Hollow Points vs. Polymer Tips

LeviSS

LeviSS

New member
I have always used hollow points while hunting. I notice that a lot of people are using polymer tipped bullets, such as the v-max.

I have heard that the tipped bullets are more accurate, I'm guessing because of the improved aerodynamics?

What are the benefits/disadvantages of each?
 
Very little and the animal don't notice any at all. I have been told but never seen any real evidence of it that the polymer tipped bullets don't get clogged with fur and mud or other crap when entering like a hollow point can. So the tipped bullet expands more redily and more predicibly. Like i said i have never seen any evidence of the hollow poing picking up or getting clogged with any thing in a rifle bullet that is, handgun bullets are a differant story, and when I was doing testing for the Police Department i used to work for I have seen evidence that a large cavity (like in a handguns JHP can clog with clothing materiel it then changes from an expanding bullet to somthing more like an FMJ and goes right on through (SOMETIMES)but then sometimes they do not and sometimes they blow up with out really penitrateing at all. So I would strongly suggest the tipped bullets just to make sure you get some controlled expansion.
 
Sierra says that their hollow points are their toughest bullets. They expand less than either polymer tipped or spitzer types.

Jack
 
LeviSS,
I am in the process of load development for Coyote hunting. I'm choosing between the Hornady 60gr V-Max and the Hornady 60gr HP. In my rifle there is no real accuracy difference. I took the rifle out today and shot a couple PD's (private land) with both rounds. The 60gr V-Max splashed a PD pretty well. Not as good as the 40gr V-Max, but good. The 60gr HP pretty much acted like FMJ. I know they are just PD's and not coyotes. It was just an experiment. I don't know how they will react on bigger game yet.
M
 
If you looking to save the fur then the H.P. seems to work will. One member in the group uses the 58 gr. V-max and it also seems to work well.. The 60 gr. H.P. also works well..
 
Quote:
Sierra says that their hollow points are their toughest bullets. They expand less than either polymer tipped or spitzer types.

Jack



Personally, in the normal varmint weight bullets, I have never seen a Ballistic Tip or a Vmax ricochet, that's from .22 through .25 caliber. I have no doubt that it does happen, but in hundreds of bullets fired at varmints over the years on relatively flat ground at ranges out to about 600 yards, I have never seen one while using the polymer tipped varmint bullets.

However, I have seen hollow point bullets ricochet, including 75 grain Sierra HP's in my .25-06. That was a real surprise since it has such a large HP. So, I will stick with the polymer tipped bullets as housing and flat terrain make a ricochet a serious potential problem where I hunt.
 
Accuracy differences should be negligible and overwhelmed by the preference of the gun.
Polymer tips should have a better ballistic coefficient due to the more aerodynamic shape.
 
My Bushmaster loves the 60HP as for as accuracy but sometimes hangs up when cycling a new round, acually pushing the bullet in the case. No problem with SP or V-maxes,The rifle is new, shooting and reloading an AR is a new experince for me. My vote is for Polymer Tips for now.
 
I am shooting the 60g. V-max in my 22-250 and it works great on fur. I did have one hole, I shot the coyote running away at the base of the skull and it had about a racketball sized hole where it entered.
 
I have changed to the polymer tipped boat-tail bullets, Nosler B T, because of the better performance in wind, there is more difference there than in accuracy in my experience.
 
Several things to consider. I shoot a lot of lead tips, hp,and poly tip bullets.

I noticed when shooting yotes that the HP usually penetrated deeper, meaning that they would not blow up on a shoulder blade or a hip joint.

I shot thousands of the poly tip bullets on p. dogs and they skip across the prarie just like the HP do, so forget the whole notion that they blow up on impact. Maybe the 40's do at unreal velocities, but I do not shoot the 40's except on test loads.

There is one more major consideration, that has it's + and negative points. The sharp Poly tip bullets have their ogive's pushed way back on them, unlike most of the HP bullets (it is difficult to lump all the HP bullets as being exactly alike). With the ogive being pushed back and having less bearing surface, the bullet may have to jump further to reach the lands. At some point, the bullet gets started crooked, meaning less accuracy. Many of the HP designs are not as aerodynamic, but they have the ogive further out on the body of the bullet, meaning they would be jumping less if both bullets were seated to the same Over all length. Guns that shoot short magazine, such as the AR-15 platform, Cz, and the Rem 788 may indeed find that a less pointed bullet be more accurate or even one of Sierra's fine Semi Point bullets, 50,55, or 63g bullets.
 
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