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8x57

1888 pattern M/88 (left) alongside the 1905 pattern 7.92×57mm Mauser S Patrone.

The spitzer bullet, also commonly referred to as a spire point bullet, is primarily a small arms ballistics development of the late 19th and early 20th century, driven by military desire for aerodynamic bullet designs that will give a higher degree of accuracy and kinetic efficiency, especially at extended ranges. To achieve this the projectile must minimize air resistance in flight.

Bullets with a lower drag coefficient (Cd) decelerate less rapidly. A low drag coefficient flattens the projectile's trajectory somewhat at long ranges and also markedly decreases the lateral drift caused by crosswinds. The higher impact velocity of bullets with high ballistic coefficients means they retain more kinetic energy.

The name 'spitzer' is an anglicized form of the German word Spitzgeschoss, literally meaning "pointy bullet".

The development of spitzer bullets made military doctrines possible which expected rifle volleys at area targets at ranges up to 800 to 1,000 m (870 to 1,090 yd). Combined with machine guns equipped with clinometers that could deliver plunging fire or indirect fire at more than 3,000 m (3,280 yd), spitzer bullets greatly increased the lethality of the battlefield during World War I. After World War I some militaries adopted spitzer bullet designs with improved maximum ranges of 4,700 to 5,500 m (5,140 to 6,010 yd), though plunging fire or indirect fire methods were not commonly used by machine gunners during World War II.

Most spitzer bullets are loaded in intermediate and high-powered rifle cartridges.

History[]

Late 19th century[]

Balle D

Technical drawings of the French 1898 pattern Balle D bullet.

France[]

The spitzer bullet design was first introduced in 1898 as the Balle D by the French Army. The Balle D bullet was designed by captain Desaleux, in order to improve the ballistic performance of the existing French 8×50mmR Lebel service cartridge of 1886.

The original 1886 pattern 8×50mmR Lebel cartridge was an innovative service cartridge design, since it was the first military cartridge to use single-base smokeless, nitrocellulose based, (Poudre B) gunpowder as developed by Paul Vieille in 1884. The original 1886 pattern 8×50mmR Lebel was loaded with a 15.0 grams (231 gr) cupro-nickel jacketed lead-cored flat nosed wadcutter-style Balle M bullet designed by lieutenant colonel Nicolas Lebel achieving a muzzle velocity of 628 m/s (2,060 ft/s).

The new 1898 pattern 8×50mmR Lebel cartridge loaded with Desaleux's new lighter 12.8 grams (198 gr) Balle D spitzer bullet achieved a muzzle velocity of 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s), providing a somewhat flatter trajectory and a greatly improved maximum effective range. Besides having a pointed nose section the Balle D was also the first military rifle projectile that had a boat tail - a streamlined tapered base - to further minimize air resistance in flight.[1]

Downrange performance[]

The 1898 pattern 8×50mmR Lebel Balle D spitzer nose profile combined with the boat tail resulted in a ballistic coefficient (G1 BC) of 0.568 to 0.581 (ballistic coefficients are somewhat debatable). Fired at 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s) muzzle velocity the Balle D bullet retained supersonic velocity up to and past 800 m (870 yd) (V800 ≈ Mach 1.13) under ICAO Standard Atmosphere conditions at sea level (air density ρ = 1.225 kg/m3). Even by 21st century standards 800 m (870 yd) typical effective supersonic range is regarded as normal for a standard military rifle round.[2]

1886 pattern 8×50mmR Lebel Balle M load

Distance (m) 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1500 2000
Trajectory (m) 0 0.14 0.81 2.39 5.27 9.83 31.71 75.61
Velocity (m/s) 628 488 397 335 290 255 197 160

1898 pattern 8×50mmR Lebel Balle D load

Distance (m) 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1500 2000
Trajectory (m) 0 0.12 0.54 1.43 3.01 5.60 18.30 44.0
Velocity (m/s) 700 607 521 448 388 342 278 240

The above downrange performance tables show the superior velocity retention of the Balle D compared with its Balle M predecessor
Note: The air density ρ used to correlate these tables is unknown.

1900 – 1914[]

Ballistic Tip

21st century plastic tipped bullets. Ballistic Tips: Hornady 17 gr. V-Max 17HMR, .308 Winchester Unknown Manufacturer Plastic tipped bullets are a type of rifle bullet meant to confer the aerodynamic advantage of the spitzer bullet (for example, see very-low-drag bullet) and the stopping power of a hollow point bullet.

