150 NBT for .30-30

[Guest]

I got my first big game handgun kill using a T/C contender in .30-30! I was using 150gr SST's. The shot was at 32 yards and the entry was a golf ball sized wound and the bullet frag'd from there. Tiny pieces throughout the rest of the wound channel. It never made it past the vitals. Now on this yearling deer it obviously did the job as it fell over backwards at the shot, kicked a few times and expired. But on a larger deer I may not of been so lucky.

So my question is, in your experience do the 150 NBT's hold together better than the 150gr SST? I thought for sure with the .30-30 velocities and especially out of a 14" pistol barrel the SST would have been a great performer. The accuracy was outstanding with the SST's and would like to find another that will shoot as well. I know this is a Nosler forum, but would a standard cup and core spire point like the core lokt work at these 1800-2000fps velocities and suit my purposes better than these poly tips maybe?

 

[JD338]

The SST is a fragile bullet. The Core Lokt will work just fine at those velocities. The 150 gr BT will work even better. :wink:

JD338

 

[Guest]

I think I will try the NBT. I just wasn't real sure if they were pretty much the same construction as the SST's.

 

[blacktailhunter]

That sounds like a perfect candidate for the 120gr NBT! Don't let the light weight scare you away, for it is a tough bullet with a good B.C. I've had excellent luck with the Speer 145gr boat tail also. I've had the core/jacket separation happen, which to many is a failure, but this was after complete penetration with a devastating wound channel. The only thing I found was the jacket lodged under the hide on the opposite shoulder.

That SST shouldn't have done that. At those velocities, I'm not sure that most varmint bullets would have performed better. I'd be done with the SST, that's for sure!

 

[JD338]

That sounds like a perfect candidate for the 120gr NBT! Don't let the light weight scare you away, for it is a tough bullet with a good B.C.

I think you may be referring to the 7mm 120 gr BT. The 30 cal is 125 gr BT.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Congrats on your harvest!
Surprised the SST broke up like that! I knew they were fragile but not like that! at that velocity.

 

[blacktailhunter]

Why I was thinking 7mm, I have no idea! Still, the Ballistic Tip or the Speer boat tail would be good choices.

 

[JD338]

Why I was thinking 7mm, I have no idea! Still, the Ballistic Tip or the Speer boat tail would be good choices.

blacktailhunter

No worries. You are right though, the 7mm 120 gr BT is an awesome bullet for sure.

JD338

 

[Guest]

The 125 grain bullet huh?? May have to try it out. Won't be too light for penetration?

I use the 140 gr NBT in my 7mag and have had excellent success and will load nothing else for it, so I don't have anything against polytip bullets. I don't consider a jacket seperation a bullet failure either if you get really nice penetration/exit. In fact my buddy used my 7mag this year and when butchering the deer we found the jacket on the opposite hide. The core had exited. This SST bullet from the .30-30 was just frag'd out from the entrance with tiny bits and pieces of lead/jacket throughout.

Maybe I'll put this bullet through a few wet phone books to see what it does.

 

[old #7]

Congrats on your harvest!
Surprised the SST broke up like that! I knew they were fragile but not like that! at that velocity.

+1
I was under the impression the sst was a tipped version of the interlock.

 

[Guest]

Congrats on your harvest!
Surprised the SST broke up like that! I knew they were fragile but not like that! at that velocity.

+1
I was under the impression the sst was a tipped version of the interlock.

I think you're correct.

 

[JD338]

The 125 grain bullet huh?? May have to try it out. Won't be too light for penetration?

My buddy's daughter shot a young WT buck last year with the 125 gr BT out of a 30-30. The bullet went through the lungs, and exited. The lungs were jelled.

JD338

 

[cloverleaf]

I shot an Antelope at 264 yards with a 100 gr BT. It started out at a MV of about 2800 fps, so by the time it got to 264 yds it was carrying only about a 1000 ft/lbs of energy. The bullet broke the near side shoulder and punched its way through both lungs and out the far side. He didnt drop in his tracks. Just bucked a time or two and lay down and bled out. Not to frangible at those velocities. but good performance IMHO. .50 cent sized hole in far side ribs. CL

 

[Larry in SD]

I am surprised at the fragmentation of the 150gr. SST as well. I have been hunting Whitetail Deer with single shot Speciality Pistols since 1982 and have used several different calibers and bullets over the years.

Read my post about the 7-30 Waters. This is the first bullet from a speciality pistol that I ever remember the jacket and core seperating.

More to the point, many years ago a gun dealer buddy of mine was selling piles and piles of .30-30 Winchester T/C Contender Handguns. A lot of these guys didn't load their own ammo and urged my buddy to come up with a commercial reload that they could buy for their .30-30 Winchester T/C Contender Handguns to use for Whitetail Deer Hunting.

I had the opportunity to do most of the chronographing and accuracy testing of the ammo my buddy loaded. Everytime he'd get in a used .30-30 T/C Contender Handgun Barrel I'd take it out with his ammo and accuracy test and chronograph it.

In the end my buddy ended up loading 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips with Accurate Arms #2230 Powder. In all the T/C Contender Handgun Barrels I tested this load in most would put 5 rounds from the bench at 100 yards into a 1" group. Average velocity for all these barrels was 2400 FPS (+ or - 25 FPS for some of the individual barrels).

I never did have the opportunity to take a Whitetail with the 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip out of a .30-30 Winchester T/C Contender Handgun. However I did take a couple Whitetails with the 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip out of a Super 14 T/C Contender Handgun chambered for the .30-30 Ackley Improved at a muzzle velocity of 2600 + FPS.

The longest shot was a lasered 286 yards on a 3x3 Whitetail Buck. The buck was quartering towards me and the shot was above center (top to bottom) behind the near side shoulder. The bullet destroyed the lungs and traveled rearward exiting through the meaty portion of the off side rear ham leaving a 2" hole all the way through the ham. The Buck dropped in his tracks at the shot.

A few days later my youngest daughter used the same handgun with the same load to take a Whitetail Doe at a lasered 200 yards. This was a perfect broadside shot with the bullet striking midway top to bottom right behind the near side shoulder. The bullet broke a rib on entrance and exit leaving a quarter sized exit hole. Again this deer dropped in her tracks.

A buddy of mine uses a 14" .30-30 Winchester Contender Handgun. I am loading him the same exact load my gun dealer buddy came up with. My buddy has shot one deer ever single year he has hunted with the .30-30 Contender Handgun. All have been one shot kills, and to my knowledge they have all dropped in their tracks.

I guess what I am trying to say is this, as has been stated don't let the light weight and lower section density of this 125gr. .30 Caliber Nosler Ballistic Tip fool you, it plain and simple works.

Larry

 

[Guest]

Thanks Larry!

Actually I googled Nosler ballistic tip and .30-30 and read your postings on another website as well. Good to see that load works well. I will have some testing and shooting to this summer, sad huh!

Everybody else thanks for the advice and info.

 

[Larry in SD]

You're very welcome. I hope everything works out for you and you end up with a good load.

Larry