth, a bc of .400 launched quick enough will do the job. However, if you have a bc in the .6 range or .7, it's all the better.
That being said, yes there are a FEW FB bullets with bc's NEAR .550. Bib's .30 cal comes in at .520. But these are specialty bullets and they are stretched to get in the .5 range. A BT with the same weight can easily attain .55 and even higher and are much more prevalent.
And yes, I know about long range 6mm capabilities. I have two myself and was shooting one of them past 1000 yards when those bullets were still considered "too small" by the majority of the shooting public.
I love 'em!
If you read my post, I said that I had seen FB bullets do remarkably well at intermediate ranges 600-800 yards. I did not say they couldn't perform well at 1000. I simply have not witnessed it myself yet.
Yes, there are a few records with FB bullets at long range. But the vast majority of records are held with BT's.
And I merely pointed out the short range bt bullets in the way I did to mean that they really aren't a whole lot different than FB in these configurations for real world shooting. They have short BT's and if all else is equal, it's not enough to significantly raise the bc to a point where it would show a dramatic improvement in the drift category.
Finally, no they don't award trophies to guys shooting the highest bc bullets just because of their bullet choice. But every tool we can use to help overcome the elements will get us that much closer to the wood! You don't see too many 1k shooters using bullets with .3 or .4 bullets and there is a reason for that!
