Ballistic coefficient- determines how efficiently a bullet travels through air; the higher the BC number is, the more aerodynamic the bullet.

Sectional density- diameter-versus-weight ratio of a bullet. The higher the sectional density, the greater the SD number (which increases with weight-for-caliber), the more penetratign potential the bullet has.

Wow! Lookit all the 280 fans here. And all along I figured I needed to organize a 280 support group cause I was the only guy I knew who had one. Bought mine in a Ruger No 1. The caliber intrigued me and the wood in the Ruger finished me off. Love it and have taken it for moose and deer. Wouldn't hesitate to use it on black bears.

your not alone most 280 fans simply go about there daily lives and not carry on. its a cartridge that does its job and does it well without a lot of fan fare or recoil and blast.

I don't know about now but I never saw one in a left hand bolt or I might have owned one. I once thought about having a 30-06 rebarreled.

Ahhhhh, another Lefty eh? Same here so thats why I had to buy in the Ruger single shot.

Capt. O - you might want to check your definition of Ballistic Coefficient, there's a few key pieces missing there that might help explain a lot of things.

And as far as sectional density, while being a cool sounding term to throw around (lately it seems to be the most in vogue but most mis-applied term in hunting publications), it pretty well goes out the window when bullets hit and start expanding and tumbling. I know it's not as fun to say, but the concept of momentum is far more applicable. In other words, the heavier a bullet is, the further it is willing to travel. Take a look at the traditional African calibers with low sectional density and their ability to penetrate vs. smaller bullets with higher sectional densities and even higher velocities.

And as far as flight capability and sectional density it is still a small part of the picture. In theory, it seems like a huge deal, but in reality it doesn't buy you much due to the fact that a bullet can only be so long and realistically be stabilized - the main reason calibers get bigger as bullet weights increase. If you do a little research, you'll also find that sectional density is a part of the ballistic coefficient, but that's as far as I'm going.

True, bigger bullets hold their energy longer than smaller bullets. An example is a 150gr vs a 180gr in a 30-06. Although the 180gr starts out 200fps slower, at 300 yards & further it surpases the 150gr. I care about the BC if i plan to shoot long range such as varmints.

That's because the 30-06 180 has a higher ballistic coefficient (usually) than the 150 grain bullet of the same caliber. It also has a higher sectional density, making it a much better choice for larger-than-deer game such as elk.

The other part of the definition of ballistic coefficient is that it is the ration of a bullet's sectional density to its coefficient of form.

awsome caliber for all kinds of animals