Bevel base bullets

[Qc Pistolero]

I know that theorically,a BB bullet should not be as accurate as a flat base.When I bought my .41mag,I ordered a 220gr Saeco SWC for it.I started casting and,heck!the thing threw BB bullets.Long story short,the darn thing shoots so accurately(full loads mind you!)that I might just order another mould,that one for my 44s BB and do without the hassle of gas checking.Anybody else had a similar(or opposite)experience?
Qc

 

[Nevada Ed]

Some like BB bullets because they start into a case easier than a flat base bullet.
Some say the flat base bullet help prevent gas blow by and a
few more things.

I don't have trouble seating flat base bullets and in pistols I
don't worry about any stinking gas blow by. Over the years
I have had accuracy with BB and FB bullets in lead or jacket coatings.

I even have a Lead FB, RN lead bullet that is accurate out of a
snub nose J frame !!

I guess I am not too fussy.

 

[ageingstudent]

Some like BB bullets because they start into a case easier than a flat base bullet.
Some say the flat base bullet help prevent gas blow by and a
few more things.

I don't have trouble seating flat base bullets and in pistols I
don't worry about any stinking gas blow by. Over the years
I have had accuracy with BB and FB bullets in lead or jacket coatings.

I even have a Lead FB, RN lead bullet that is accurate out of a
snub nose J frame !!

I guess I am not too fussy.

I say if it fits it ships Ed

 

[ageingstudent]

I know that theorically,a BB bullet should not be as accurate as a flat base.When I bought my .41mag,I ordered a 220gr Saeco SWC for it.I started casting and,heck!the thing threw BB bullets.Long story short,the darn thing shoots so accurately(full loads mind you!)that I might just order another mould,that one for my 44s BB and do without the hassle of gas checking.Anybody else had a similar(or opposite)experience?
Qc

I've shot a lot of both QC. I've never had anything outside of what I'd call normal growing pains getting either to work.

 

[rockquarry]

Not really much if anything in the way of accuracy difference, but for a bullet caster, the bevel base bullet is messier to work with when sizing and lubricating if using a conventional cast bullet lube. With a beveled bullet base, lube adheres to the bevel and not necessarily in a neat and uniform manner. No such problem with a flat base design.

 

[Wise_A]

I'd prefer a flat base, but my favorite casters all prefer to make bevel based, because so many reloaders like them.

 

[M29since14]

I have always favored plain, flat-base cast bullets, but I have shot a fair amount of bevel-base bullets over the years, mainly in .38 Special and .45 Automatic, and I admit I am not a good enough shot to believe they are any disadvantage in terms of accuracy - nor have I ever noticed any leading issues.

The old Lyman 35863 design has a considerable bevel. I remember being very skeptical of it when I first saw it. Over the years, I have had the impression it always shot better than I could hold. I just shot some from a little Model 36 last evening. It's always amazing how well that combination seems to work.

 

[bluetopper]

A benchrest shooter with a long barreled revolver at 50 yards can tell a difference between flat base and bevel base bullets but other than that, no.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

Not really much if anything in the way of accuracy difference, but for a bullet caster, the bevel base bullet is messier to work with when sizing and lubricating if using a conventional cast bullet lube. With a beveled bullet base, lube adheres to the bevel and not necessarily in a neat and uniform manner. No such problem with a flat base design.

I agree that with a RCBS or Lyman sizer/lubricater,it must be messy.I'm lucky to have a Star which doesn't have the problem and is much faster.
Qc

 

[rwsmith]

About anything I load...

About anything I load shoots better than I can. Fine differences don't matter much. BB. BT, WC, Flat base. I could probably buy well sized lead balls and get the same results. But it is nice and I do appreciate people showing their half of a minute of angle results at 300 yards. I have a hard time seeing a target at 100.

 

[gwpercle]

In theory FB should shoot better than BB , but in practice I haven't seen a big deal of difference.
For years I avoided BB bullets , then was given 1000 38 SWC cast by Valiant Bullet co. , I have to admit at 50 yards or less I don't see any difference and they were more accurate than a lot of my carefully hand cast flat based SWC's...go figure.
By properly adjusting my 450 , location of the die holes in relation to bullet base is critical and using the correct amount of pressure , I can size/lube bevel base bullets with no problem....you just have to know how to do it.
They didn't lead the barrel either....Gary

 

[twodog max]

I think that bevel base bullets are more prone to leading due to gas blow by. I know I seem to experience leading with them. I only cast flat base myself. Accuracy wise I can't honestly say I can tell any difference.

 

[rockquarry]

I've never noticed a difference between leading or lack of leading with bevel base or flat base designs. My guess would be that that a bevel base bullet would be no more prone to leading than a flat base. The only way to know for sure would be to do some extensive controlled testing.

As for an accuracy difference between flat base and bevel base cast bullets...I think this information appeared in AMERICAN RIFLEMAN some years ago when it had a technical staff and published far better articles, even handloading and cast bullet stuff. Col. E.H Harrison did many very thorough cast bullet experiments.

I believe it was a Harrison article where he concluded the bevel base H&G #68 was slightly (very slightly, if I recall correctly) more accurate than the flat base #68 in the .45 ACP. He over-tested everything and knew what he was talking about.

Mnay of Harrison's cast bullet articles were compiled in an NRA publication, "Cast Bullets". Don't know whether it's still in print, but it's worth reading.