The perfect bullet (theoretically)

[Aster]

So this is what a shooting forum moderator does when he's killing some time (some reading of Wikipedia was involved...)

There is a shape known as the Sears–Haack body which has the lowest theoretical drag possible (subject to a whole much of Stephen Hawking level math that I have no idea what any of it means).

So I thought, what would it look like in a bullet? I've mocked something up...

Like the descriptions say, 1,2,3 - a Sears–Haack body, then two in .30 calibre seated in a .308 and .300 Win Mag cartridge.

sears-haack-bullet.jpg (34.65 KiB) Viewed 10700 times

I think it's going to have to be limited to magnum cartridges though as I see some seating issues with shorter ones...

So yeah, NFI what anyone is going to do with that information but that's how I kill 10 minutes

[Chronos]

I'm almost certain a bullet of that shape would require a a sabot to keep it aligned with the bore during firing as there spread to be little parallel section

Let me know when you go into production and I'll happily volunteer to be involved in beta testing

Chronos

[Aster]

Just waiting on some multi-millionaire to donate a workshop, shooting range, remote firing mechanisms and bomb-shelter and I'll get on it.

Expect a phone call some time around... Never

[Warrigul]

A long time ago someone probably rubbished the idea of a minie and couldn't see how it would work compared to the ever popular patched round ball...

Dream away... If it hadn't been for dreamers we wouldn't have: smokeless powder, the .243, condoms etc etc

[NukeBOMB88]

What if up you made the round in .223 dimensions and then used a sabot to fire it from a larger calibre rifle like a .308?

[Chronos]

What if up you made the round in .223 dimensions and then used a sabot to fire it from a larger calibre rifle like a .308?

Yes, a 90 gr Seers-Haack bullet doing 3000fps would shoot pretty flat...not gonna flatten too many pigs unless you can get it to open up. Lol

[NukeBOMB88]

Well then maybe you could do the .223 sabot for foxes and a .25 calibre sabot for the pigs/deer?

[von_klitzing]

Yes, a 90 gr Seers-Haack bullet doing 3000fps would shoot pretty flat...not gonna flatten too many pigs unless you can get it to open up. Lol

Chronos is right... It'll shoot pinholes at your target. If you want it for game it'll be useless. I think they had this issue with the .223 in Vietnam yes??

[Carter]

Maybe you've discovered a new reloading technique, Aster?

You can deprime your .308 cases with the bullet when seating them

Now you just need to come up with a way to fill the brass with powder from the back... Hmm...

[scrolllock]

Just waiting on some multi-millionaire to donate a workshop, shooting range, remote firing mechanisms and bomb-shelter and I'll get on it.

Need an apprentice? I'd like to get in on that

[Aster]

I do... I just need all the other things first

[horter]

I wanna see one of these in action.

You should put in a phone call to Sierra or Berger or something who makes match bullets

[Oldbloke]

Have tried tapping some data into balistic calculator?

[Aster]

Take this with a grain of salt Oldbloke as I only very briefly looked into it but...

The BC changes with the size of projectile. The calculation for it is one of these mass divided by diameter squared over form coefficient.... and by then I'm lost and couldn't tell you what the hell I'm talking about any more

How you work it out for an actual calibre to get an accurate result I couldn't say at the moment.

If it was that easy someone would have made one by now I'm sure. Launching the thing is obviously the problem, as mentioned above a sabot is needed I'm sure, but I guess it's easier said than done.

If you work out the calculations though I'm all ears...

[Oldbloke]

Math is not my area. Thats why I suggested you do it. Lol

[Noisydad]

Aster you don't need to know what you're talking about, you just need to sound supremely confident and you'll get away with anything!

[Hinky]

Instead of the sabot I wonder if instead of using it as is with the curved side, if it has some flat bearing surface in the middle it could be fired as is...

[lapp]

That's a hell of a boat tail!

[1290]

The perfect bullet is defined.... it AKA the 'standard' bullet with a BC of 1.0.

That there is tending on a dart or almost a flechette...

If you want to design the perfect bullet, think about a conventional, yet streamlined shape with material density favouring the front of the bullet, ie. instead of the cavity in the front, a cavity in the rear to aid the self stabilisation of the proj in flight

[Aster]

Aster you don't need to know what you're talking about, you just need to sound supremely confident and you'll get away with anything!

I think I'll handball the work to 1290 as he seems to have some practical ideas for it

[Warrigul]

Material density is an interesting thought,

Accuracy wise it may be better for the projectile to have all its weight at the outer edge and spread it evenly front and back, make the bullet large calibre, hollow, point it at both ends and heavy. If you did have most of the weight on the outside of the bullet it would stabilise at lower RPM(think gyroscopic forces as in a bicycle wheel) therefore could be fired from a slow twist barrel and reach greater velocity with less powder and pressure. I am sure this would go some way to negating many of the factors that work against the flight path.

The weight in the center is only providing mass, it surely contributes very little to inertial stabilisation compared to the outer edge.

A while back we weretrying to get something that would match the original sight curve(we didn't succeed) on the Boyes, we made some hollow copper projectiles on the CNC ready to lead fill and just for a laugh made some hollow .50 cal ones as well and they were as accurate at the same speed(more or less) despite being lighter than the normal solid ones we run off.

I am no expert but there is definately something to be looked at there, but there is a whole lot of maths and stuff and I am still trying to figure out what all the F buttons on the calculator are for and I only have twenty fingers and toes.......

I am really wide open to ideas down this path.

[steyroy]

That there is tending on a dart or almost a flechette...

No one can seem to launch the things though from anything I've seen?

Not with any accuracy anyway.

[1290]

That there is tending on a dart or almost a flechette...

No one can seem to launch the things though from anything I've seen?

Not with any accuracy anyway.

Unfortunately, the Palestinians would have something to say about that....

[buster]

Accuracy not required when you're using them as shrapnel.