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Bullet length calculator
Feb 4th, 2016 at 11:04am
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Hi all,
I have some questions about calculating bullet length.
Say I have a barrel with X bore and chamber and it has Y twist rate,and the Greenhill formula says it should have Z bullet length.
How do I find the correct bullet without having them in my hands and measuring them?
Is there some calculations that will give me a rough idea of bullet length from the diameter and weight?
Thanks for looking,
Dave
  

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frnkeore
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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #1 - Feb 4th, 2016 at 12:43pm
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I've drawn and cataloged many Ideal/Lyman molds, as well as many custom target molds. You can check weights and lengths for those molds molds here:

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

With that info, you can check for stability with this program that considers the bullet's nose shape and the CG to get the stability factor.

About the program:

History 
This program is basically a slick version of Robert McCoy's "McGyro" DOS program, written in the late 1980's when he worked for the U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. It was later improved by William Davis Jr. of Tioga Engineering and the claim was an accuracy of 5% for super and subsonic velocities, and 10% for trans-sonic velocities.

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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #2 - Feb 5th, 2016 at 8:00am
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Thanks for the links.
But it still seems to me that there must be a formula for this.
Grains of lead fill a space and that space can be measured.
I'll have to continue the search.
Thanks again,
Dave
  

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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #3 - Feb 5th, 2016 at 9:28am
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Dave
To calculate the proper twist for a bullet, length is as critical a consideration as weight. A .322 diameter, 190 grain blunt nose bullet might be approximately .98 in length. A .322, 190 grain, long nose spitzer bullet might be approx 1.13 long. Run those bullet specifications through one of the calculators and you will find they take different rifling twists for stabilization.
Hope that helps
  

Randy W
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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #4 - Feb 5th, 2016 at 12:07pm
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Dave,
What Randy is saying is right on and along with the shape of the nose, the depth of the grooves as well as the band to groove width, will change the length of the bullet.

While the weight of the bullet will have a very minor effect on twist, it's the length that has the most effect.

Frank
  

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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #5 - Feb 5th, 2016 at 1:21pm
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Hm - When I run it for my 0.95" long .308 bullet at 171grs, 1060 fps, it shows to be amply stable in my 1 in 15 twist - but the target doesn't agree...  There are signs of tipping.
  
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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #6 - Feb 5th, 2016 at 1:46pm
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MartiniBelgian,
Which site are you using? What is the shape of the nose? Can you post a picture of the bullet?

Frank
  

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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #7 - Feb 5th, 2016 at 1:58pm
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MartiniBelgian,
If it's the 311403 bullet and you have a meplat close to the .2 that I posted for a members mold. you have a factor of 1.4, close to the edge of stability.

I agree with Dave about tipping. This is a 246 6c target I shot at Modesto, with sever tipping but, I've also shot a 249 w/o any tipping. Same rifle.

Frank
  

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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #8 - Feb 6th, 2016 at 1:45am
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Bullet is the 308403 Pope which at 1060 fps gives an Sg of 1.72 with the Miller calculation as published above.  And yes, it's accurate - but would it remain so at longer ranges?  Also, a tipping bullet has quite a  bit more wind drift.
Seems to me that the formula might be good for supersonic bullets, but the subsonic range poses some other issues...
  
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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #9 - Feb 6th, 2016 at 2:21am
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MartiniBelgian,
You can see in the Geoffrey-Kolbe program, how much subsonic effects the bullet stability. This is a graph of the .95 long 308403 bullet. I believe the normal length should be closer to .96 though and that would decrease stability, even more.

Frank
  

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Re: Bullet length calculator
Reply #10 - Feb 6th, 2016 at 6:04am
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Yes - that one shows marginal stabilty, the miller formula shows ample stability - probably the Miller formula is off then.
  
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