Old Nosler Bt's??

[Silentstalker]

So, tell me about these bullets? Are these the ones I have heard stories about not being good on big game or would they work well on antelope/mule deer out of the 24" .270 barrel? I am very confident in my modern BT's marked "Big Game" on the box.

I have had a hard time finding these lately and think I will grab them. I am just curious if I could be confident in their use on big game.

Thanks!

 

[PJGunner]

I've only lost two deer in my entire hunting career and both times I was shooting a 7x57 Mauser.
The first was way back in 1973 and the load was the factory 175 gr. Federal. Years later I chronographed the load and it was doing all of 2040 FPS as I recall. A pulled bullet that was sectioned showed what I believe to be a way too thin jacket.
The second was about 12 to 13 yars ago with the 140 g. Ballistic Tip. Deer was a rather small forked horn at about 75 to maybe 80 yards. At the shot I heard a sharp crack of bone being hit and a red spot where I'd held. The deer was with a small herd and at the hit the herd headed up the hill while the deer I shot turned downhill and into a gully. In my haste I twisted my leg one way on loose rock while my fat butt went the other way. I 'd just totally destroyed the cartilige in my right knee. My hunting partners came up the hill and refused to look in the gully for the deer. :x They wanted to get me off the hill and to a doctor. There are times when I start to think the 7x57 is a jinxed round for me. The 140 gr. BT was loaded to 2800 FPS at the muzzle and was quite accurate in my Winchester M70 featherweight. Probably not a lot of help as nothing, not the deer or the bullet were recovered.
Paul B.

 

[Silentstalker]

Thank you for your report. Sorry you lost those deer.

To be clear, I have 100% faith and confidence in the "modern" BT bullet. I am curious about these older BT's. Anyone use them? Im pretty confident in using them from the bench and range. I think I will just go pick them up...

 

[JD338]

So long as you keep them under 3000 fps impact velocity and stay off the shoulder bones, you will be fine.
Having said that, I do prefer to use the most current bullets for hunting.

JD338

 

[Silentstalker]

I'm under 3000 and think I will go ahead with them. I will mark them and use them on the range or antelope mostly. Should be perfect.

 

[Guy Miner]

Yes, I used the original Ballistic Tips, back when they first came out. Always worked well until my pard and I started loading the 165's to 3200 fps from his .300 Win mag...

Got some real nasty wounds from very fast expanding bullets. Always got the deer, but sometimes they were mighty banged up, or missing chunks. Deadly bullets, not real good on penetration all the time. Put 'em in the chest cavity (where they belong anyway) and you'll do fine.

Guy

 

[FOTIS]

Having said that, I do prefer to use the most current bullets for hunting.

JD338

THIS^^^^^^

 

[Silentstalker]

Good to note. Sounds like they will be pretty much be for my gong, paper, and water bottles. I will patiently wait for the newer version to come available out here. Thanks again!

 

[Oldtrader3]

The old solid base bullets are not really suitable for bigger game than varmints. I would use the new Ballistic Tips which are more accurate and better designed for deep penetration.

 

[SJB358]

Thank you for your report. Sorry you lost those deer.

To be clear, I have 100% faith and confidence in the "modern" BT bullet. I am curious about these older BT's. Anyone use them? Im pretty confident in using them from the bench and range. I think I will just go pick them up...

Try a couple in some water jugs.. It'll let you know right off if they will work for your application.

 

[adm1977]

I was just browsing through and I noticed this post. I just loaded the last 15 of those exact same bullets yesterday for my 270. I think I killed a deer with those older ballistic tips and my brother has killed 3 or 4. I never had any trouble with them. I do not run them fast, minimum loads. I always got good accuracy out of them also.

 

[Silentstalker]

So i am going to be up that way tomorrow, I will probably buy some of them. Will they shoot differently than the newer BT I have load tested for? My hope is they will be almost interchangeable so I can use them for practice and use my newer BT bullets when I can find them for hunting.

Adm1977, have you shot them alongside the newer version?

 

[Oldtrader3]

I think that you are asking to much for two bullets with a totally different Moment of Gravitational Axis to shoot into the same group at 100 yards?

 

[Silentstalker]

Yeah thats what I was afraid of but was not sure. Thanks all for your advice on this!

 

[REDGREEN]

You will find them extremely accurate. I shot a truckload of deer and yotes with them. Keep the shots behind the shoulder, and the deer will be DRT. Don't hit anything that you plan on eating and stay away from heavier bone. I know that they will not penetrate the sternum on a large whitetail, but on a broadside they are dynamite. They will vaporize the lungs and liver.

 

[adm1977]

I haven't shot them along side newer ones. I bought them from a small gun shop who had a lot of older bullets cheap. The price on the box still reads $14.95. I couldn't pass them up for that price. I have a box of newer ones, but I always use up open boxes first.

 

[Silentstalker]

Cool, this is kind of a smaller store too. Its like they found 4 boxes of them from yesteryear. Im going to snag them as the shelves are bare at the stores of any nosler 150 gr .277 bullets. They will get me through spring im sure. With ballistic tips I always shoot for lungs broadside or hold off.

 

[Silentstalker]

So I bought some of the older 150 gr. BT's and finally got to shoot them today. It was pretty cold with a stiff wind at my back just slightly from right to left. Shot these at 100 yards of a rest.

The first picture is a 5 shot group I fired of the "older" 150 gr. NBT's. Exact same powder load and COAL. If I superimpose the two bullseyes the impact points are very similar. Close enough for me to feel good about shooting cans, gongs, and rocks while practicing with the older bullets. It appears the older bullet either wants a different powder charge or COAL or I had a rough 5 shot round. Either way I feel good knowing I have some good practice bullets while I wait for the new version of NBT to come available.

The second pic is the 3 shots I fired with the "new" version of Big game 150 gr. NBT's.

The circled 3 shot group was a factory box of Federal 130 gr. Sp. They did not shoot very well for me.

Anyways, thanks for all the help and advise on this subject.

 

[SJB358]

Nice, I would be scared to smash either of them into a deer. 150 grain .277 bullets have a good amount of mass and should smoke deer. Nice shooting though. I love to see them 270's getting some range time!

 

[Silentstalker]

Thanks, I sure enjoy my .270. Its a pleasure to shoot!