Ballistic Tip ?

[wisconsinteacher]

I have been reading a lot about Nosler Ballistic Tips over the past few days. Most of my reading has been from other forums as I did searches on Google. Every post has many good and many poor experiences on them. I understand they are a not as strong as AccuBonds or Partitions but why is there so much out there about these hunting bullets "exploding" or "not penetrating" on deer sized game? I am thinking they would be great bullets for open field hunting out of a 243-30 caliber rifle but after reading so many mixed reviews, I question using them.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

When they were first introduced...they were far more fragile than they are now...Nosler started putting thicker jackets on them several years ago.

They are top notch bullets...as accurate as most any match bullet.

 

[mrandrew]

my experience is that the ballistic tips are some of the most hunting bullets out there. On deer size game I think that they are tough enough. I won't comment on their ability to kill anything larger than deer because I have never done so.

 

[dubyam]

The BTs are great bullets when used properly. Launch them at less than 3000fps and they are tough enough to punch through a white-tail and make a 3-4" exit and drop the deer within 60-70yds regardless of range. I've had deer drop in their tracks but less frequently than the ones that run. That's my experience with a 30-06 with a 165gr BT and an 8x57 with a 180gr BT. Now, hit something with an impact velocity higher than about 2900-3000fps and you are likely to have some trouble. Or, hit a deer in the spine and plenty of damage will occur. But send a BT through the ribs or even the shoulder at 2800 or 2600, and you will absolutely enjoy the results.

Now, for game bigger than white-tails you need to consider range and velocity and bullet mass. I wouldn't use anything lighter than the 180gr BT for anything bigger than deer, and if you have the option, a Partition is maybe a better choice.

 

[RiverRider]

To amplify on what dubyam says, it's one of those bullets you don't want hitting your target at 3400 fps. The slower they are, the better they hold together and penetrate---like any conventional cup-n-core bullet (but they do have to have enough velocity to expand properly). It's a question of balance. Tougher bullets can withstand higher impact velocities and hitting heavy bone and still hold together for good penetration.

 

[Guy Miner]

I've been real enthusiastic in my praise for the Ballistic Tips for deer.

Am one of those guys who started using them back in the 1980's when they replaced my favorite "Nosler Solid Base" lead-tipped bullets. Initially I was very impressed with their accuracy, and a little surprised by how quickly they opened up. I think they were a little fragile then, but they did kill like lightning. I also noted that they caused a LOT of meat damage when impact velocity was high.

Nosler listened, and seriously beefed up the bullet. Now there's little lead and much jacket. Take a look at some of the sectioned Ballistic Tips in our Bullet Test area.

For ten years my son has been using the little 95 gr Ballistic Tip from his 6mm Rem, at about 3,000 fps. It shoots GREAT and is extremely deadly. We've only recovered one, and that was just last season, typically they penetrate right on through.

I've also been very happy with the .257" 115 gr Ballistic Tip from my .25-06 taking mule deer, pronghorn and coyote with it. Excellent results. Complete penetration and ample expansion. Accuracy is top notch too.

The other one I use a lot is the .308" 165 gr Ballistic Tip. Wow... Match bullet accurate and very lethal. The exit wounds on whitetail have been impressive.

Steven & Storm use the heck out of the .284" 120 gr Ballistic Tip on wild hogs, pronghorn & mule deer. Whitetail too I believe. Instant kills!

A buddy of mine took a .300 Win mag to South Africa for plains game. He took both Partition & Ballistic Tip bullets. Both he and the PH were more impressed with the dramatic one-shot kills from the Ballistic Tips.

I don't know what else I can tell you. They usually produce an instant, one-shot kill, penetrating completely through and dropping game in place. They're tough for good penetration, expand well, kill quickly and are very accurate bullets.

Regards, Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

The only Ballistic Tip we've ever recovered from game, a 95 gr from a whitetail buck at about 70 yards after going through the throat/upper chest and hitting the backbone:


.30 cal, 165 gr Ballistic Tip recovered after being slammed into the water jugs at a mere 20 yards:


One Shot Drops, all Ballistic Tips:








Exit wound. Pronghorn. 160 yards, 115 gr Ballistic Tip from my .25-06 rifle:


Entrance wound, mule deer buck @ 260 yards, 115 gr.


Yeah, I like my B-Tips. Particularly for deer size game.

Regards, Guy

 

[IdahoCTD]

Its too bad they made the 150gr .30cal bullets tougher because they use to be brutal on the rock chucks. I shot one yesterday launched at 3550fps and it was a beautiful thing.

