Yeti GOBOX Collection

Damaged Polymer Tips

JohnyRingo

JohnyRingo

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2017
Messages
113
I just recently purchased a Browning X-Bolt Stainless Stalker in a 300 H&H Mag. After going through a box of ammo, I've noticed that the recoil from this gun is damaging the polymer tips on my Accubond bullets. I don't feel like the recoil is that much, but I can't be shooting damaged tips on bullets. Is this the result of a faulty removable magazine or is this common for this rifle in a magnum round?
 
I recently read something, I can't remember if it was this forum or another, where someone had a bunch of bullets with crooked or bent tips. If I seem to recall the person contacted the manufacturer ( a major company) and was told this would not effect accuracy. The poster also indicated that there was no POI change between those with straight tips vs those that were deformed or bent in their own testing.
 
A couple of years ago I actually had one of the tips fall out of some loaded .300 WSM ammo. I wasn't going to use that round to hunt but I wanted to shoot it to see how it may affect accuracy. My .300 is fairly accurate, often shooting groups just barely over one inch at 200 yards. I fired a 3 shot group, then the missing tip. I was rather surprised when the impact was 2 inches from my group at 200 yards. I would imagine a small chip off the tip would be barely noticeable.
 
For general hunting and target shooting, don't sweat it. My .338 lapua flattens the tips out in the magazine really bad. Haven't seen a poi shift out to about 500
 
I guess I will do a little experimenting with undamaged vs damaged tips. Supposedly, Nosler said there is no P.O.I. difference inside of 300 yards. The problem with that is I would like to shoot beyond that and be as accurate as possible. I will see what Browning says tomorrow. Maybe it's a faulty magazine. I might also look into a muzzle brake even though the recoil isn't bothering me. I can also look into a different bullet with a more solid tip.
 
Browning can't tell you anything. It isn't the magazine. How far beyond 300 you gonna go? No tip resists recoil in the magazine better than the other. mtmuley
 
Almost all of my kill shots (30-40) have been within 300 yards, except for maybe one at 500 yards. In the last 15 years, I can only think of one time I needed a follow-up shot. All that said, I don't want a damaged bullet to keep me from a buck or bull of a lifetime. I enjoy recreational shooting out to 800 yards but I also like to get as close as possible to harvest an animal.

A buddy of mine who shoots an 300 RUM says he seats his bullets as long as possible to completely fill up his magazine and the bullets can't slam forward. I will look into that too.
 
MJE2083 said:
I recently read something, I can't remember if it was this forum or another, where someone had a bunch of bullets with crooked or bent tips. If I seem to recall the person contacted the manufacturer ( a major company) and was told this would not effect accuracy. The poster also indicated that there was no POI change between those with straight tips vs those that were deformed or bent in their own testing.
Click to expand...

I posted a thread a while back concerning the crooked tips on Barnes TTSX bullets. They were the .338 cal 225 grain bullets, but they were crooked on new bullets that had not yet been loaded. Barnes sent me a new box, and the crooked tips had no effect on the accuracy.
I have found that when I was using Nosler Partitions, the bullet tips of the cartridges in the magazine got smashed from the recoil.

If the OP is concerned about it affecting accuracy, just make sure the round that goes into the chamber is undamaged. The ones in the magazine might be affected by the recoil smashing them into the front of the mag box, but I am not sure their accuracy will be affected to the point where they won't be accurate enough for follow-up shots that may be required. The first shot is the most important.
 
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JohnyRingo said:
Almost all of my kill shots (30-40) have been within 300 yards, except for maybe one at 500 yards. In the last 15 years, I can only think of one time I needed a follow-up shot. All that said, I don't want a damaged bullet to keep me from a buck or bull of a lifetime. I enjoy recreational shooting out to 800 yards but I also like to get as close as possible to harvest an animal.

A buddy of mine who shoots an 300 RUM says he seats his bullets as long as possible to completely fill up his magazine and the bullets can't slam forward. I will look into that too.
Click to expand...

Many times, if the rounds are close to the max length available in the magazine, they shoot more accurately anyway. I load much of my stuff as long as I can and still make the mag work OK. All of my rifles are 1/2-3/4 moa.
 
My 7mm mag does it too. No issues other than I wish it didn't do that...
 
sbhooper said:
Many times, if the rounds are close to the max length available in the magazine, they shoot more accurately anyway. I load much of my stuff as long as I can and still make the mag work OK. All of my rifles are 1/2-3/4 moa.
Click to expand...

I agree bullet seating depth is important if you're a handloader. I've never had any magazine issues in my rifles but I usually seat my bullets pretty close to the lands.
 
I fixed the problem. I seated the bullets 1/10" longer so that they completely filled the longer so that they completely filled the magazine and the tips couldn't get slammed magazine and the tips couldn't get slammed forward on the recoil.
 
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