Boat tail handgun bullets

steelbird · January 7, 2015, 01:56 PM

I recently got a bunch of Hornady 147 grain 9mm XTP bullets, and they have a slight boat tail taper. Made seating them really easy. I know that Hornady also has a 140 grain pistol bullet ( .38 FTX, if I remember rightly ) with a boat tail taper. I've heard the arguments, pro and con, about handgun bullets with a boat tail style design. Not what this post is about. I'm wondering if there are any other boat tail style pistol bullets out there, of any caliber and other manufacturers. Does anyone know if there are others?

dahermit · January 7, 2015, 02:08 PM

"boat tails" (the slight taper on handgun bulets), unlike rifle boat tails, are only for the purpose of easier (than flat based) hand loading. The one that comes to mind for me are the various double-ended cast wad cutter designs. I do not shot commercial bullets (only my own cast), so I do not know what jacketed bullets may have that slight chamfer (to slight to call it a boat-tail).

pctechdude · January 7, 2015, 02:26 PM

I believe the boat tail on the 147 gr xtp is to keep the cases from bulging. With how long the bullet is compared to the slight taper of the 9mm case, it would likely present some issues in chambering with a bulge present. Hence the boat tail design.

Also makes it very easy to load 357 Sig with as well.

mikld · January 7, 2015, 02:53 PM

I agree, "bevel bases" on handgun bullets are mainly for seating ease. There are some that claim a bevel based bullet is not as accurate as a flat based bullet. They say the hot gasses get around the base and on lead bullets, cause leading and loss of accuracy, and on jacketed bullets the "unequal force" and/or hot gas erosion of the jacket reduces accuracy. I'm not of that thinking, and shoot both bevel based and flat based handgun bullets equally...

trapper9260 · January 7, 2015, 05:49 PM

Bevel Base jacket bullets are for mainly use on progressive loaders to make it easyer to load same as on cast.i shoot both and I do not have any problems with them in both for handgun in a t press and single stage .But rifle is boat tail but it is not on handgun it is bevel base.

steelbird · January 7, 2015, 09:48 PM

Appreciate the nomeclature info - I didn't know they were referred to as bevel base. Still wondering if there are others beyond those Hornady bullets, though. Those 147s work well out of my p07. Wondering if there was one in .45ACP that would work with my RIA 1911, and if there were others in general.

skizzums · January 8, 2015, 09:29 PM

we can all debate the differences in ballistics of different hollow-points, but there isn't much argument that XTP's are extremely accurate bullets. bevel base or not, I would just pick up some xtp's for your .45, bevel base or not, they will still shoot great if you work up a good load. the 147;s are awesome in 9mm, but the most accurate for me is the 90gr XTP though. some feel like they are only for .380, but they are awesome shooters in 9mm

January 7, 2015, 01:56 PM	#1
steelbird Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2010 Posts: 180	Boat tail handgun bullets I recently got a bunch of Hornady 147 grain 9mm XTP bullets, and they have a slight boat tail taper. Made seating them really easy. I know that Hornady also has a 140 grain pistol bullet ( .38 FTX, if I remember rightly ) with a boat tail taper. I've heard the arguments, pro and con, about handgun bullets with a boat tail style design. Not what this post is about. I'm wondering if there are any other boat tail style pistol bullets out there, of any caliber and other manufacturers. Does anyone know if there are others?

January 7, 2015, 02:53 PM	#4
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	I agree, "bevel bases" on handgun bullets are mainly for seating ease. There are some that claim a bevel based bullet is not as accurate as a flat based bullet. They say the hot gasses get around the base and on lead bullets, cause leading and loss of accuracy, and on jacketed bullets the "unequal force" and/or hot gas erosion of the jacket reduces accuracy. I'm not of that thinking, and shoot both bevel based and flat based handgun bullets equally... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

January 8, 2015, 09:29 PM	#7
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	we can all debate the differences in ballistics of different hollow-points, but there isn't much argument that XTP's are extremely accurate bullets. bevel base or not, I would just pick up some xtp's for your .45, bevel base or not, they will still shoot great if you work up a good load. the 147;s are awesome in 9mm, but the most accurate for me is the 90gr XTP though. some feel like they are only for .380, but they are awesome shooters in 9mm __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

January 7, 2015, 02:08 PM	#2
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	"boat tails" (the slight taper on handgun bulets), unlike rifle boat tails, are only for the purpose of easier (than flat based) hand loading. The one that comes to mind for me are the various double-ended cast wad cutter designs. I do not shot commercial bullets (only my own cast), so I do not know what jacketed bullets may have that slight chamfer (to slight to call it a boat-tail).

January 7, 2015, 02:26 PM	#3
pctechdude Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2013 Posts: 159	I believe the boat tail on the 147 gr xtp is to keep the cases from bulging. With how long the bullet is compared to the slight taper of the 9mm case, it would likely present some issues in chambering with a bulge present. Hence the boat tail design. Also makes it very easy to load 357 Sig with as well.

January 7, 2015, 05:49 PM	#5
trapper9260 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 119	Bevel Base jacket bullets are for mainly use on progressive loaders to make it easyer to load same as on cast.i shoot both and I do not have any problems with them in both for handgun in a t press and single stage .But rifle is boat tail but it is not on handgun it is bevel base.

January 7, 2015, 09:48 PM	#6
steelbird Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2010 Posts: 180	Appreciate the nomeclature info - I didn't know they were referred to as bevel base. Still wondering if there are others beyond those Hornady bullets, though. Those 147s work well out of my p07. Wondering if there was one in .45ACP that would work with my RIA 1911, and if there were others in general.