 

[Sas874runner]

Under 3000 = great results. I shot a yote with a125 BT out of my 300 rum at 200 yards and the bullet more or less was a varmit bullet. No exit. But fragmented for days.

 

[.300winmag]

With my .30-06, no other bullet shot as consistent and as well as the BT. I have shot countless mule deer with this bullet from point blank to over 600 yards. I have never had anything but good things to say about this bullet on deer. I have also never recovered a BT from a deer, all o my experiences have been complete pass throughs. I have also taken several elk with this bullet and never had one get away, even out to 643 yards. I will say I have switched to the AccuBond for elk in this rifle, and when I used the BT for elk, I put all the shots behind the tough shoulders. I would not hesitate to use it on elk again, however. On the bear, it was a head shot at about 100 yards... Not exactly what I would have preferred, but it was what I had the opportunity to do. It definitely did the job.

 

[JD338]

The original BT's were fragile but have been improved. Current offerings are quite robust and perform quite well IF you keep the impact velocity BELOW 3100 fps.
There is a lot of negative press on BT's. I strongly believe that most of the "bullet failures"
are actually operator error, ie: poor shot placement and/or using the wrong bullet for the application.

I have shot many WT deer and a caribou with the 7mm 140 gr BT. All were I shot kills and most dropped in their tracks. One heart shot buck went about 4 leaps and required no real tracking, blood was everywhere!

JD338

 

[ScreaminEagle]

I've shot piles of whitetail outta 257 bob's, 6mm's, 280's using the Nosler BT. One shot and done! Actually only ever lost an animal while using rem Core Lokts

 

[DrMike]

Internet ninjas are pretty free with their stories; details are less exacting. Thus, you can always find horror stories of bullet failure with any fine bullet. Those who use the bullets and heed the recommendations of the manufacturers are seldom disappointed. High impact velocities challenge any bullet, which is why premium bullets are offered. Keep impact velocities within the range recommended, and all cup and core bullets will work as designed.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

So is pushing a 150 BTip out of a 7mmRem pushing the limit on shots from 20-500 yards?

 

[JD338]

So is pushing a 150 BTip out of a 7mmRem pushing the limit on shots from 20-500 yards?

What is the muzzle velocity?
I would also add to stay off the shoulder blades up close.

JD338

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Looking at the Nosler #7, I see that with a max load, they publish around 3150-3200 fps at the muzzle. I am guessing that is a little higher than what will be obtained by a shorter barreled rifle.

 

[SJB358]

WT I'm with Guy, JD and the others. I really believe the BT is a super deer bullet. The 95 BT, 150 BT from the 270WSM, 180 BT from a 300 Win Mag and 140 BT from the 264 are all excellent bullets. I just stick with the old belief of heavier for caliber bullets and keeping impact speeds less than 3100. I've ran them into jugs and I haven't seen one vaporize yet, just solid expansion and great penetration. Sometimes a core will come out but not until after it's done a lot of work. They are also very accurate in everything I've tried them in as well. Stick to the heavier bullets and I think you'll really like them.

 

[NYDAN]

WT, All of my experience has been with NON-magnum calibers. I have loaded the BT's in .260 Rem, 7mm-08 Rem, and 308 Win for 23-24 years now. My friends and I have shot over 30 deer with these bullets and in every case, they performed as advertised with the vast majority of the bulllets passing through. To my knowledge, we have never lost a deer we hit with these bullets.

I like the relatively rapid expansion for deer. We hunt relatively small properties with heavy hunting pressure all around. All the land is posted. Probably 75% of the time we are shooting at deer within 100 yards of the line fences. Once a wounded deer crosses a line fence, it are generally "lost". So, we like to have as much energy expended in the animal as we can. So for us, hunting deer in this area, rapid energy dissipation is more important than the deeper penetration needed for larger game. I believe it is the ideal bullet for deer hunting in our area.

 

[bobnob]

When I did some testing in wet newspaper with 130g 270cal BTs, in comparison with other bullets, I found when impact speed was over 3000fps the BT was ho-hum for penetration and weight retention. When the impact speed was dropped a bit, it came into its own and was the best bullet in its class.

They have always been among the most accurate bullets in my rifles in all calibres.

 

[Vince]

Internet ninjas are pretty free with their stories; details are less exacting. Thus, you can always find horror stories of bullet failure with any fine bullet. Those who use the bullets and heed the recommendations of the manufacturers are seldom disappointed. High impact velocities challenge any bullet, which is why premium bullets are offered. Keep impact velocities within the range recommended, and all cup and core bullets will work as designed.

I am in agreement.