Behind a supersonic bullet, the air can’t fill the void left by a flat base fast enough — pressure drops there and drag goes up. A boat-tail’s slope lets the airflow stay attached longer, easing the wake.

For inside 300 yards, the difference is negligible. Past 600, boat-tails win on retained velocity and on wind. Past 1,000, flat-base bullets are almost a curiosity outside of hunting niches.

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