Doppler radar testing has shown that tip deformation or melting occurs out to ranges of 500 to 600 yards, depending on the ballistic coefficient. Bullets designed for conventional ranges up to 400 yards, such as the SST, do not have long enough time of flight over these distances to show a significant effect of tip deformation in a... Continue Reading

Every bullet manufacturer's tips begin to melt and deform depending on their specific material properties. In general, standard acetals and Delrins, currently used in bullet tips, begin to soften and deform at 150 to 200 degrees (F). At 250 to 350 degrees (F), they will begin to melt and badly deform. The longer the exposure... Continue Reading

It is a function of the softening point of the plastic, air temperature, ballistic coefficient (BC) and the maximum velocity. Basically, it is how long the bullet tip is exposed to what level of temperature. The higher the muzzle velocity, the higher the maximum temperature on the tip. The higher the BC, the longer the tip is exposed to... Continue Reading

Hornady® ELD-X™ and ELD™ Match bullets that feature the Heat Shield™ tip are transitioning from a translucent red to a more opaque red color to avoid a trademark conflict with another manufacturer. The increase in red dye does not affect the performance of the new Heat Shield™ tip and its ability to resist... Continue Reading