150 Grain BT Experience

[bowpro12]

About 8 years ago I purchased a new Tikka T3X in 300 wsm. At the time I didn’t reload so I purchased some Winchester Supreme w/150 BT Combined Technologies bullets at just over 3300 fps from the Tikka. I shot a nice buck at 270 yards and at the shot the buck wheeled and ran off up the hill into the woods. I was certain I had made a good shot but was doubting myself. Luckily about 30 minutes later the same buck stepped out at 342 yards and I put another into the base of his neck anchoring him for good. Upon inspection, the first bullet had crushed his left shoulder and the hair around the wound showed the splatter burns of the bullet fragmenting and there was no penetration of the bullet into the body cavity. To my surprise, the 2nd shot at the base of the neck also showed the same splatter burns but there was penetration. The first shot I understand, but the neck shot has always puzzled me. Why, at that distance of 342 yards would a BT blowup on a neck shot? I have used AB since this moment and currently use the 200 AB with great success.

 

[gerry]

Welcome. I haven't used that exact combination but I'm sure others here have. I believe they are usually tougher than that and it may just have been an anomaly.

 

[salmonchaser]

I’ve a spot where I’ve killed quite a few Mule deer bucks over the years. Most have been with 150s out of an 06. A solid 1/2 dozen were at 200 yards or less, facing straight away, the shot was down thru the spine between the shoulder blades. I was on a ridge about 100 feet above the deer. The spine completely destroyed the ballistic tip with only bone and bullet fragments entering the body cavity. They certainly died right there but I was convinced I didn’t want to shoot anything bigger than a deer with Ballistic tips. I still like BTs on deer and Antelope. That is what they were designed for. I’ve not lost a deer shot in front of the diaphragm, actually havn’ t lost any including two that were moving angled away and got shot thru the liver or a little worse.
I am surprised you didn’t penetrate the shoulder. Not surprised the bullet destroyed the neck (spine) and it self.
Welcome to the forum. You’ll find a good group here and not a lot of bull.

 

[TackDriver284]

Was the deer quartered away? I have shot an impala eons ago with a 7 STW using 140 Ballistic Tips at around 3400 + fps from about 80 yards away, it was quartered away and hit on the last rib to angle towards the front of the opposite shoulder, but the bullet blew up on impact and made a mess, it ran off and I tracked it for a distance and it died under a tree. I figured its better to shoot broadside, not quartered away with high velocity light bullets. My guess is you used too light of a bullet for the 300 WSM, I would use a 180 grain BT on deer. I never used bullets lighter than 180 grains for my 300 Win Mag for that reason.

 

[RL338]

I’ve seen some spectacular damage from .30cal BTs on deer 100yds and in. One would think at 300 yds that bullet would have a more controlled expansion.
Moving to an AccuBond should solve the problem.

 

[TXbaldhunter]

I shot a few deer with the 150gr Ballistic Tip out of my 308 Win,MV 2900fps.I though they were tough and deer usually didn't bleed that much either.The 165gr and 168gr were a much different story.Everything died right there, lots blood everywhere.