Why are 30-30, .22lr, and other bullets?

Question

flat nosed? I had an idea because of the way you load them into a tubular magazine but im not sure?

Answer 1

22 LR is normally not flat-point but round-nosed or hollow-point. It isn't powerful enough to worry about. Until Hornady came up with the LeveRevolution, centerfire rounds meant for rifles with tubular magazines, like the 30 WCF, did indeed require flat-nosed bullets to keep the tip of one bullet off the primer of the cartridge in front of it.
But please don't think of spitzer bullets as an automatic default design. While they're distinctly better in FMJ military applications, they aren't necessarily a better choice in a hunting bullet. Round-nosed bullets set up more reliably when they hit game, and the ballistic advantage of spitzers does not come into play until you get farther downrange than 90% of shots taken in the field.

Answer 2

The purpose for the flat nose on the bullets that you mention is because they are designed for a tublar magazine. If they had regular spitzer points the recoil of the gun could cause the bullet point of one bullet to strike the primer of the cartridge in front of it in the magazine and cause it to go off inside the magazine. However, now there are bullets with soft polymer spitzer points that won't strike the primer of the cartridge ahead of it and cause it to go off. This gives the advantage of having a spitzer point without having the danger of using such a bullet in a tublar magazine. This advantage is longer range and more retained energy at the target.

Answer 3

Karl Wolf is right. A 30-30 for example loads in a tubular mag, and the concussion of firing can activate the primers of the cartridges in the mag. BUT, there are new ammos that are made with pionted bullets made specifically for these mags. They have a soft plastic tip on the bullet and are completely safe. Never saw a .22 flat tip though.

Answer 4

In addition to being safer in tubular magazines, flat-pointed bullets have better killing power than round nosed, or spire-pointed bullets of the same caliber and velocity.

When the bullets are of the expanding type, the flat-point aids in expansion.

Doc

Answer 5

other reasons to consider here are that such calibers as the 30-30 and 35 rem and other slower moving large calibers have rounded blunt projectiles is that they stabilize much better at the slow speed they travel resulting in better accuracy. another reason is for the purpose in which those calibers serve, which in most cases is a brushy or heavily wooded area that a blunt projectile is less affected by knocking against branches during its flight, where pointed rounds are likely more defflected from such an occurance. as for the 22lr, well it is what it is and not a whole lot more. small varmints at less than 75 yards is the duty of the 22lr or match shooting competitions.

Answer 6

.22s and other rimfires that's not the case, there are many style bullet shapes. Because they are 'rimfire' it has nothing to do with the tube magazine.

On lever rifles, centerfire, you are correct, the projectile point would possibly be hitting the center position primner of the round behind it. Recent polymer tipped ammo for lever guns eliminates this danger and it makes the projectile fly much better and farther.

Answer 7

30-30 and lever actions for the safety issue of loading one behind the other.

Main reason for 22 is becuase they have no jacket, a pointed piece of lead that tiny will get bent out of shape just by dropping it or having it in your pocket.

When I say they have no jacket, even 'jacketed 22 bullets' are little more than painting or paper thin plating around soft lead.

Answer 8

You are correct, because with sharp pointed bullets the recoil can ingnite a chain fire situation in tubuler magaznes in rifles like the Winchester Model 94, and such rifles.

Answer 9

Well, since the front of the bullet rests on the primer of the one in front of it (In lever rifles) it's pretty good they're not pointed!

Answer 10

Ya know... I'm not sure. I believe it's just a manufacturing quirk.

Warm regards,
Douglas