Hunters across the United States want the best weapons, the best rounds and the best equipment for their endeavors. So, if you’ve been searching the internet for the best ammo, you will have almost certainly have come across cartridges with a 5.56 ballistic tip.
What are these rounds for? Well, they typically feature a hollow point and a solid plastic polymer filling the front cavity. The result is a bullet with a fantastically aerodynamic form, which expands and fragments when it hits the target.
5.56 Ballistic Tip Rounds Fly Further
While the word ‘ballistic’ is one that people tend to associate with long-range nuclear missiles first, 5.56 ballistic tip rounds are popular with American gun owners. Having ‘ballistic’ in the round’s name simply means that it’s design allows it to fly straighter and further – making them awesome for long-range shooting and hunting.
The round is also able to offer uniform expansion, as the bullet’s tip is driven in a backwards direction – depending, of course, on the precise line of fire. This type of bullet is manufactured pretty much only for hunting rifles, although they can be fired from a select few muzzleloaders and pistols.
Pros of Ballistic Tip Rounds
Ask any hunter with experience, and they will attest to the fact that ballistic tip rounds are known for being very predictable. As such, when hunting pronghorns and whitetails (i.e. game with thin skin), you’re going to get a kill pretty much every time your aim is true.
You see, these bullets offer an expansion that offers a fatal shot 99 times out of 100. When put into the hands of a seasoned marksman, you’re going to get great results.
Cons of Ballistic Tip Rounds
Obviously, there aren’t many products in any industry that offer perfection, meaning that there are going to be disadvantages too. As as far as these rounds go, they’re often best when hunting smaller critters, as they don’t tend to perform too when well hunting larger animals like bears and moose.
That said, in the world of varmint hunting, there’s not many better, more reliable rounds on the market, so if that’s primarily what you use your rifle for, it’s a product we’d seriously recommend taking a look at.
5. 56 Ballistic Rounds – Great For Varmint Shooting
When you want a great round for hunting varmints, then there aren’t many better options for you to choose from, so if that’s your reason for being a gun owner, you’re on to a winner when you opt for this type of popular cartridge. It’s reliable, great over long distances and has the necessary stopping power to bring down those pesty critters that attack your livestock (if you have any).
However, if you’re more into hunting game that’s big enough to fill up the back of your pickup, then you should go for something that offers a lot more in the way of penetration. Ballistic tip rounds are built for flight, not for punching power, so they just won’t give you the performance you need for success.