30-06 + varget + 125g. Balistic Tips + WATER JUGS = YES!

[bbearhntr]

I've been playing with these 125g balistic tips for a couple of weeks and finally found some success. I wanted to make my 30-06 shoot a little flatter so I gave the 125g balistic tips a try. Winchester cases, WLR primers, 55.5g Varget, 3.150 COL gave me repeated hlaf inch groups. 1 1/2" high at 100yds = 1 1/2" low at 200yds. Good enough for me. Now I just need to invest in a chronograph to see what kind of speed I'm getting outta these little devils :shock: How well do you think these bullets will perform on my local population of whitetails? Time will tell :mrgreen:

 

[6mm Remington]

Nice job with the 30-06! I'd like to know who could say bad things about such a great cartridge and obviously a really good shooter you have there. I bet that will work fine on deer for you. Nice groups!

 

[chet]

My experience with the 125 bt, impact velocity needs to be below 3000 fps.
I'm sure you're above that at the muzzle, but you may be safe past 100 yards or so.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

That is one straight shooting load for sure. I wonder why its low @ 200 yards though? A chronograph is an indispensible tool for any handloader to be successful. It could be that the load isn't going that fast. But with 150-165 grain loads 1.5-2.0" high at 100 yards is a 200 yard zero. The 125 BT will work just fine on whitetails if you pick your shots correctly, although personally I prefer at least a 150 grain bullet for deer in my 30-06, just superstitious I guess. But 6mm Remington is right, this is one fine cartridge that when loaded with proper bullets will never let you down my friend!

 

[bbearhntr]

If I ever get called back to work a chronograph will be my first new toy! I'm an electrician by trade and have not worked but 2 days since the middle of Feb. Oh well it leaves me time to spend with my family (and load and go to the range whenever I want. :mrgreen: )

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

These are hard times for sure...hope that changes for you soon. You sure do have the right attitude about it, more time with the family and more time on the range. Too bad you're in Wisconsin, or I would loan you my chrony... :grin:

 

[Gm weatherby man]

I agree on keeping the speed down, sectional density is low and it is tip for fast expansion. I had a very bad experience with a 115 gr bt from a 257 bee that hit a whitetail at 150 yards in the shoulder and blew up like it was hit by shrapnel instead of a bullet, was not impressed. Now them expensive bullets are fouler shoots. I have loaded them for my 340 in 30-30 for the girls and their whitetail quest. At reduced speeds I think it would make great whitetail bullet. :wink:

 

[DrMike]

You have an accurate load. I don't doubt that this bullet will work on Whitetail. As has already been mentioned, I'd wonder about impact velocity.

 

[bbearhntr]

I agree on keeping the speed down, sectional density is low and it is tip for fast expansion. I had a very bad experience with a 115 gr bt from a 257 bee that hit a whitetail at 150 yards in the shoulder and blew up like it was hit by shrapnel instead of a bullet, was not impressed. Now them expensive bullets are fouler shoots. I have loaded them for my 340 in 30-30 for the girls and their whitetail quest. At reduced speeds I think it would make great whitetail bullet. :wink:

Funny you mention that 257 WBY. I bought one a few years ago because of their advertised velocity and have used it on whitetails every year since i bought it. I will agree very much with you about the 115g balistic tips blowing up! I shot a whitetail at 40 yards with one while it was facing me and found lead fragments ALL the way through it. Deer died though! My largest gun killed buck was shot with that same rifle broadside at 50 yard and the performance was great. Quarter sized hole through both sides of the bucks ribs. He only took three jumps and piled up. That rifle is what got me started thinking about this load actually. I figure if a 115g 25 cal works well, why not use a 125g 30 cal? I usually am very picky with my shot placement so I cant wait to try this combo this fall :grin:

 

[HeathSexton]

I figure if a 115g 25 cal works well, why not use a 125g 30 cal? I usually am very picky with my shot placement so I cant wait to try this combo this fall :grin:

Great deer


The sectional density of a 115gr .257" BT is MUCH higher than the sectional density of the 125gr .308"


.249 for the 115 .257"
.188 for the 125 .308"


A bullet of camparable strength:

.249 - 115gr .257" NBT
.248 - 165gr .308" NBT

 

[bbearhntr]

Thanks for the information Heath. Me being new to realoading I need all of the helpful explinations I can get. How do you think the bullet will perform on deer?

