Spitzer (bullet)

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A spitzer bullet (from German Spitzgeschoss 'point-shot') is a munitions term, primarily regarding fully-powered and intermediate small-arms ammunition, describing bullets featuring an aerodynamically pointed nose shape, called a spire point, sometimes combined with a tapered base, called a boat-tail (then a spitzer boat-tail bullet), in order to reduce drag and obtain a lower drag coefficient, resulting in an aerodynamically superior projectile, which decelerates less rapidly and has improved external ballistic behaviour, at the expense of some potential weight and kinetic energy relative to blunter ogive/round/flat-nose flat-base projectiles. The type was developed for military purposes in the late 19th and early 20th century and was a major design improvement compared to earlier rounder or flatter-tipped bullets in terms of range and accuracy. Its introduction, along with long-range volley sights for service rifles, changed military doctrines. Area targets at ranges up to 1,420–2,606...

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