The new generation Berger LRHT Match bullets come with Meplat Reduction Technology™ (MRT) for more consistent BCs. Essentially they are “pointed” at the factory. Likewise, many of Sierra’s most popular MatchKing bullets are now factory-pointed in a final production stage. However, for most other bullet types, you can benefit from using a bullet pointing system to make the meplats more consistent.

Gear Review by GS Arizona

This article originally appeared in the Rifleman’s Journal website.
Many of you have doubtlessly read Bryan Litz’s articles in our Daily Bulletin and on his Applied Ballistics website about various current long-range bullets. Bryan’s work carries a great deal of weight in the world of ballistics, so his comments (and mathematical proofs) regarding the benefits of bullet pointing certainly caught my attention. Bullet pointing, like meplat trimming, is an effort to reduce the ballistic inconsistency created by the somewhat jagged tip of the jacket where the bullet forming dies bring it to a point in the manufacturing process. Of course, we could eliminate this problem altogether by shooting closed-tip, open-base bullets like the Lapua D46, but that merely shifts the jacket problem to the other end of the bullet.

In any event, hollow point bullets rule the accuracy world today, so John Whidden, multi-time National Long Range Champion and a talented gunsmith to boot, came up with a very handy tool to let us make those hollow points pointier. Let’s have a look at John’s tool and see how it works.

The Whidden Bullet Pointing Die System uses a Forster bullet seating die body as its basic structure and that’s a good choice given the quality machining Forster does on these. The real heart of the tool comes in two parts: the caliber sleeve and the pointing die that fits inside the sleeve. In fact, to point up different caliber bullets, you only need to change the caliber sleeve, everything else remains the same. The last item is the bullet base that slips into a standard .308 shellholder and supports the bullet as it goes into the die body.

It took me less than five minutes to get everything set up, including changing the caliber sleeve from 6mm to .30 caliber. John’s instruction sheets are well illustrated and clearly written; you should have no problem getting up and running.

Pointing the bullets is as easy as sizing a piece of brass. You can see in the second photo above the difference between a few pointed bullets and a few un-pointed ones. The innermost pointed bullet in the picture was my first attempt and I adjusted the die a little after that, you can see that the others are closed a little more. John even includes a couple of sample bullets so that you can see one done right and one done wrong. That is a nice addition that can help you achieve the desired results.

This YouTube Video Shows the Whidden Bullet Pointing Die in Action

I think Bryan’s work supports the validity of this concept and John’s tool puts it into practice in a simple-to-use manner that makes it just about impossible to do any damage to the bullet. I have shot pointed bullets in various calibers at many matches now. Pointing is not a “miracle cure”, but I believe that pointing bullet tips can produce long-range accuracy gains, through reduced vertical dispersion, for many popular types of match bullets. The Whidden Bullet Pointing Die System retails for $220.00 (with one insert). Additional die inserts are $42.00 each. Extra caliber sleeves are also $42.00. You can purchase directly from Whidden Gunworks, or from Sinclair International.

A hot new 6.5mm match bullet has arrived — the Berger 144-grain Hybrid. This new 144-grainer, officially called the Long Range Hybrid Target (LRHT), features a formed meplat (bullet tip) for more consistent Ballistic Coefficient (BC). With its new MRT (Meplat Reduction Technology) nose, the new 144gr LRHT boasts a high-BC, “jump-tolerant” hybrid ogive profile along with an extremely consistent BC. In fact, Doppler Radar testing confirms less than 1% BC variation from bullet to bullet. While a high BC is of course desirable for competitive shooting, shot-to-shot BC consistency is most critical when engaging targets to 600 yards and beyond. The 144’s BC numbers are very impressive for a 6.5mm bullet: 0.655 G1 and 0.336 G7.

AccurateShooter.com plans to test these new 144s very soon — we’ve sent some to championship-level shooters. The new 144s should prove very popular. These bullets are optimized for leading accuracy and long-range cartridges such as 6.5mm Creedmoor, 6.5×47 Lapua, Remington .260, 6.5-284, and 6.5 PRC among others. NOTE: Berger states that the new 144gr LRHT offers the same stability factor as Berger’s 140gr Hybrid Target. Accordingly, the new 144-grainer can be considered a “direct replacement” for the proven Berger 140gr Hybrids. And YES, the 144gr LRHT will work in 1:8″-twist barrels.

“The 6.5mm 144 Grain LRHTs offer several advantages”, said Bryan Litz, Berger’s Chief Ballistician. “The ultra-sleek profile provides a higher Ballistic Coefficient (BC) resulting in less wind drift at all ranges. The proprietary MRT manufacturing process also provides a higher and more consistent BC, important for reducing dispersion at long range.”

“During our initial Doppler Radar testing we concluded that the new 6.5mm 144gr Long Range Hybrid Target bullets consistently displayed ballistic coefficients with standard deviations far less than one percent of the documented average” reports Garett Stoddard, Berger Engineer. “Driven at muzzle velocities typical for today’s popular 6.5mm cartridges, that variation translates to only a 2″ vertical group dispersion at 1000 yards. [This demonstrates] the advantage of the Meplat Reduction Technology, as well as the importance of ballistic coefficient consistency.”