German Empire[]

In 1904, after reviewing the French success with the Balle D cartridge, German ordnance authorities decided to revise the Army's M/88 cartridge and its round-nose bullet design. A new Spitzgeschoß aerodynamic bullet, credited to an independent ballistician Arthur Gleinich, was selected. The patent assigned by the US Patent Office to the Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken Aktien-Gesellschaft for an Improved Form for Projectiles for Hand-Firearms can be found under US PAT No. RE12927. The S Patrone, used a relatively lightweight 9.9 grams (153 gr) bullet with a slightly increased diameter of 8.2 mm (0.323 in) that had a ballistic coefficient (G1 BC) of approximately 0.321 to 0.337 (ballistic coefficients are somewhat debatable), along with a new double-base (based on nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin) smokeless powder loading, which delivered a greatly improved muzzle velocity of 878 m/s (2,880 ft/s). This cartridge had a maximum range of approximately 3,700 m (4,000 yd) and was adopted by the German Army and Navy as the S Patrone a.k.a. 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge in 1905.[3] The combination of increased velocity and improved bullet aerodynamics provided a much flatter bullet trajectory, which increased the probability of hitting an individual target at most typical combat distances.

United States[]

In 1906, United States ordnance authorities arranged to purchase the production license for the Spitzgeschoß bullet design from Gleinich. Now referred to as a 'spitzer' design, the new 9.7 grams (150 gr) flat base projectile that had a ballistic coefficient (G1 BC) of approximately 0.405 with a cupro-nickel alloy jacket was incorporated into the M1906 30-06 Springfield cartridge adopted by U.S. armed forces in 1906. The Ball, M1906 rounds had a muzzle velocity of 823 m/s (2,700 ft/s) and can be identified by their silver-colored bullets. The cupro-nickel alloy were found to quickly foul the bore.

Russian Empire[]

In 1908 the Russian Empire adopted a new 7.62×54mmR service round variant loaded with the "L" 9.5 grams (147 gr) spitzer bullet that had a ballistic coefficient (G1 BC) of approximately 0.393. The 7.62×54mmR M1908 Type L cartridge had a muzzle velocity of 865 m/s (2,838 ft/s).

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland[]

In 1910 Britain officially adopted the .303 British Mark VII cartridge variant loaded with a 11.3 grams (174 gr) flat base spitzer bullet that had a ballistic coefficient (G1 BC) of approximately 0.467. The .303 British Mark VII cartridge had a muzzle velocity of 744 m/s (2,441 ft/s).[4]

Switzerland[]

GP11 coupe

Swiss 7.5×55mm GP 11 Full Metal Jacket, Armor Piercing, and Tracer projectiles.

In 1911 Switzerland adopted the 7.5×55mm GP 11 cartridge loaded with a 11.3 grams (174 gr) spitzer Full Metal Jacket bullet. Besides a pointed nose the GP11 bullet also had a boat tail. The GP11 projectile had a ballistic coefficient (G1 BC) of 0.505 to 0.514 (ballistic coefficients are somewhat debatable). At 780 m/s (2,559 ft/s) muzzle velocity the standard GP 11 ball spitzer bullet retained supersonic velocity up to 800 m (870 yd) (V800 ≈ Mach 1.1) under ICAO Standard Atmosphere conditions at sea level (air density ρ = 1.225 kg/m3).

Kingdom of Spain[]

In 1913 the ordnance authorities of the Kingdom of Spain issued a redesigned 7×57mm Mauser cartridge (7mm Cartucho para Mauser Tipo S).[5] It was loaded with a 9 grams (138.9 gr) spitzer bullet fired at a muzzle velocity of 850 m/s (2,789 ft/s) with 3,251 J (2,398 ft·lbf) muzzle energy from a 589 mm (23.2 in) long barrel. It had a maximum range of 3,700 m (4,046 yd).[6]

Post 1918[]

Sweden[]

Sweden and Norway loaded their 6.5×55mm m/94 service ammunition with a 10.1 grams (156 gr) long round-nosed bullet (B-projectile) fired at a muzzle velocity of 725 m/s (2,379 ft/s) up to the early phase of World War II and Norwegian occupation by German in 1940. From 1941 onwards Sweden, which remained neutral during World War II, adopted m/41 service ammunition loaded with a 9.1 grams (140 gr) spitzer bullet (D-projectile) with a boat tail fired at a muzzle velocity of 800 m/s (2,625 ft/s).[7] Besides a pointed nose the m/41 D-projectile also had a boat tail.[8]

References[]

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