By "They" I mean't any ammo manufacturer, particularly the ones who make higher end options like Eley or Lapua.
Cutting edge bullets are going to be a thing
- Thread starter scuba52
- Start date
By "They" I mean't any ammo manufacturer, particularly the ones who make higher end options like Eley or Lapua.
Cutting Edge didn't just pick 1:6 at random, they know what they are doing.
Bullet weight is not the only factor that affects bullet stability. Miller's formula for bullet stability includes mass, diameter, length and gyroscopic stability factor.
t = twist
m = bullet mass
s = gyroscopic stability
l = bullet length in calibers
d - bullet diameter
Length in is the denominator, hence if you have two equal mass bullets but one is longer, the longer one will need a faster twist. Solid copper bullets are longer then lead jacketed since copper is less dense, so for equal weight the solid copper have to be physically larger. Diameter is the same, so they have to be longer.
Also, in the formula, length is squared, so the length has a greater impact on the twist then the mass.
Unless we have the above numbers for the 32gr bullets, we can't be sure of the required twist.
Lastly, there is essentially no downside to over-stabilizing a bullet. You have to push it very fast to make it fly apart, and a .22lr case can't get a 32gr bullet going fast enough to fragment due to rotational forces.
If this does come to be an actual thing, and im not holding my breath, the average shooter wont be able to afford the ammo or the gun so whats the point. If i want to hit something at 1000 yards i sure as Hell aint gonna poke a rimfire at it. Well I may have to retract that statement if the greasy little weasel running our country has his way. We all may be looking at how to build a better slingshot!!! Im going to believe that unless the SD and velocity can be held to extremely tight tolerances the possibilities of reliably hitting anything regularly at these distances is BS. I also dont believe everything you see on the internet or Youtube,Twitter whatever.Food for thought, if with the most expensive ammo available has sporadic results and dependant on lot numbers, what company will be able to provide a primed case that can be loaded better than theyve been doing for a very long time. Maybe im gonna start putting empty rimfire cases under my pillow and wait for the accuracy fairy to leave me some of these new casings HAHA. I have a car a little old lady only drove to church and i can let you have it for a song!!!!
Cutting Edge didn't just pick 1:6 at random, they know what they are doing.
Bullet weight is not the only factor that affects bullet stability. Miller's formula for bullet stability includes mass, diameter, length and gyroscopic stability factor.
t = twist
m = bullet mass
s = gyroscopic stability
l = bullet length in calibers
d - bullet diameter
Length in is the denominator, hence if you have two equal mass bullets but one is longer, the longer one will need a faster twist. Solid copper bullets are longer then lead jacketed since copper is less dense, so for equal weight the solid copper have to be physically larger. Diameter is the same, so they have to be longer.
Also, in the formula, length is squared, so the length has a greater impact on the twist then the mass.
Unless we have the above numbers for the 32gr bullets, we can't be sure of the required twist.
Lastly, there is essentially no downside to over-stabilizing a bullet. You have to push it very fast to make it fly apart, and a .22lr case can't get a 32gr bullet going fast enough to fragment due to rotational forces.
While we can't be sure what twist is required, simple logic dictates a 75gr VLD is going to be a lot longer than a 32gr pill, regardless of the lead vs copper construction, and Berger calls for a minimum of 1:8 twist for their 75gr VLD in 224cal. Hell, Barnes only calls for a 1:8 twist for their 62gr 224cal TTSX, which is also full copper and practically twice the weight of the Cutting Edge 22lr bullet. The lightest Barnes 22cal TTSX bullet is 50gr and they only call for a 1:12 twist for that one.
I'm sure Cutting Edge knows their stuff, it would be nice to get an explanation from them about why they chose 1:6 when all evidence I can look at suggests something slower should do the trick. Maybe its just due to the relatively slow velocity of the 22lr, which means it doesn't spin as fast as say a 223rem?
Readers should keep in mind that Cutting Edge Bullets maintains that their bullets, in their own words, "shoot perfectly in a standard 1 - 16 barrel." According to Cutting Edge, the 1:16 barrel produces better accuracy at 100 yards (1/2" groups) than the 1:6 barrel (3/4" groups). At the same time, Cutting Edge suggests that the 1:6 barrel accuracy becomes better than that of the 1:16 the further the distance to the target. They give no indication, however, at what distance the 1:6 barrel overtakes the 1:16 in accuracy.
The question remains how and why the 1:6 barrel is supposedly able to improve its accuracy over the 1:16 once its bullets pass 100 yards and continues downrange. When do they become more accurate than the 1:16 barrel? Is it at 150 yards or 200 yards? Or is it even further out? Is it possible to meaningfully compare group sizes beyond 300 yards?
Even in the absence of an explanation for the difference between the accuracy of the two barrels, it should be noted that Cutting Edge would be shooting itself in the foot, so to speak, if its bullets only worked well with the unusual 1:6 twist .22LR barrel. If it shot poorly in standard 1:16 barrels the size of the market for the product would be very limited. How many shooters would commit themselves to barreling their rifles with 1:6 barrels that were best suited to Cutting Edge ammo, not regular .22LR ammo? That would be a prohibitively expensive proposition for many shooters.
Add to that the cost of monolithic copper bullets and there is reason to pause. The least expensive .22 centerfire Cutting Edge bullets are about $34 (USD) for 50. For the Cutting Edge .22LR bullets to be relatively affordable, they would have to be considerably less expensive to be an attractive alternative to the ammo currently available. On top of the the bullets, it's necessary to include the cost of the primed cases and propellant. In order to be successful in the marketplace, even if Cutting Edge finds an ammo making partner, the ready-to-shoot ammo must be relatively competative with the best .22LR match ammo. If they can do this they may have a winner.