The new 6.5mm 144 Grain Long Range Hybrid Target is the latest offering in Berger’s impressive Long Range Hybrid Target (LRHT) product line, which also includes .224-Cal and 6mm projectiles:

Meplat Reduction Technology for More Consistent BCs
Berger’s new 6.5mm 144gr Long Range Hybrid Target is designed to provide Benchrest, F-Class, and PRS enthusiasts a class-leading level of precision and consistency. Utilizing advanced/proprietary manufacturing processes, Berger’s Meplat Reduction Technology™ (MRT™) System applies controlled pressure along the projectile nose, producing a homogeneous and repeatable bullet profile. This yields what Berger claims are “the industry’s most consistent Ballistic Coefficients (BC)”.

The Berger 6.5mm 144 Grain Long Range Hybrid Target™ Bullets will be available very soon at authorized Berger Retailers. Use the Berger Dealer Locator to find a store near you.

At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.

1. Sportsman’s Warehouse — Great Gun Sale (100 guns on sale)

If you’re in the market for a new handgun, rifle, or shotgun, then head over to the Sportsman’s Warehouse Great Gun Sale. There are 100 different firearms on sale — hunting rifles, shotguns, defensive pistols — you name it. There are so many options, we decided to link the full sale page, so you can pick your own favorites from 100 different gun options.

2. EuroOptic.com — Vortex Scope Clearance Sale, Save Hundreds

Vortex scopes have become very popular for good reason. Vortex scopes deliver great performance for the price and Vortex offers a rock-solid lifetime warranty. Right now at EuroOptic.com you can save hundreds on Vortex Viper, Razor, and Strike Eagle riflescopes. Six of the deals are shown above, but there are more options on EuroOptic’s Vortex Close-Out Sale Page.

3. Grafs.com — Berger .22-Cal 85.5 gr Bullets, $37.99

Did you read our recent article on the new Meplat Reduction Technology (MRT) that Berger is incorporating into their bullets and couldn’t wait to grab some? Grafs.com now has the 85.5 gr 22-caliber (.224) bullets in stock. This high-BC .22 caliber bullet could potentially be a game-change for F-TR and Palma shooters. The BC is very consistent and initial testing has shown great accuracy potential.

4. Gander Outdoors — .308 Win Ruger Precision Rifle, $799.82

The Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) is hard to beat for the price among entry-level chassis rifles. And here is one of the best prices for an RPR that we’ve ever seen. If you’re in the market for an RPR, grab this .308 Win RPR for a just $799.82. If you’re looking for a 6mm version, check out this Ruger Precision Rifle in 6mm Creedmoor for $1071.99.

5. Bruno’s — RCBS ChargeMaster Combo, $259.95

Newer, App-controlled powder scale/dispensers have recently entered the marketplace, but the original RCBS ChargeMaster Combo Powder Dispenser continues to be a reliable workhorse preferred by many dedicated hand-loaders. Grab one of these ChargeMaster Combos for just $259.95 at Bruno’s. That’s a steal — other vendors are charging $348.00 or more! This ChargeMaster will provide years of reliable service. We do recommend using the check weights before each loading session to calibrate the scale.

6. Bruno’s — Flavio Fare Triggers Now in Stock

If you’re looking for a trigger that is amazingly crisp and has the lightest, most reliable trigger pull on the market, then check out Flavio Fare Triggers. These triggers are used by some of the top shooters in the country. If you looking for a competitive advantage, grab one and see what the hype is about.

7. Amazon — BOG-POD Field Bi-Pod, $38.68

If you’re looking for a versatile, stable and easy-to-carry field support, check out the latest BOG-POD Camo Bipod. Featuring adjustable legs with a 40-degree max angle, the BOG-POD Bipod can be used while sitting, standing, or kneeling. This kid of support is highly recommended for shooting on hills where a conventional bipod doesn’t offer enough elevation. Watch the video below to see the BOG-POD in action.

8. Amazon — Scent Safe Travel Bag, $26.81

Here’s a valuable product for hunters. This Scent-Safe product helps mask odors that give away your location to your prey. Store your gear in the Hunter Specialties Scent Safe Travel Bag to help ensure a successful hunt. As one reviewer said, “I use these to store my bow hunting clothes during and between seasons, after washing with them scent control soap, to keep outside scents away. I add a few earth scented wafers to the inner pockets which does a good job adding a cover scent. Take the whole bag with me on hunts and just remove what I need for each hunt. What I don’t use stays in the bag and scent free for the next hunt.”

9. CHL Targets — Official Competition Targets and Fun Targets

Finding quality competition targets (at a good price) can be challenging if you don’t need 300 at a time. CHL Targets has a very complete selection of targets at great prices. CHL sells official NRA, IBS, and NBRSA match targets. In addition, CHL Targets offers splatter-type reactive targets. All competition, sight-in, and fun targets are sold at very competitive prices. Quantity discounts are offered for ranges and clubs.

10. Midsouth Shooters — 17 HMR V-Max 500 Round Brick, $89.99

Here’s a great deal for varmint shooters with 17 HMR rifles. Midsouth has the Hornady 17 HMR brick of 500 for a low price of $89.99. That works out to just 18 cents per round — cheap enough that you can blast sage rats all days long and never worry about running out of ammo.