ALCO Bullet Talk #1
The Number Gets The Attention. The Design Makes It Happen.
One of the first questions shooters often ask when evaluating a projectile is:
“What is the BC?”
Ballistic Coefficient (BC) is an important measurement, and it certainly has value when comparing projectiles. However, BC is often treated as the goal rather than the result.
At ALCO, we look at it differently.
Our focus has never been chasing a number. One of the most effective ways to improve ballistic efficiency is by increasing a projectile’s length and weight. In many cases, that means a longer, heavier bullet. The challenge is doing so while maintaining stability, accuracy, and practical use in the platform.
Our focus is designing projectiles that move through the air as efficiently as possible. Whether we’re building precision rifle bullets, ULD bullets, or big bore airgun slugs, the objective remains the same: reduce drag, improve stability, and maximize performance.
The BC is simply one indication of how successful that design has been.
It Starts With Reducing Drag
The laws of physics don’t care whether you’re shooting a precision rifle bullet at 3,000 fps or a PCP air rifle slug at 900 fps.
The moment a projectile leaves the muzzle, air resistance begins slowing it down.
The more drag a projectile encounters, the faster it loses velocity, energy, and stability. That means more wind drift, more bullet drop, and less predictable performance at longer distances.
This is why ALCO has invested heavily in Ultra-Low Drag (ULD) projectile design.
For years, our precision rifle bullets have been built around the concept of reducing drag while maintaining stability and accuracy. Long, efficient profiles, carefully engineered geometry, and attention to balance all contribute to a projectile that flies more efficiently through the atmosphere.
Those same design principles influence many of our airgun slugs today.
Why ULD Matters
Shooters often notice the published BC number because it is easy to compare.
What they don’t always see is the engineering behind it.
A projectile with an efficient Ultra-Low Drag profile typically:
• Retains velocity longer
• Carries energy farther downrange
• Produces more consistent trajectories
• Makes better use of the limited energy available from the platform
• Maximizes overall performance.
These are the characteristics shooters actually care about.
The BC simply reflects those advantages.
In other words, a high BC is often the result of a well-designed projectile—not the reason it performs well.
At ALCO, we believe the design comes first.
BC Is Not a Fixed Number
Another reason we focus on design rather than a BC number is that BC itself can change.
Velocity affects BC.
Environmental conditions affect BC.
Altitude affects BC.
Temperature can affect BC.
Even the method used to calculate BC can influence the final number.
This is why experienced shooters understand that BC should be viewed as a useful tool rather than an absolute measurement.
The projectile itself does not change.
The aerodynamic design does not change.
The Ultra-Low Drag characteristics remain.
That is where the real value lies.
Bringing Rifle Bullet Thinking to Airgun Slugs
ALCO’s roots are in designing and manufacturing precision rifle bullets for shooters who demand consistent long-range performance.
Long-range shooters have understood for decades that reducing drag is one of the keys to success. A projectile that moves efficiently through the air retains velocity better, drifts less in the wind, and delivers more consistent results.
When we entered the world of big bore airgun slugs, we brought those same principles with us.
Rather than starting with conventional slug shapes, we looked at ways to improve aerodynamic efficiency, stability, and downrange performance.
Whether we’re developing .308 airgun slugs, .357 airgun slugs, .457 airgun slugs, or .510 airgun slugs, the objective remains the same:
Reduce drag and maximize performance.
Products such as the ALCO ORION, LANCER, TETON, and our .308 ULD airgun slug designs reflect that philosophy.
While every design serves a specific purpose, they all share a common foundation rooted in aerodynamic efficiency and precision manufacturing.
Why Airgun Slug Design Matters
Many shooters searching for airgun pellets, airgun bullets, big bore airgun slugs, or precision airgun slugs focus primarily on weight and velocity.Those factors certainly matter.
However, projectile design often has an even greater influence on long-range performance.
A properly designed precision airgun slug can help shooters:
- Maintain velocity farther downrange
- Improve consistency
- Increase effective hunting range
- Build confidence in competition
Modern PCP air rifles have become remarkably capable platforms. As airgun shooters continue to push distances farther, projectile design becomes increasingly important.
A well-designed slug helps shooters get more performance from the airgun they already own. Whether you’re shooting .308 airgun slugs, .357 airgun slugs, .457 airgun slugs, or .510 airgun slugs, efficient projectile design often delivers greater benefits than simply chasing higher velocity.
The Goal Isn’t a BC Number
The goal isn’t a number printed on a package.
The goal is a projectile that performs when conditions become challenging.
What matters is whether the projectile arrives where it was intended to go.
That performance starts with design.
At ALCO, we believe good aerodynamic design creates good ballistic performance.
The BC is simply one way of measuring the result.
Accuracy Above All Else
Whether we’re producing American-made airgun slugs, competition airgun slugs, hunting airgun slugs, or precision rifle bullets, our philosophy remains the same.
Start with sound engineering.
Focus on reducing drag.
Build consistency into every projectile.
Test, refine, and improve.
Because when drag is reduced, performance improves.
And that’s what Ultra-Low Drag design has always been about.
At ALCO, we don’t begin by chasing a BC number.
We begin by designing better projectiles.
The BC follows.
Built to compete. Proven to hunt.