90 grain Nosler ballistic tip vs whitetail deer

badaxeriverman · 2024-09-29T13:47:30-0700

I decide to try a 90 grain ballistic tip on a deer. Shot quite a bobcat and many coyote with them and then switched to 70 grain versions. I had some doe tags to try out some of the old 90 grainers I had loaded up and stored away for decades. I used a Remington 600 with a 18.5" barrel. The load was using imr 4831 with .2 grains over max and loaded long. Shot a doe at approximately 15 yards. Bullet made one heck of a entry hole. I could fit my hand in the ribs. The bullet hit the top of the opposite shoulder blade and stopped in the outer skin of the shoulder. It weighed 45.1 grains. The core separated from its jacket and was found within a 1/4”, or less, of the jacket. Almost looked like it was still sitting in the jacket but loose. Took out both lungs. The deer “bang flopped” like it was hit with Thors hammer. It never moved or flinched!!! Just like it does with coyotes. Hit it just under the back strap. I was impressed. Never recovered a bullet in an animal before. They always exit. I wouldn’t be afraid to use this thing for deer hunting as my primary weapon after it performed. I shot one with my 300 rum the day before using 180 grain round nose Sierra with a minimum book load. Broadside low in the heart at 45 yards. Made two big holes in and out and it probably went 110 to 115 yards before it dropped. Left a blood trail of blind man could follow. IMO If I hit it a half a foot higher it would have dropped a lot quicker.

Entry hole...

https://i.imgur.com/P39wtcS.jpeg
Bullet resting on office shoulder just under the hide. You can barely see the copper jacket…

JD338 · 2024-09-29T13:50:56-0700

Perfect

JD338

NYDAN · 2024-09-29T13:56:53-0700

What is there not to like about that?

badaxeriverman · 2024-09-29T14:06:16-0700

You can see the bullet broke through several ribs on the way in. I was in an elevated stand when I took the shot as the deer was walking away from me. It took out quite a few ribs in its path before resting on the offside shoulder. I’m sure a broadside shot encountering only one rib on the way in and one on the way out it would have exited. Imo it held up pretty good for little ballistic tip pushed hard and encountering a handful of bones. I couldn’t see the .243” diameter entry hole in the hide till I skinned it.