.308 125 BT's

[skidmark]

With all the talk about this little bullet
I felt it prudent to load some and see what I
could get. I shot these off my back pack as a
rest on the gas line this morning. A very accurate
bullet indeed. Skid

 

[DrMike]

Nothing wrong with the accuracy you're displaying there. Good stuff!

 

[1Shot]

Go shoot you a deer with this load and you will not look for anything else. Man it kills deer in their tracks. I shoot 46 grs IMR 4895 with CCI br2 primers in Winchester cases in my tight neck tight chamber 21 1/2" Heart barrel Rem 700 308 Win right at 3000 fps average. This rifle was made many years ago as a hunter class bench rest rifle that I picked up many years ago. It shoots bug holes with this load. I have another rifle that was made as a hunter class bench rest rifle that is in caliber 30x47. It is the old 300 Savage case with the shoulder pushed back about 10 thousands inch but left the same OAL. I shoot 42 grs IMR 4895 with the 125 BT at 2850 fps and it kills deer bang flop also. I shoot the 125 BT in my Contender pistol 14" 30-30AI at 2670 fps and it bang flops deer also. Did I happen to mention that I use the 125 BT and love it. LOL

 

[Guybo]

Nothing wrong with that shooting. They are very accurate in my .308 LTR and performance on deer has been excellent.

 

[skidmark]

I loaded some of these with trailboss earlier this year and shot
them at jugs but the velocity was around 1400 and of course there
was no expansion. Has anyone filled a jug with a 125 with 3000
speeds we could see? Was wondering how well they held up. It must
be real good with all the comments about deer performance.

 

[1Shot]

I can tell you how they hold up when shot into deer. At impact velocity of 3000 fps down to 2900 fps it usually fully expands and will not exit most of the time if shot through the ribs broadside and if through the shoulders just the base with a little bit of jacket will be found under the hide on the off side shoulder. Between 2900 and and 2800 fps it will exit most of the time through the ribs and when shot into the front shoulders just the jacket will be found under the hide on the offside. Under 2700 fps I do not know what the bullet looks like because in 30+, lost count, deer shot I have never recovered a single bullet and most have been shot through both shoulders. I have never had a deer go over 30 yards after taking a 125 BT with 98% dropping in their tracks. I have killed 50+ deer with the 125 BT in multiple firearms. If you keep the impact velocity under 3000 fps it is awesome.

 

[DrMike]

It is hard to argue with those results. It does appear to be an excellent bullet on deer size game with the appropriate precautions.

 

[hunting1]

The one recovered from an antelope this year was 65-grs. The little thing dropped the buck DRT. They shoot great in all my .308's and if deer was my primary game, I can't think of a better deal than the 308 and 125 NBT.

 

[Guy Miner]

Here's a link to a report of the 125 BT vs whitetail buck. Including photos & measurements of recovered bullet:

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=26561

Regards, Guy

 

[skidmark]

Well...Looks like Guy has answered my question.
I knew this was the right place to ask.
I never realized how great a light bullet could be...
Skid

 

[Guy Miner]

Yeah, I remember reading something from 1Shot about the .30 cal, 125 gr Ballistic Tip being a very good deer bullet, so I decided to load them for Dani to try on her first deer hunt.

She's got a real lightweight .308 rifle, and I noticed it kicked her pretty good with standard 165 gr loads... So went with the 125's. First thing I noticed was that she was accurate as all get out with that rifle & load, second thing was that she wasn't getting beat up by the little rifle anymore, and last was the one-shot drop of that whitetail buck... Wins all the way around.

I appreciate 1Shot sharing his tremendous experience with this bullet!

Guy

 

[RWE]

I have been slacking with my promised reporting but have an honest reason - had a death in the family and have been busy.

I can't add photos now but I can report that my oldest daughter, now 15, has killed four whitetail deer. Each only required, one shot using either Nosler BT, Nosler AB, or a Hornady SST. She and I have reviewed bullet placement, angles, etc. She has shot a bunch with "our" .30-06 - from 50 to 100 yards and has rung the steel at 200 and 300. She can do it, heck, she has:

Two whitetail bucks were shot at ranges of 20 and 50 yards with the 125 grain NBT rolled up as "Hodgdon Youth Loads" using reduced charges of H4895 with a muzzle velocity of 2,550 as I recall. One was green/gross score measured at 168"... The other was a 6pt that was 17 1/2" spread and pretty thick. I will try to post photos soon. The shot angles were... less than desirable, having to penetrate across the bodies on both. No blood found and no exit. We didn't recover them until the next morning (6pt) and other was found the next day but not recovered until the following - they were fairly spoiled and no real exam could be done. She put them right where they needed to go but I fear the speed, weight, amount of penetration needed, etc were just ot enough for those shots. The 6pt had a heavy body, we think he was 4.5 yo and was on the "hit list". He had a brother that was a 7 pt, he was taken this year. The bullet entered at the last rib on right side and stopped in the shoulder of the left side. I tried to get to the bullet but he was ripe, it was warm. Broadside I am certain would have yielded pass through results.

Doe, 150 gr SST, 2600fps. She did it all, watched and waited, took the shot and bullet went through the heart. Somehow the young doe ran about 60 yards, I have never seen such a blood trail.

This years doe, 125 NAB, 2900 fps. Again, all on her, I was just there to hold the knife. Bullet entered should, rib, through the chest another rib, out. The does tail hit her hoofs on the shot and she rolled over.

I have adopted this load and will continue to experiment. I went out opening weekend and was in the middle of it - it being the young deer parade. 17 separate bucks, all yearlings to 1.5 yo's and I have no idea how many does. I was a great hunt, thoroughly enjoyed the woods that weekend. Had planned to take off work and go back, rut was ON!

My mother in law took a turn for the worse and we spent time with her as much as we could. She passed last week.

Headed out for black powder this weekend if the 15yo does not have a tournament, next is the 11 yos birthday, busy, busy!

 

[Wyo7200]

They are incredibly accurate in my .300 blackout. My best 100 yard target is one three lobed cloverleaf (4 shots) and a the 5th hole is 1/4 or so high right. Got excited. I think it measured .5 moa. Haven't hit anything except paper with them yet- only going 2080 fps.