 

[HeathSexton]

Well, like the other guys say, just watch the impact velocity. A friend uses the 125NBT from his .308 Win and his .300 Whisper. His .308 Win is running a shade over 3000fps at the muzzle, the Whisper I don't know, but I do know he does not shoot for bone. He is a rib buster/lung deflator and he is batting 1.000% with both guns.



Be picky with your placement, especially under 100yds and I would think you should be alright.


Good accurate load there.

 

[bbearhntr]

Thanks Heath for that report. I would definately fall in the rib buster lung deflator category no matter what gun I use! :mrgreen: I had really good results with a 223 WSSM and a 64g soft point broadside on a doe at 60 yds a few years ago. Turned her insides into jelly :shock:

 

[HeathSexton]

I bet that .223 WSSM did frazzle the insides.



Myself, I like to knock out that front running gear. It's so thick where I hunt if they make it 50yds tracking can be a real chore.

Big bullets + bone = less tracking for Heath.

 

[6mm Remington]

I do hate to admit this, but I like Ballistic Tips for targes, gophers, and coyotes. I don't hunt game with them as I don't like their performance on game. Yes I said it would work, and it probably will, but there are better choices. A 150 gr. Accbond in your 30-06 would be a much better choice in my opinion and would not damage nearly as much meat as those whitetails are great eating! Those are great groups and will work, but like I said for game I'm not a ballistic tip fan. Nosler forum guys will probably pounce on me for that one. :lol:

 

[chet]

You are probaby right at 3200 fps.......

I used these bullets @ 3600fps from a 300 win mag (yeah I was going through the hot rod stage)
Doe antelope at 426 yards - hit her in the neck - decapitation - and the bullet/bone fragments injured another doe to the far left. It was like a grenade. I don't know what the velocity was at that distance, but it was enough to displace three vertabrae. They shot great on paper.

I'm going to try them from my 308win this year, I think they'll be fantastic! But a 30-06 might just be a touch too hot!

 

[SJB358]

I haven't take any deer with the 125gr BT, but I have used the 125gr Sierra PH in a 308 with a decent charge of Varget. Speed is right at 2900. I get excellent performance on deer with that load. I plan to rework it this year with the 125gr BT. I figure at 3K or under, it should be excellent. I have taken a few does with it and have gotten exits on all of them. They were all rib shots, so I can't speak to bones, but they work well at those speeds. Scotty

 

[1Shot]

I would guess you are running around 3200 fps with your load. I have killed around 35 deer with the 125 Nosler Ballistic Tip in various 30 cal weapons from 2670 to 3000 fps muzzle. IT HAMMERS DEER. :shock: At 2850 to 3000 fps muzzle velocity out of my 30X47 HBR & 308 Win rifles inside 125 yards it does not exit a deer shot through the shoulders very often but the jacket is usually found under the hide on the off side. Deer just drop in their tracks. Out of my T/C Contender pistol 14" barrel 30-30AI at 2670 fps muzzle velocity it will exit with a golf ball size hole through the shoulders even as close as 40 yards. Out of all the deer I have killed with the 125 BT I do remember only two that even took a step after taking one and they only went 3 jumps.

If you want to experiment further and slow down you bullet to between 3000 and 3100 fps you could use the suggested accuracy load ( which is very accurate) for 125 gr bullets given in the Sierra Edition V manual.
Varget 53.1 grs . I have a friend that uses this load in his 30-06 very successfully on deer. He sights in 3" high at 100 yards and is only around 3" low at 300 yards. He just holds in the center of a deers shoulder from point blank out to 350 yards and kills the deer dead in the bean fields of NC.

 

[FOTIS]

That is a sweet load man!

 

[bbearhntr]

Thanks for the report 1Shot. I really am looking forward to trying this combo out on deer this fall. I like the idea of my 30-06 shooting so flat. I am going to give this bullet the old water jug test in the coming weeks just to see what happens. :mrgreen: