Folks, Just FYI

Check your SMK 80 tips very close.

I had to load up some 600 yard loads using SMK 80's.

I happened to finish the first 100 with a box that was sitting open. When I went to do the next 100, I reached for another box from a stack.

I caught a glimpse of the tip when I checked the CBTO number and noticed "hey, that looks really different...".

It looks "pointed" and the open tips are tiny compared to the previous box. I pulled 10 from the first batch and 10 from the second batch and took them to the range.

The ShotMarker and LabRadar say these should not be mixed!

There was an honest 1/2 MOA shift up on the pointy ones, and the velocity at 600 yards explains it well.

Older open tips hit 600 yards at an average 1743 SD 30.2, and new pointy ones hit at 1818 SD 20.4

At the muzzle, both batches were at 2719 SD 12.9 and 2723 SD 9.2 respectively, so basically an identical muzzle velocity but with a significant BC effect at 600 yards.

Watch close and don't let new boxes run with old ones.

They've pointed them for at least a couple years.

I finished loading some 600yd ammo tonight. 178gr BTHP look pointed, but still less pointy and consistent than the ELD.

What's inconsistent about the eld?

The BTHP meplat is less consistent than the ELD.

Okay HighpowerRifleBrony... once again you made a believer out of me...

I opened up some other match bullets and I agree, the ELD tips look uniform and old open tips leave a lot to be desired.

I guess that is why Whidden sold so many pointing dies. I was watching guys with power tools in their laps pointing bullets just before a match at BSWN.

At 600, if that is a half MOA difference, it is worth it by the time you go to 1000.